Ground Beef Zucchini Stir Fry
A simple skillet dinner of ground beef and zucchini in a savory, slightly sweet sauce. Serve it over rice and dinner is done.
Ingredients
For the Sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2½ tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 teaspoon brown or white sugar
- 1 garlic clove finely minced
For the Stir Fry
- 1 lb lean ground beef 500g
- 1 small onion thinly sliced into half-moons
- 1 small zucchini sliced into half-moons
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced
- drizzle of olive oil
- green onions optional
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Mix the sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and minced garlic. Set aside.2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2½ tablespoons dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon mirin, 1 teaspoon brown or white sugar, 1 garlic clove
- Brown the beef. Drizzle a little olive oil into a large skillet and heat over high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up as you go. Once the beef has changed from red to brown and the liquid has cooked off, allow it to brown nicely. Add a pinch of salt.1 lb lean ground beef, pinch of salt, drizzle of olive oil
- Cook the onion and garlic. Add the sliced onion and cook until it becomes translucent and wilted. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute.1 small onion, 2 garlic cloves
- Add the sauce. Pour the sauce into the skillet and stir well, coating the beef and onions. Cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add the zucchini. Add the sliced zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, until it reaches your desired doneness. I like it tender but still with a little bite.1 small zucchini
- Serve. Stir in chopped green onion, if using, and serve over warm white rice.green onions
Notes
- Let the beef brown: Once the liquid has cooked off, give the beef a chance to develop some browned bits for extra flavor—but keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.
- Cook the zucchini to your liking: I prefer it tender with a little bite, but you can cook it longer if you prefer softer zucchini.
- Go easy on the salt: The oyster sauce and dark soy sauce are already salty, so a small pinch added to the beef is all you need.
- Dark soy sauce substitution: You can substitute all-purpose soy sauce using the same amount, but the finished stir fry won't have the same deep brown color.
Nutrition
Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 359mg | Potassium: 576mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 99IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 3mg
