The trick to having delicious meat? Marinade! I learned from my mom that she pretty much marinades most meat she stir fries with prior to cooking, even if it's just 15 minutes. It really does flavor the food, this Stir Fry Steak Marinade is one of the ones we use!
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About the Ingredients
Here are some extra info and tips about some of the ingredients:
Thick Soy Sauce
I do not use regular soy sauce for this recipe. I use Thick Soy Sauce, aka Soy Paste. (There’s actually many different types of soy sauce!)

Thick soy sauce is a lot thicker than your normal soy sauce. It has a richer, sweeter flavor, which is perfect for this dish.
You should be able to find it in your local Asian supermarket or online.
If you can’t find any thick soy sauce, you can substitute with regular soy sauce. If you do this route, here’s a couple of recommendations:
- Add some sort of sweetener. Since Thick soy sauce is more sweet, you are now missing a flavor, so I would recommend adding a bit of sugar or sweetener of your choice.
- Thicken it. Since Thick soy sauce is, well duh, more thick, you may want to add something to thicken the sauce. To do this, you can mix cornstarch and water in a separate bowl to create a thickener, and then adding it to the dish prior to adding the basil.
Or even more simple - Oyster sauce can often be used as a substitute because it is similar in texture and it is also salty and sweet at the same time. The flavor won't be exactly the same but it will also be delicious!
Beef
I recommend using sirloin, ribeye, or flank for stir frying. They come out a lot more tender than some of the other cuts.
You can cut the beef in different ways including cutting in to strips, cutting in to cubes, and then cutting in to slices.
We will be marinating it with a few ingredients that help tenderize the meat. You can marinade for up to overnight but even just 15 minutes will make a difference!
Stir Fry Steak Marinade Recipe
First, gather the ingredients:
- 1 pound beef, sliced or cubed
- ¼ onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon thick soy sauce aka soy paste
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 green onion, chopped (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl or zip lock bag. If you are about to cook it, let it marinade at the very least 15-30 minutes. If you are making this ahead, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before cooking.

In a large nonstick skillet, add 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and stir fry for about 1-2 minutes.

Then, add the beef and stir fry until browned and to the doneness you prefer. Remove from heat, sprinkle with green onions and serve!



Stir Fry Steak Marinade

Make your stir fry steak super tasty with this stir fry steak marinade! Here's how to cook it up with onions and scallions.
Ingredients
Steak
- 1 pound beef, sliced or cubed
- ¼ onion, chopped
- 1 green onion, chopped (optional)
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon thick soy sauce aka soy paste
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl or zip lock bag. If you are about to cook it, let it marinade at the very least 15-30 minutes. If you are making this ahead, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before cooking.
In a large nonstick skillet, add 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and stir fry for about 1-2 minutes.
Then, add the beef and stir fry until browned and to the doneness you prefer. Remove from heat, sprinkle with green onions and serve!
Notes
If you’re about to cook it you can let it marinade at the very least 15-30 minutes, but you can also let it marinade overnight. The longer the more tasty!
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Hiware 10-Pairs Fiberglass Chopsticks - Reusable Chopsticks Dishwasher Safe, 9 ½ Inches - Black
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Cooks Standard Stainless Steel Stir Fry Pan with Dome Lid 13-Inch Multi-Ply Clad Wok, Silver
-
Kimlan Soy Paste - 20 oz (Pack of 2) Bundled with PrimeTime Direct Silicone Basting Brush in a PTD Sealed Bag
-
Marukan Seasoned Rice Vinegar 12 Oz (12 oz), 12 oz
-
Native Harvest Organic Non-GMO Naturally Expeller Pressed Vegetable Oil, 1 Litre (33.8 FL OZ)
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 410Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 821mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 31g
The nutrition information for this recipe is an approximate total per serving. Please double check the nutrition information for your exact ingredients and brands for more precise nutrition information.
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