Half-Hour Spicy Thai Basil Beef Stir-Fry
A quick and spicy Thai-inspired beef stir-fry with fresh basil and a balanced savory, sweet, and spicy sauce. This Thai-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs ground beef, vegetable oil, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 3, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 12 oz ground beef
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 cloves, minced garlic cloves
- 2 small, thinly sliced red chili peppers
- 1 medium, sliced onion
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
- 2, chopped green onions
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 2 thinly sliced red chili peppers, stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant but not burnt.
- Step 2: Add 12 oz ground beef and break it apart with a spatula. Cook stirring frequently for 5-6 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Step 3: Add 1 medium sliced onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes until slightly softened.
- Step 4: Stir in 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp fish sauce, and 1 tbsp brown sugar. Cook for 2 more minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the beef.
- Step 5: Remove from heat and fold in 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves and 2 chopped green onions until wilted and aromatic. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.







