Japanese Beef and Mushroom Stir Fry

This Japanese Beef and Mushroom Stir Fry is an easy and flavorful dinner made with tender sliced beef, mushrooms, garlic, and a savory-sweet soy and mirin sauce. Everything cooks quickly in one pan, making it perfect for a weeknight meal served over a bowl of hot rice!

Jump to:

• Why You'll Love This Recipe
• About the Ingredients
• How to Make Japanese Beef and Mushroom Stir Fry
• Tips for the Best Beef and Mushroom Stir Fry
• Variations
• What to Serve with Japanese Beef and Mushrooms
• Storage and Reheating
• FAQ
• Japanese Beef and Mushroom Stir Fry Recipe
• More Delicious Beef Recipes to try!
• Pin for later!

I make a lot of Chinese-style stir fries, but sometimes I want to switch up the flavors a little. For this one, I went with a simple Japanese-inspired sauce made with soy sauce, mirin, and just a touch of sugar.

The mushrooms soak up all that savory sauce, while quickly searing the beef keeps it nice and tender. It's simple, comforting, and doesn't require a long list of ingredients.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Quick and easy: Once everything is prepped, the actual cooking only takes a few minutes.
• Tender beef: Searing the beef separately helps keep it from getting overcooked.
• Lots of umami: Mushrooms, soy sauce, and mirin make a super flavorful combination.
• Easy weeknight dinner: Serve it over rice and dinner is done!
• Customizable: You can add onions, green onions, or extra vegetables depending on what you have.

About the Ingredients

Here's some extra information about the ingredients you'll need to make this Japanese Beef and Mushroom Stir Fry.

Beef

Use a tender cut of beef that works well for quick cooking. Sirloin is a great option, but flank steak, ribeye, or another tender steak will work too.

The most important thing is to slice the beef thinly against the grain. This shortens the muscle fibers and helps keep the beef tender.

If your beef is difficult to slice thinly, place it in the freezer for about 20 to 30 minutes first. Firming it up slightly makes it much easier to cut into thin pieces.

Mushrooms

You can use whatever mushrooms you enjoy or have available.

White button mushrooms and cremini mushrooms are easy options, but shiitake mushrooms would also be delicious and add even more umami flavor.

I like to let the mushrooms sit against the hot pan for a little bit before stirring so they actually have a chance to brown rather than just steam.

Soy Sauce

Soy sauce provides most of the savory flavor in this dish.

I recommend using a regular or light soy sauce rather than dark soy sauce, which would make the sauce much darker and give it a different flavor.

Mirin

Mirin is a Japanese sweet rice wine used in all kinds of Japanese cooking.

It adds both sweetness and depth of flavor to sauces and balances out the saltiness of the soy sauce.

If you cook Japanese food often, it's definitely a useful ingredient to keep around!

Garlic

Garlic isn't part of the beef marinade in this recipe. Instead, I add it directly to the pan with the mushrooms so it stays fragrant and doesn't burn while the beef is searing.

Sugar

You only need a little sugar to balance the salty soy sauce.

Feel free to adjust it depending on how sweet your mirin is and your personal preference.

How to Make Japanese Beef and Mushroom Stir Fry

First, gather your ingredients.

For the Beef

• 12 oz beef sirloin, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• Black pepper, to taste

For the Stir Fry

• 1 tablespoon cooking oil, plus more as needed
• 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ medium onion, sliced (optional)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons sake or water
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
• Chopped green onions, for serving (optional)

Marinate the Beef

In a mixing bowl, combine the sliced beef with soy sauce, mirin, sugar, cornstarch, and a little black pepper.

Mix everything together until the beef is evenly coated.

Let the beef marinate for about 15 to 30 minutes.

Mix the Sauce

In a small bowl, combine:

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons sake or water
• 1 to 2 teaspoons sugar

Stir until combined and set aside.

Stir Fry the Beef

Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.

Add a little cooking oil, then add the marinated beef.

Stir fry for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until the beef is mostly browned but not completely cooked through.

Remove the beef from the skillet and set aside. It will finish cooking when we add it back to the mushrooms and sauce later.

Cook the Mushrooms

Add a little more oil if the pan is dry.

If you're using onions, add them first and stir fry for about 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the sliced mushrooms.

Let them cook for a minute or so without constantly moving them so they have a chance to brown. Continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the Garlic

Add the minced garlic and stir fry for about 20 to 30 seconds, just until fragrant.

Be careful not to let the garlic burn.

Add the Sauce

Pour the soy-mirin sauce into the skillet.

Let it bubble and cook with the mushrooms for about 1 to 2 minutes.

The sauce will reduce slightly and the mushrooms will soak up all that savory flavor.

Return the Beef

Add the beef back to the skillet.

Toss everything together and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, or just until the beef is cooked to your liking and coated in the sauce.

Remove from heat.

Sprinkle with chopped green onions if desired and serve immediately over rice!

Tips for the Best Beef and Mushroom Stir Fry

Slice the Beef Thinly

Thin beef cooks quickly and stays more tender. Always slice against the grain when possible.

Don't Overcook the Beef

The beef gets cooked twice, first when you sear it and again when you return it to the sauce.

That's why I remove it while it's still slightly underdone during the first step.

Let the Mushrooms Brown

Mushrooms release a lot of moisture as they cook.

Give them some contact time with the hot skillet instead of stirring constantly. This helps develop more flavor.

Don't Add the Garlic Too Early

Garlic can burn quickly at high stir-fry temperatures.

Adding it after the mushrooms have already cooked for a few minutes gives you plenty of garlic flavor without burning it.

Adjust the Sauce to Taste

Japanese-style sauces often have that balance of salty and slightly sweet.

If you like yours sweeter, add the full 2 teaspoons of sugar. If you prefer a more savory sauce, start with 1 teaspoon.

Variations

Add Onions

Thinly sliced onion goes really well with beef and mushrooms and adds natural sweetness.

Cook the onion before adding the mushrooms.

Try Different Mushrooms

You can make this with different types of mushrooms!

• Cremini mushrooms
• White button mushrooms
• Shiitake mushrooms
• Oyster mushrooms
• King oyster mushrooms
• A mixture of several mushrooms

Add More Vegetables

You can also add vegetables such as:

• Broccoli
• Asparagus
• Snow peas
• Bell peppers
• Bok choy

Just keep in mind that vegetables with different cooking times may need to be added at different stages.

Make It Spicy

This dish isn't meant to be spicy, but if you like heat, you can add some shichimi togarashi, chili flakes, or chili oil when serving.

What to Serve with Japanese Beef and Mushrooms

I think the best way to serve this is simply over a bowl of hot steamed rice.

You could also serve it with:

• Japanese short-grain rice
• Brown rice
• Cauliflower rice
• Udon noodles
• Stir-fried vegetables
• Miso soup
• A simple cucumber salad

The sauce from the beef and mushrooms is especially good soaked into rice!

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerator

Allow leftovers to cool, then transfer them to an airtight container.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.

Freezer

You can freeze the beef and mushrooms, although the mushrooms may have a slightly softer texture once thawed.

Store in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.

Reheating

For the best texture, reheat the stir fry in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through.

You can add a small splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much in the refrigerator.

You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.

Be careful not to heat the beef longer than necessary or it can become tougher.

FAQ

What cut of beef is best for this stir fry?

Sirloin works great because it's tender and cooks quickly. Flank steak, ribeye, or another tender cut of beef can also be used.

Whatever cut you choose, slice it thinly against the grain.

Can I use shiitake mushrooms?

Absolutely! Shiitake mushrooms would be especially good in this recipe because their strong umami flavor works really well with soy sauce and mirin.

You can use all shiitakes or mix them with other mushrooms.

What can I use instead of mirin?

If you don't have mirin, you can substitute a small amount of sake with extra sugar, although the flavor won't be exactly the same.

For the best Japanese-style flavor, I recommend using mirin if you can.

Do I have to use sake?

No. You can simply use water in the sauce instead.

The sake adds another layer of flavor, but the stir fry will still be delicious without it.

Why is cornstarch added to the beef?

Cornstarch lightly coats the beef and helps it stay tender while also allowing the sauce to cling to it.

You only need a small amount.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes, but like most stir fries, I think it's best freshly cooked.

You can make things easier by slicing and marinating the beef, slicing the mushrooms, and mixing the sauce ahead of time. Then all you have to do at dinner time is stir fry everything together.

More Delicious Beef Recipes to try!

Beef and Onion Stir Fry - Thinly sliced beef cooked with sweet onions for an easy Chinese home-style dinner.

Beef Vegetable Stir Fry - Marinated beef quickly cooked with garlic, crisp baby corn, tender asparagus, and sweet carrots, all tossed in a savory sauce with a touch of oyster sauce.

Beef Noodles Stir Fry - Marinated beef stir fried with garlic, carrots, onions, snow peas, and tender noodles in a flavorful sauce.

Mongolian Beef Stir Fry - Tender beef cooked in a sweet and savory soy-based sauce with garlic and ginger.

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