Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry

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This Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry is fast, flavorful, and full of vibrant Korean-inspired flavor. Made with tender steak and crispy cabbage in a sweet and spicy sauce, it's a perfect weeknight dinner. On the table in 15 minutes, plus marinating time.

264 CAL 11g CARBS 8g FAT 35g PROTEIN 2
8 Comments

Whenever I'm short on time but still want something hearty and healthy, stir fry is always my go-to. It's fast, it's flexible, and best of all, it's an easy way to pack in a bunch of veggies without much effort.

This Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry starts with thin-sliced steak marinated in a bold, slightly sweet, and spicy sauce inspired by Korean bulgogi flavors. Then everything gets stir-fried hot and fast with chopped green cabbage for a meal that's fresh, saucy, and so satisfying.

Even my kids gobble this up (especially if I serve it with noodles or a fried egg on top). It's one of those simple meals that tastes like takeout, but healthier, cheaper, and faster than delivery!

Cabbage and beef stir fry on a plate with shredded cabbage, thinly sliced beef, and a ginger and garlic stir fry sauce.

Before You Get Started

Here are a few helpful tips to make this stir fry the best it can be:

  • Marinate ahead. The longer the beef soaks in the sauce, the more flavor it'll have. Aim for 1 hour or up to overnight.
  • Choose the right cut of beef. Sirloin, flank steak, or skirt steak are best for stir-fries. They're flavorful, tender, and cook quickly when sliced thin.
  • Drain the marinade. Let the extra marinade drip off the steak before it hits the pan to avoid soggy meat.
  • Work in batches. If doubling or adding more veggies, cook the meat and veggies separately for the best texture.

How do you cut steak for stir-fries?

Slice the steak thin against the grain when making strips of beef for stir-fries. This will create the most tender steak. You can either marinate the steak whole, then cut it before cooking, or cut it into strips, and then marinate it before cooking. Both options work, but the steak can absorb even more flavor if cut before marinating.

One trick for cutting steak into very thin slices is placing it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes before slicing. This hardens the meat and makes it easier to slice.

How to Make Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry

This recipe comes together in 15 minutes and is even better than takeout!

1. Marinate the Steak

Whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, green onions, ginger, brown sugar, garlic, and Sriracha. Add the steak and marinate for at least 1 hour (or overnight).

Pro tip: Save the marinade because you'll use it to cook the cabbage!

2. Sear the Steak

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Remove steak from marinade, letting the excess drip off. Sear for 3–4 minutes until browned and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate.

3. Cook the Cabbage

Add chopped cabbage and the reserved marinade to the hot pan. Bring to a boil and cook for 3–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce mostly evaporates and cabbage is tender-crisp.

4. Combine and Serve

Add the steak back to the pan, toss to combine, and cook for another minute. Serve hot over rice or noodles.

Beef stir fry with shredded cabbage, garlic, ginger, and green onions with soy sauce on a plate.

Tips and Tricks for Making Beef Stir Fry

Want to make the most flavorful, tender stir fry every time? These simple tips and tricks will help you get perfect beef and crisp-tender cabbage without the guesswork.

  • Use high heat and drain liquid: Remember, when you're cooking a stir-fry, you want really high heat, but you also don't want the steak (or other meat) to boil in the liquid. So make sure to really drain off the excess marinade from the meat first. Then, as it cooks, continue to drain off the extra liquid. This ensures the steak takes on a nice browning on the outside and stays tender on the inside.
  • Let the meat come to room temperature: Make sure to bring your meat up to room temperature before cooking (about 20 minutes). If you put meat on that's right out of the fridge, it will cool your wok/skillet off immediately, and it won't get that nice sear on the outside of the meat.
  • Cook meat and veggies separately if needed: If you are cooking up a lot of vegetables (more than just cabbage), you'll want to sear the meat, then remove it and set it aside while you cook the veggies. Then, add the meat back at the end to finish cooking for a couple of minutes before serving.
  • Add veggies in order of cooking time: Cook vegetables from toughest/biggest first (like broccoli, cauliflower, peppers), then add in faster-cooking/smaller veggies next (like cabbage, mushrooms, asparagus) so that the bigger veggies have time to cook and you don't overcook the smaller ones.
  • Add more veggies: Bell peppers, carrots, mushrooms, or snow peas all stir-fry beautifully.

Serving Suggestions

You could totally eat this beef and cabbage stir fry on its own, but I like to have some of the following sides on deck just in case:

  • With fried rice: If fried rice is a favorite, consider serving this alongside some cauliflower fried rice or this healthier fried rice.
  • With a side of plain rice: Sushi rice or brown rice also works great for serving with stir fry. For an easier option, grab some precooked or frozen rice to cut down on prep time.
  • Add a fried egg: Consider adding a fried egg on top of this story fry and serving it over a bed of rice.
  • Add noodles: Any type of noodles works well with this dish; consider rice noodles or soba noodles. If you want to keep things low-carb, try Asian zucchini noodles!

Storage and Leftovers

This stores well in the fridge and is even better leftover!

  • Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
  • Reheat: Warm in a skillet over medium heat or microwave in short bursts.
  • Leftover ideas:
    • Stir into fried rice.
    • Wrap in tortillas or lettuce wraps.
    • Add to noodle bowls.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about this recipe:

You can, but the flavor won't be quite as rich. Even 20–30 minutes helps a lot!

 

To make it gluten-free, use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, and check your other ingredients to be safe.

 

Absolutely. Pre-shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix saves time and works just as well.

 

It has a gentle heat, but you can tone it down by reducing or skipping the Sriracha, or spice it up with more!

 

Plate of beef and cabbage stir fry garnished with chopped green onions and black sesame seeds, served on a dark plate with chopsticks and a fork on the side.
The Recipe
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Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry

264 CAL 11g CARBS 8g FAT 35g PROTEIN 2
PREP TIME: 1 Hours
COOK TIME: 15 Min
TOTAL TIME: 1 Hours, 15 Min
8 Comments
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (GF if needed)
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. sesame oil
  • 4 green onions, finely chopped
  • 1.5 tbsp. ginger, minced
  • 1.5 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp. Sriracha
  • 1.67 lbs. lean sirloin steak for stir-fries
  • 4 cups cabbage, chopped or shredded

Instructions

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1

Combine the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, green onions, ginger, brown sugar, garlic, and Sriracha. Marinate the steak in this mixture for at least 1 hour. When ready to cook, remove the beef and let excess marinade drip off. Save the marinade.

Raw sliced beef with marinade in a bowl with green onions.
2

Heat up a wok or skillet over high heat. When hot, cook the steak for about 3-4 minutes until cooked through.

Beef being stir fried in a hot skillet.
3

Remove the steak and add the cabbage and steak marinade. Bring to a boil and cook until marinade is mostly evaporated and cabbage is tender. Add back the steak and serve.

Stir fried beef and cabbage in a hot skillet.

Equipment

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Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 1.25 cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 264
Calories from Fat 74
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 8g
12%
Saturated Fat 2g
12%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 89mg
30%
Sodium 555mg
24%
Total Carbohydrate 11g
4%
Dietary Fiber 2g
8%
Sugars 7g
Protein 35g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
8 Comments
On Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry
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pinterest video...
October 13, 2025 - 10:01
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5
It was so delicious! Everyone really loved it, will definitely make again. Added some thinly sliced strips of bell pepper and a sprinkle of some red pepper to flakes…so good
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D Rocks
June 14, 2023 - 16:33
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5
It was so delicious! Everyone really loved it, will definitely make again. Added some thinly sliced strips of bell pepper and a sprinkle of some red pepper to flakes…so good
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Bruce
May 7, 2023 - 05:28
There isn't a chili sauce listed in the ingredients but the directions indicate to add chili
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September 19, 2023 - 10:53
Sorry for the confusion! I was referring to the Sriracha, which is an Asian chili sauce.
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Kalah Byman
December 9, 2021 - 10:33
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5
This recipe is superb. I made it even easier by using leftover steak and a big bag of coleslaw. So so good!!
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Kathrine Yeager
July 19, 2020 - 14:36
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5
Delicious!
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Cyn Troxell-pawling
November 6, 2016 - 14:17
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5
Yummy! Added some red pepper flakes and some additional cabbage to make it a larger portion. Loved it, and so did my picky husband. Had enough for lunch leftovers, and it was even better the next day. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
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Rosana Halprine
September 13, 2016 - 16:50
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5
Made this dish last night for dinner. Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Tasted so much like the bulgogi we used to get at our local Korean restaurant way back when we lived in California. The only thing I would change would be to add more cabbage. Seemed to have lots of steak but not nearly enough cabbage for us. Oh, I did not have sesame oil on hand so I used peanut oil instead. Still tasted fantastic!!
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