Spicy East San Jose Beef Stir-Fry with Garlic and Chilies
A quick, fiery stir-fry featuring tender strips of beef tossed with fresh garlic and red chilies for bold, vibrant flavors reminiscent of East San Jose's diverse culinary scene. This Asian-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 18 minutes, pairs flank steak, vegetable oil, garlic cloves for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 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, thinly sliced against the grain flank steak
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 cloves, thinly sliced garlic cloves
- 3, thinly sliced red bird’s eye chilies
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 stalks, chopped green onions
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add 4 thinly sliced garlic cloves and 3 thinly sliced red bird’s eye chilies, stir-frying for 30 seconds until fragrant but not burnt.
- Step 2: Add 12 oz thinly sliced flank steak to the wok, spreading it out to sear. Cook without stirring for 2 minutes until edges brown, then stir-fry for another 1 minute until mostly cooked.
- Step 3: Stir in 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the beef.
- Step 4: Remove from heat and toss in 2 chopped green onions and 1 tsp sesame seeds. Serve immediately over steamed rice or noodles.







