Spicy Stir-Fried Hunan Beef with Water Chestnuts and Baby Corn
Tender sliced beef stir-fried with crunchy water chestnuts, baby corn, and green peppers in a fiery Hunan-style chili sauce. This Chinese-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 27 minutes, pairs sliced beef sirloin, water chestnuts, sliced, baby corn, halved for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 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 sliced beef sirloin
- 1/2 cup water chestnuts, sliced
- 1/2 cup baby corn, halved
- 1 medium green bell pepper, sliced into strips
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp Hunan chili paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 stalks green onions, sliced
The wok we’d stir-fry this in → Best Woks for 2026: Carbon Steel, Nonstick & Flat-Bottom Picks + Buying Guide
Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →
Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Toss 12 oz sliced beef sirloin with 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine and 1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water; set aside for 10 minutes.
- Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until shimmering. Add 1 tbsp minced ginger and 3 minced garlic cloves, stir-frying for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Step 3: Add the marinated beef and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until just browned but still tender; remove beef and set aside.
- Step 4: In the same wok, add 1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts, 1/2 cup halved baby corn, and 1 medium sliced green bell pepper; stir-fry for 2 minutes until vegetables are crisp-tender.
- Step 5: Return the beef to the wok, then add 2 tbsp Hunan chili paste, 2 tbsp soy sauce, and 1/4 cup chicken broth. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes until sauce thickens and coats all ingredients.
- Step 6: Drizzle 1 tsp sesame oil over the dish and toss with 2 sliced green onions before serving hot.







