15 Scrumptious Chinese Beef Dishes for a Quick and Easy Dinner

Posted on September 25, 2025 by Maryann Desmond

Yellowing pages of takeout menus can be a thing of the past when you’ve got an arsenal of quick, easy, and scrumptious Chinese beef recipes at your fingertips. You’ll never have to settle for bland or overpriced food again. With these recipes, you can satisfy your cravings without breaking the bank. They’re perfect for a weeknight dinner, a special occasion, or even just a spontaneous craving.

I’ve always had a soft spot for Chinese cuisine – a trip to China was all it took to seal my love affair with the dishes. The way they cook meat is truly remarkable, whether it’s tender and flavorful or crispy and golden. And while I enjoy a good chicken or pork dish, there’s something special about the rich flavor of beef in traditional Chinese cooking.

Beef Stir-Fry in Savory Oyster Sauce

Beef Stir-Fry in Savory Oyster Sauce

When it comes to adding depth of flavor to your dishes, umami is often the key ingredient. To tap into this savory sensation, why not try combining beef with oyster sauce? This harmonious union requires just a few simple steps to get started. Firstly, you’ll need to marinate the beef in a mixture of soy sauce, Shao Xing wine, sugar, cornstarch, and baking soda. This tenderizing blend helps to break down the fibers of the meat, resulting in a juicy and tender texture that’s simply irresistible.

Next up is the preparation of the sauce itself – a quick mix of oyster sauce, two types of soy sauce, sugar, water, sesame oil, and cornstarch that comes together seamlessly. Once the ingredients are chopped and ready to go, it’s time to fire up your wok and cook everything in one swift motion. With a little practice and patience, you’ll be whipping up this mouthwatering dish with ease.

Melting Short Ribs with Complex Flavors

Melting Short Ribs with Complex Flavors

Slow-cooked short ribs are a culinary masterpiece that never fails to impress. Not only does the meat tenderize and melt in your mouth, but the one-pot cooking method ensures that every flavor component is elevated to new heights. Each bite is a harmonious balance of sweet, spicy, savory, and aromatic notes, with all the essential elements that make food delicious – salt, fat, acid, and heat – working together in perfect synergy.

Whether you’re planning an upscale dinner party or simply want to indulge on a lazy Sunday, this dish is sure to satisfy your cravings. And don’t worry about the cooking time; it may take around four hours to cook, but trust me, the end result is well worth the wait.

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Sichuan Crispy Beef Delight

Sichuan Crispy Beef Delight

Gather around the dinner table, because this Sichuan-inspired dish is sure to become your family’s new obsession! It’s that good. Every bite is a harmonious balance of flavors and textures. The beef is coated in a delicate batter and double deep-fried to perfection, resulting in a super crispy exterior that gives way to tender, juicy flesh.

But the magic happens when you toss this crunchy beef in a rich and savory sauce made with honey, soy sauce, garlic, vinegar, and sweet chili, elevating it to new heights of flavor. The addition of crunchy veggies like carrots and scallions adds depth, while slippery noodles tie everything together for a truly unforgettable meal.

Spicy Kung Pao Beef Stir Fry

Spicy Kung Pao Beef Stir Fry

You’ll be amazed at how Yummy Kung Pao Beef can tantalize your taste buds with its bold flavors. This Chinese-inspired dish is made by combining succulent beef strips with crunchy peanuts, red chilies, fragrant ginger, and crunchy peppers, all of which are tossed in a savory mixture of scallions and Sichuan peppercorns.

The sauce that brings everything together is a perfect balance of tangy hoisin sauce and sweet Sichuan pepper flavors, along with the classic additions of soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and other secret ingredients. Whether you’re a seasoned foodie or just looking to spice up your meal routine, this dish is sure to hit the spot – so give it a try! Go to Recipe

Saucy Beef Lo Mein Noodle Delight

Saucy Beef Lo Mein Noodle Delight

You might have noticed that lo mein is quite the opposite of its counterpart, chow mein. While both dishes share similarities in their noodle-packed goodness, lo mein takes the prize for being the saucier option. And let’s be real, I’m a sauce enthusiast through and through! This dish boasts an abundance of rich, tantalizing sauce that elevates it to new heights.

With its beefy flavor and hearty serving of veggies, lo mein is a true delight, especially when paired with a generous helping of that signature sauce.

Ginger Scallion Beef Stir Fry Delight

Ginger Scallion Beef Stir Fry Delight

Highlighting the simplicity of Asian-inspired flavors, ginger paired with scallions is undoubtedly one of the most iconic and delicious combinations in culinary history. This harmonious union brings together the bright, zesty flavor of ginger and the pungency of scallions, creating a savory and aromatic experience that will tantalize your taste buds. The spicy kick from the ginger adds depth to this flavorful pairing, making it a perfect match for beef and rice dishes.

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When combined with a rich and savory sauce, the overall result is nothing short of culinary perfection.

Taiwan-Inspired Mongolian Beef Delight

Taiwan-Inspired Mongolian Beef Delight

Pondering the origin of Mongolian beef is a fascinating tale that reveals the dish’s true identity: it’s not strictly Chinese nor Mongolian, but rather a Chinese-inspired creation that first emerged in Taiwan. This culinary innovation was introduced at the first Mongolian barbecue restaurant and cooked according to traditional Chinese methods.

Despite its name, Mongolian Beef has a distinct flavor profile shaped by its Taiwanese roots, which are reflected in its sweet, savory, and slightly spicy sauce. The dish features tender flank steak smothered in this richly flavored sauce, balancing heat from red chilis with a hint of sweetness from brown sugar, making it a delicious and popular choice for many food enthusiasts. And I’ve been enjoying making and devouring this tasty recipe for years.

Instant Pot Chinese Beef Stew in Minutes

Instant Pot Chinese Beef Stew in Minutes

Keeping in mind that slow-cooked stews often take hours to reach perfection, it’s surprising how quickly you can achieve similar results with the Instant Pot. In fact, this delectable dish can be prepared and cooked in under two hours, making it a great option for those with limited time. The combination of juicy beef rib meat, chewy beef tendons, daikons, and shallots creates a delightful texture contrast, while aromatics like ginger, garlic, and green onions add an extra layer of flavor.

Meanwhile, the sweet-savory Chu Hou sauce and chicken stock come together to form a rich and savory stew base that elevates each bite to new heights.

Quick Chinese Beef Stir-Fry Recipe

Quick Chinese Beef Stir-Fry Recipe

Virtually anyone can make a delicious stir-fry with just a few simple steps. To start, create a versatile stir-fry sauce that can be used for a variety of Chinese dishes. This sauce is packed with umami flavor and pairs well with numerous ingredients. To begin preparing the stir-fry, heat some peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add thinly sliced beef, baby bok choy, peppers, onions, and carrots to the pan and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp.

Once the ingredients are cooked through, toss them with the tasty stir-fry sauce you made earlier. Finally, serve your healthy stir-fry over steamed rice and enjoy! This easy-to-make dish is a great option for anyone looking for a quick and nutritious meal.

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Quick Broccoli Beef Stir-Fry Delight

Quick Broccoli Beef Stir-Fry Delight

Rounding out a well-balanced meal, beef and broccoli is one of my absolute favorite Chinese dishes. Each bite is so flavorful and bursting with umami goodness that even self-proclaimed broccoli haters can’t resist asking for seconds. The quick skillet version makes it incredibly easy to enjoy the perfect blend of savory flavors and textures. Not only is this dish relatively healthy, but you’ll also feel good about serving it to your loved ones.

This recipe showcases thin strips of tender beef flank steak and perfectly cooked broccoli, creating a colorful and visually appealing plate. However, the real magic happens with the umami-laden sauce that brings everything together. A combination of oyster sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, fresh garlic, and ginger creates a bright, tangy, and lightly spiced flavor profile that elevates the dish to new heights.

Serve this over your favorite rice and top with green onion slices for an added pop of color and freshness.

Spicy Hunan Beef Skillet Dinner

Spicy Hunan Beef Skillet Dinner

Finding yourself on the lookout for a nutritious and delectable dinner option that won’t break the bank or require hours of preparation time? Look no further than this Hunan beef recipe. This mouth-watering dish boasts tender slices of beef, an assortment of perfectly cooked vegetables, and a luscious sauce with just the right balance of spicy and sweet notes to please even the most discerning palates.

One of the best aspects of this recipe is that it can be prepared in just one skillet, making clean-up a quick and effortless process. Plus, feel free to get creative by adding your family’s favorite vegetables to the mix, ensuring each serving is tailored to individual tastes.

Chinese-Style Spicy Beef Salad

Chinese-Style Spicy Beef Salad

Breaking free from traditional salad expectations, this recipe offers a unique twist on a classic dish. Gone are the days of lettuce-filled bowls and bland vinaigrettes. Instead, thinly sliced flank steak is quickly marinated in a mixture that’s both sweet and spicy, then gently boiled for about 45 seconds to lock in flavors. The result is a tender and savory protein that’s ready to be tossed in an aromatic sauce, adding depth and complexity to each bite.

Whether served as an appetizer or part of a larger meal, this dish is sure to impress even the most discerning palates.

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