Sticky Garlic Ground Beef & Peppers
This Sticky Garlic Ground Beef & Peppers recipe is the perfect balance of savory, spicy, and slightly sweet, featuring tender beef, crisp peppers, and fresh bean sprouts for a satisfying texture.
Ingredients
- 450 g Lean ground beef (or ground chicken) 1 lb
- 3 cups Fresh bean sprouts (rinsed & thoroughly dried) approx. 250g
- 1 medium Green bell pepper (sliced into thin strips)
- 5 cloves Fresh garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp Fresh ginger (finely grated)
- 2 stalks Green onions (sliced)
- 2 tbsp Low-sodium soy sauce
- 1½ tbsp Oyster sauce (or mushroom stir-fry sauce)
- 1½ tbsp Chili garlic sauce or chili bean paste (Doubanjiang)
- 1 tsp Dark soy sauce for rich color
- 1 tsp Brown sugar or honey
- 1 tbsp Toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp Cooking oil
- ½ tsp Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, chili garlic sauce, dark soy sauce, brown sugar, and cracked black pepper until smooth.
- Heat cooking oil in a heavy cast-iron skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering. Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, and the white parts of the green onions; stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spatula. Cook undisturbed for 2–3 minutes to build a caramelized sear, then stir and cook for another 3 minutes until fully browned.
- Pour the spicy sauce mixture directly over the beef and toss continuously for 1–2 minutes until the sauce bubbles, thickens, and clings to every piece of meat.
- Add the sliced green bell pepper and fresh bean sprouts. Stir-fry rapidly over maximum heat for just 60–90 seconds so the sprouts warm through while keeping their crisp snap.
- Drizzle with toasted sesame oil and spoon generously over hot steamed rice.
Notes
For a lighter version:
- Use ground turkey or extra-lean beef to reduce fat content.
- Skip the sugar and let the natural sweetness of oyster sauce shine.
- Double the bell peppers and bean sprouts for extra fiber.
- Serve with cauliflower rice instead of white rice for a low-carb option.
- Use ground turkey or extra-lean beef to reduce fat content.
- Skip the sugar and let the natural sweetness of oyster sauce shine.
- Double the bell peppers and bean sprouts for extra fiber.
- Serve with cauliflower rice instead of white rice for a low-carb option.