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Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry

A very simple Chinese stir-fry dish which is fabulous in taste. I saw my husband going for two additional servings of it and I had to remind him to leave some for the rest of the family! Serve with hot steamed rice.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine French
Servings 4 people
Calories 994.5 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Wok or Large Skillet Essential for proper stir-frying at high heat.
  • 1 Chef's knife For chopping and shredding ingredients efficiently.
  • 1 Cutting Board
  • 1 Spatula or Stir-Fry Tool To continuously move ingredients in the hot wok.
  • 1 Small Mixing Bowl For preparing the cornstarch slurry.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 cloves garlic chopped
  • ½ pound ground beef
  • ½ small head cabbage shredded
  • 1 red bell pepper cut into strips
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • ½ cup cold water
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
  • 1 pinch salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Gather ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, and add oil. Saute garlic for about 5 seconds, then add ground beef. Stir-fry until beef is evenly brown, 5 to 7 minutes; drain excess fat. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Stir in cabbage and pepper, and cook until vegetables are tender and beef is fully cooked. Stir in soy sauce. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Mix together cornstarch and water, and stir in. Season with pepper; add salt to taste. Cook, stirring, until sauce has thickened. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Serve hot and enjoy! DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS 

Notes

For enhanced flavor and texture, consider marinating thinly sliced beef (e.g., flank or sirloin) instead of ground beef. Ensure your wok is properly preheated before adding oil for optimal stir-frying. When sautéing garlic, cook until fragrant, approximately 30 seconds, to avoid burning. Draining excess fat from the ground beef is crucial to prevent a greasy dish. For the cornstarch slurry, always use cold water to prevent lumps and stir it well before adding to the wok. Adjust seasoning gradually, especially the black pepper, as it's a prominent flavor. A dash of rice vinegar or a few drops of sesame oil at the very end can add depth and aroma.