Beef and Egg Stir Fry is one of those dishes that provides both comfort and satisfaction at the end of a busy day. “Easy-to-make” and “easy cleanup” are hallmarks of our simplest, most loved go-to dishes (which we keep in a handy list: Quick and Easy dishes), and this Beef and Egg Stir-fry certainly fits the bill.
A Simple Cantonese Meal Over Rice
You just slice up your beef, lightly beat a couple of eggs, fire up the wok and your handy dandy rice cooker, and these rice bowls are ready faster than it would take for your local delivery guy to make it to your house!
You may be thinking that this Beef and Egg Stir Fry seems like a weird combination. It’s actually a common Cantonese rice plate meal that you can find on the menu at old-school Chinatown restaurants.
You’ll see it right alongside the Beef Tomato Stir Fry, Cantonese Beef, and Curry Beef, all served piping hot and fresh on a big platter of white rice!
I should also mention that if you love our Shrimp and Lobster Sauce, then you will also love this dish, because the concept and cooking method are both very similar. Both dishes may look a little hodgepodge to some, but the taste…well let’s just say there’s a reason these unlikely combos have persisted!
Becoming A Go-To Recipe
So, the next time you are wondering what to do for dinner and don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, try this Beef and Egg Stir Fry! And while you’re eating it, you’ll be thinking:
- Why don’t I do this more often?
- Man, this is a great bowl of food!
- Do I have enough beef to make this again tomorrow???
(In that order. Based on my personal experience.) Enjoy this quick and easy beef and egg stir fry dish folks!
Cantonese Beef and Egg: Recipe Instructions
Prepare the beef. A good tip is to slice it when it’s still slightly frozen, but soft enough to cut. This makes slicing perfectly uniform pieces quick and easy! Toss the beef with 1 teaspoon of oil, the light soy sauce, cornstarch, and baking soda, until the beef is well-coated.
Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes. If you’re starting with slightly frozen beef, it should come down to room temperature. You can also do this step in advance!
For more information on preparing beef, see Bill’s post on How to Slice and Velvet Beef for stir fries.
Heat your wok until just smoking, and spread 1 tablespoon of oil around the perimeter. Immediately add the beef, and spread it in an even layer across the wok. Sear for 30 seconds, and give the beef a stir to ensure it cooks evenly.
Add the garlic and a small handful of the white parts of the scallions. Quickly stir-fry to combine. Next, add the Shaoxing wine, and stir for another 20 seconds.
Add the chicken stock, salt, sugar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and fresh ground white pepper, and let everything come up to a low boil.
Make the cornstarch slurry, and stir it into the sauce. Let the sauce simmer and thicken until it coats a spoon. If you like your sauce thicker, add more cornstarch and water; if you like your sauce thinner, add more stock. You’re the cook, so make it the way you like it!
Next, pour the lightly beaten eggs over the mixture, and use your spatula to fold it gently into the sauce so the egg cooks in ribbons rather than in large clumps.
After about 10 seconds, add in the rest of the scallions and continue folding the egg into the sauce for another 5 seconds.
Serve this Beef and Egg Stir fry over steamed rice!
Beef and Egg Stir Fry Rice Bowls
Ingredients
For the beef, you’ll need:
- 8 ounces flank steak (225g, thinly sliced)
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
For the rest of the dish, you’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 scallions (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 2½ cups chicken stock or beef stock
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- Freshly ground white pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (mixed with 2 tablespoons water)
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
Instructions
- Prepare the beef--a good tip is to slice it when it’s still slightly frozen, but soft enough to cut. This makes slicing perfectly uniform pieces quick and easy! Toss the beef with 1 teaspoon of oil, the soy sauce, cornstarch, and baking soda, until the beef is well-coated. Set aside to marinate for 15 minutes. If you’re starting with slightly frozen beef, it should come down to room temperature. You can also do this step in advance!
- Heat your wok until just smoking, and spread 1 tablespoon of oil around the perimeter. Immediately add the beef, and spread it in an even layer across the wok. Sear for 30 seconds, and give the beef a stir to ensure it cooks evenly.
- Add the garlic and a small handful of the white parts of the scallion. Quickly stir-fry to combine. Next, add the Shaoxing wine, and stir for another 20 seconds.
- Add the chicken stock, salt, sugar, soy sauces, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and fresh ground white pepper, and let everything come up to a low boil.
- Make the cornstarch slurry, and stir it into the sauce. Let the sauce simmer and thicken until it coats a spoon. If you like your sauce thicker, add more cornstarch and water; if you like your sauce thinner, add more stock. You’re the cook, so make it the way you like it!
- Next, pour the lightly beaten eggs over the mixture, and use your spatula to fold it gently into the sauce so the egg cooks in ribbons rather than in large clumps. After about 10 seconds, add in the rest of the scallions and continue folding the egg into the sauce for another 5 seconds. Serve over steamed rice!
nutrition facts
Fantastic! So much flavor.
This was really yummy. I made it with the crispy tofu on the side and added mushrooms and babt bokchoy which was perfect as this is quite a salty dish! Next time I think I will reduce the amount of broth or soy sauce to being the salt level down a bit.
I will say I felt like the boiling and waiting for the thickening of the sauce led to the meat being a bit tougher than I’d like. Might take the meat out and then add it back in after the sauce is to the desired consistency.
Hi Kayla, as for the beef, you can add in 2 tablespoons water to the beef marinade to make it juicier. I also do like your suggestion of removing the beef and adding it later on.
This was delicious. I’m from Singapore but live in Belize…so I really miss this kind of food. My kids loved this…including the 3 ye old. I added broccoli and cauliflower and grated ginger. So yummy….thank you for sharing!
Hi genny, that’s quite a move across the globe! So glad you and your family enjoyed this and great idea to add some veggies for the kids ;-)
Your recipes have been so comforting to me and my family. I first found this page during the pandemic because we couldn’t go out to eat and I had to cook my own Chinese food. Well, fast forward almost 2 years, I still go to this page for yummy food that warms my soul. This is the kind of food I grew up eating with my parents and grandparents. I love this kind of stuff. Do you have one with the shrimp, egg and hor fun???? Ohhhh boy a childhood favor of mine. ***Plus we don’t live in San Francisco any more so finding food like this doesn’t exist where we live***
Hi Vanessa, I have not heard of a shrimp and egg ho fun recipe, but it sounds like it would be delicious!
I don’t know how to say it in English…LOL It’s pretty much the same as this one but with beef and ho fun. Slippery egg with shrimp (translate to Cantonese)LOL
I think I know what you are talking about. I will explain it to Bill :-)
Can this same recipe be made with sliced chicken or pork
Hi Vaishnavi, yes, you can definitely use chicken or pork in this recipe. I suggest following my techniques for velveting chicken or velveting pork depending on what meat you use.
It’s been raining all day over here in Sheffield, UK and I wanted something warm and comforting. I thought about getting a takeaway but then figured I should cook as I had all the ingredients for this recipe. No regrets! Absolutely delicious, beefy, silky eggs with a mountain of rice. I don’t normally comment on blogs but this is such a great recipe, thanks!
Hi Eve, sounds like you made a perfect comfort food selection for the day!
I made this ‘over rice’ dish yesterday. Easy and delicous. The family liked it very much. Thanks!
You’re welcome Fred and glad to hear you and your family enjoyed it.