Healthy Life Trainer

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • Contact
    • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Dinner

    Easy Kung Pao Beef - Chinese Recipe

    Published: Feb 24, 2021 · by Radwa.

    Jump to Recipe

    Kung Pao Beef is a delicious Chinese stir fry dish that is made with tender beef, vivid veggies, crunchy peanuts, and a sweet and savoury sauce.

    Kung Pao Beef on top of white rice.

    What is Kung Pao Beef?

    Kung Pao Beef is a popular Chinese stir fry dish that is loaded with Asian flavours. People sometimes mix between Kung Pao Beef and Mongolian beef. In my opinion, they are totally different as Mongolian beef is not spicy at all, and unlike Kung Pao Beef, it isn’t made with veggies.

    The Kung Pao sauce has a strong flavour that is spicy, slightly sweet, and sour. It is made with soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. It has a smooth and slightly thick texture.

    Kung Pao Beef is a Chinese stir fry dish

    Why this recipe works?

    • It is customizable
    • It can stay fresh in the fridge for 4-5 days.
    • Suitable for meal prep
    • Freezes so well
    • A good alternative for the takeaway
    Kung Pao Beef is a Chinese stir fry dish

    What's in Kung Pao Beef?

    See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    Cooking Oil: Use any oil you have; I use vegetable oil.

    Flank Steak: You can put the steak in the freezer for an hour before slicing it, so that it will firm up and allow you to slice it thinly. If you can't find flank steak, that is fine; sirloin also works fine.

    Onion: Freshly chopped.

    Garlic: I use 3 minced cloves of garlic.

    Corn Starch: To coat the beef and give it a smooth texture, and also to thicken the sauce.

    Peanuts: Roasted peanuts are an amazing addition to this recipe; try not to skip it as long as it doesn't do any harm to you. However, if you have to replace it with something, you can use cashews instead.

    Green and Red Bell Peppers: You can replace them with any veggies you like, such as carrots, celery, or zucchini.

    Red Chillies: I use dried red chillies; however, you can use fresh if you like. Cut them into halves (use more or less to change the heat level to your preference). You can replace it with ½ tablespoon sriracha sauce or ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper.

    Note: The red chillies are the source of heat in this recipe. I recommend adjusting the heat level of this recipe according to your preferences. If you follow this recipe, you will find it has moderate heat; however, if you want to reduce the heat more, you can de-seed the red chillies prior to cooking. If you want it spicier, that is easy; just add more red chilli.

    Seasoning: salt and pepper for taste

    For the Sauce, I use soy sauce, sugar, corn starch (to thicken the sauce), sesame oil and water.

    Tip: I highly recommend using low-sodium soy sauce to make sure the dish will not be salty.

    Kung Pao Beef is a Chinese stir fry dish

    How to Make Kung Pao Beef?

    Preparing the Beef

    Prepare the Beef: Slice the beef into thin strips, then mix with corn starch, salt, and ground black pepper. Make sure all the meat slices are covered well with the corn starch mixture.

    Tip: I prefer to cut the beef into thin slices to cook fast.

    Cooking the Steak and veggies

    Cooke the Steak: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then put the steak slices in a single layer. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until they become golden brown.

    Transfer the meat to a bowl, cover it, and set it aside.

    Prepare the Veggies: In the same skillet, add red and green bell peppers and onions. Cook on medium to low heat for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for one more minute. 

    Return the meat back to the skillet with the veggies

    Return the meat back to the skillet with the veggies, add the red chillies and the peanuts, stir.

    Making the Sauce

    Make the Sauce: Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl then pour over the steak. Bring it to a boil and simmer until the sauce is thickened then turn off the heat.

    Variations

    • This recipe works for other kinds of meat as well, such as chicken (Kung Pao Chicken), turkey, scallop, or shrimp.
    • You can add any vegetables you like to this dish, such as peas, celery, zucchini, corn, or mushrooms.
    • You can substitute bell pepper with celery, peas, or green bean (anything you have).
    • To make this dish vegetarian replaced the steak with mushrooms.
    Kung Pao Beef is a Chinese stir fry dish

    How To Roast The Peanuts?

    Put the peanuts in a single layer on a baking sheet, then bake at 180C for 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure to watch them so they don’t become burnt.

    Store, Freeze, And Reheat

    Storing: This dish will stay fresh for 4-5 days in the fridge; just put it in a well-sealed container.

    Freezing: Put it in a freezer-safe container and freeze for 2-3 months.

    Reheating: I let it thaw at room temperature, then microwave for 2 minutes or bring it to a simmer over low heat.

    Serving Suggestions

    I like to serve this dish on top of white rice, as in the photo above. However, you can serve it with Gyro Bread, Pasta with Breadcrumbs or Tomato And Onion Salad.

    easy Kung Pao Beef is a Chinese stir fry recipe

    More Beef Recipes

    • Chinese Chilli Beef Recipe
    • Beef Rissoles Recipe
    • Beef Stew Recipe With Potatoes And Carrots
    • Beef Yaki Udon
    • Black Pepper Beef Stir Fry
    • Chinese chilli beef recipe
      Chinese Chilli Beef Recipe
    • A pot filled with middle eastern lamb stew and a sprig of rosemary on top.
      Middle Eastern Lamb Stew Recipe
    • best steak recipe
      Rib Eye Steak With Garlic Butter
    • Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich
      Best Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich (Authentic Recipe)

    I hope you like today's recipe! Follow me on Facebook to keep up-to-date with all new recipes.

    Recipe Card

    Kung Pao Beef on top of white rice.
    Print Pin
    5 from 4 votes

    Easy Kung Pao Beef

    This Easy Kung Pao Beef is a delicious Chinese stir fry recipe that is made with tender beef, vivid veggies, crunchy peanuts, and a sweet and savoury sauce.
    Course Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine Chinese
    Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time 15 minutes minutes
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 294kcal
    Author Radwa

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoon cooking oil
    • 500 g flank steak, thinly sliced
    • 1 onion, chopped
    • 2 tablespoon cornstarch
    • ½ cup roasted unsalted peanuts
    • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
    • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 2 red chillies, cut into halves
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

    For the sauce

    • 3 tablespoon dark soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • ¼ cup water

    Instructions

    • Preparing the Beef: Slice the beef into thin strips, then mix with corn starch, salt, and ground black pepper. Make sure all the meat slices are covered well with the corn starch mixture.
    • Cooking the Steak: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then put the steak slices in a single layer. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until they become golden brown.
    • Transfer the meat to a bowl, cover it, and set it aside.
    • Preparing the Veggies: In the same skillet, add red and green bell peppers and onions. Cook on medium to low heat for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for one more minute. 
    • Return the meat back to the skillet with the veggies, add the red chillies, stir.
    • Making the Sauce: Mix all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl then pour over the steak. Bring it to a boil and simmer until the sauce is thickened then turn off the heat.

    Notes

    The red chillies are the source of heat in this recipe. I recommend adjusting the heat level of this recipe according to your preferences. If you follow this recipe, you will find it has moderate heat; however, if you want to reduce the heat more, you can de-seed the red chillies prior to cooking. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 650mg | Potassium: 504mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 695IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @HealthyLifeTrainer or tag #healthylifetrainer!

    About Radwa

    Hi, I am Radwa! I've always been fond of food—seriously, it's my love language. I share my tried-and-true recipes and provide easy, step-by-step recipes that anyone can follow.

    Comments

    1. Isabella says

      December 01, 2021 at 11:55 pm

      5 stars
      Amazing and easy to make. I served it with some white rice and my husband love it.

      Reply
    2. Grace says

      March 21, 2021 at 7:53 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is so good, but it is mildly hot, so I added 3 red chilli pods instead of 1, and it was so delicious and hot. Exactly as I like it 🙂

      Reply
    3. Bella says

      March 15, 2021 at 11:24 am

      5 stars
      Wow, this beef recipe looks delicious. I think I will try it this weekend.

      Reply
    5 from 4 votes

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Healthy Life Trainer

    Hello! I’m Radwa, A wife and mother. Also, I am the recipe maker and food photographer behind Healthy Life Trainer. I love making new, simple and quick recipes every day.

    More about me→

    Trending Recipes

    • Nuts and Date Energy Balls
      Nut and Date Energy Balls
    • 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Mug Cake
      3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Mug Cake
    • Moussaka (Musaka) Recipe
      Moussaka (Musaka) Greek Recipe
    • Peanut Butter Flapjacks
      Peanut Butter Flapjacks
    • Baked Sweet Potatoes in a foil sheet.
      How to Bake Sweet Potatoes in Foil
    • Mediterranean Spice Mix
      Mediterranean Spice Mix

    New Posts!

    • Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
      Garlic Butter Chicken Bites
    • Mexican Chicken Tacos topped with creamy dressing.
      Mexican Chicken Tacos
    • vegan garlic roasted cauliflower.
      Roasted Garlic Cauliflower
    • How Many Tablespoons Are in 1/4 Cup ( 1/4 Cup To Tablespoons).
      How Many Tablespoons Are in 1/4 Cup ( 1/4 Cup To Tablespoons)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimer
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    Contact

    Copyright © 2025 Healthy Life Trainer

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.