Chinese Beef and Cauliflower Stir Fry

Chinese Beef and Cauliflower Stir Fry is a delicious and easy dish made with tender bite-sized pieces of beef, cauliflower, garlic, and a savory sauce! It's similar to Chinese Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry, except we're using cauliflower instead.

Jump to:

• About This Recipe
• Ingredients
• How to Make Chinese Beef and Cauliflower Stir Fry
• Tips for Making Beef and Cauliflower Stir Fry
• Substitutions and Variations
• What to Serve with Beef and Cauliflower Stir Fry
• How to Store and Reheat
• Chinese Beef and Cauliflower Stir Fry
• More Delicious Beef Stir Fry Recipes
• Pin for later!

This dish is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner and goes great with a bowl of white rice!

About This Recipe

If you love Chinese beef and broccoli, you'll probably enjoy this beef and cauliflower stir fry too!

Cauliflower is great for stir-frying because it holds its shape and absorbs the flavors of the sauce. The beef is marinated briefly with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch to help keep it tender.

For this recipe, I'm using skirt steak, which is flavorful and works well in stir-fries. I cut the beef into bite-sized pieces against the grain so it's easy to eat and stays tender when cooked.

The trick is to cook the beef and cauliflower separately before tossing everything together with the sauce. This helps prevent the beef from overcooking while giving the cauliflower enough time to become tender.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this Chinese beef and cauliflower stir fry!

For the Beef and Marinade:

• 1 lb skirt steak, cut into bite-sized pieces against the grain
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice cooking wine (Michiu or Shaoxing wine)
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Stir-Fry:

• 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets (about 4 cups)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1-2 tablespoon neutral cooking oil, for cooking
• ¼ cup chicken broth or water
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce

How to Make Chinese Beef and Cauliflower Stir Fry

1. Marinate the beef.

Cut the skirt steak into bite-sized pieces against the grain. Place the beef in a bowl and add the soy sauce, Michiu (or Shaoxing wine), cornstarch, cooking oil, and black pepper.

Mix well and let marinate for about 15 minutes.

2. Cook the garlic and beef.

Heat about 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.

Add the minced garlic and stir-fry for about 20-30 seconds until fragrant.

Add the marinated beef and stir-fry for about 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces, until browned and mostly cooked through.

Remove the beef and garlic from the pan and set aside.

3. Stir-fry the cauliflower.

Add a little more oil to the same pan if needed.

Add the cauliflower and stir-fry for about 2-3 minutes.

Pour in the chicken broth or water, cover, and let the cauliflower steam for about 3-5 minutes, or until it reaches your preferred tenderness.

If you prefer softer cauliflower, add a little more liquid and cook for another minute or two.

4. Combine everything.

Return the beef and garlic to the pan.

Add the oyster sauce and stir-fry everything together for another 1-2 minutes, until the beef is cooked through and the cauliflower is evenly coated in the sauce.

If there's too much liquid remaining, let it cook off slightly.

5. Finish and serve.

Add the chopped green onions and toss everything together.

Remove from heat and serve hot with steamed jasmine rice!

Tips for Making Beef and Cauliflower Stir Fry

Cut the beef against the grain. Skirt steak has noticeable muscle fibers, so cut it across those fibers into bite-sized pieces. This helps keep the beef tender rather than chewy.

Don't skip the marinade. Even a quick 15-minute marinade helps season the beef, while the cornstarch gives it a smoother texture.

Cook the beef in batches. If you overcrowd the pan, the beef will steam rather than sear. Cooking in batches helps it brown quickly without becoming tough.

Adjust the cauliflower texture. I like cauliflower that's tender but still has a little bite. If you prefer softer cauliflower, simply add a little more water and steam it longer before adding the beef back in.

Stir the sauce before adding it. Cornstarch tends to settle at the bottom of the bowl, so give the sauce another quick stir before pouring it into the pan.

Substitutions and Variations

Beef: I used skirt steak for this recipe, but you can also use flank steak or sirloin. Just cut the beef into bite-sized pieces against the grain for the best texture.

Cauliflower: You can substitute broccoli or use a combination of broccoli and cauliflower.

Oyster sauce: Vegetarian mushroom stir-fry sauce is a good alternative if you don't want to use oyster sauce.

Add more vegetables: Sliced carrots, mushrooms, or bell peppers would also work well in this dish.

What to Serve with Beef and Cauliflower Stir Fry

I love serving Chinese stir-fries with steamed jasmine rice because the rice soaks up all that delicious sauce!

You can also serve it alongside other Chinese dishes for a family-style meal.

Some great options include:

• Chinese Tomato Egg Drop Soup
• Chinese Cucumber Salad
• Stir-Fried Taiwanese Cabbage
• Luo Song Tang (Chinese Tomato Vegetable Soup)

How to Store and Reheat

Store leftover beef and cauliflower stir fry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

To reheat, warm it in a skillet over medium heat with a small splash of water until heated through.

You can also microwave individual portions until steaming hot.

Keep in mind that the cauliflower will soften a little more when reheated.

More Delicious Beef Stir Fry Recipes

If you enjoyed this Chinese Beef and Cauliflower Stir Fry, here are some more delicious beef stir fry recipes to try!

• Broccoli Beef Stir Fry - Tender marinated beef and crisp broccoli tossed in a savory oyster sauce.
• Beef and Onion Stir Fry - Juicy slices of beef stir-fried with sweet onions in a flavorful sauce.
• Beef and Green Beans Stir Fry - Tender beef and slightly crunchy green beans make an easy weeknight dinner.
• Mongolian Beef Stir Fry - A Chinese restaurant favorite featuring tender beef, onions, and a sweet and savory sauce.

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