Stir-Fried Beef with Celery and Peppers
A quick and flavorful Chinese stir-fry featuring tender beef strips with crunchy celery and colorful bell peppers. The sweet potato starch gives the beef a silky coating while the combination of green and red peppers adds mild sweetness and vibrant color.
Story
This classic home-style Chinese dish comes together in under 30 minutes. The key is having all your ingredients prepped before you start cooking, as stir-fries move quickly. White celery (the thinner Chinese variety) works best, but regular celery can be substituted.
Ingredients
Instructions
Prep the ingredients
Wash the celery and trim off the root end. Cut into sections about 2 inches long. Wash the bell peppers, remove the stems and seeds, then cut into strips that match the length of the celery. Slice the beef thinly against the grain into strips.
Season and coat the beef
Place the beef strips in a bowl. Add salt and black pepper, then toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle the sweet potato starch over the beef and mix until each strip is lightly coated. Let sit for 5 minutes.
Cook the beef
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the beef in a single layer and let it sear for 30 seconds, then stir-fry for another minute until just cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Stir-fry the vegetables
Add the remaining oil to the wok. Add the celery and peppers, stir-fry for 2 minutes until they begin to soften but remain crisp. Add garlic if using and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
Combine and serve
Return the beef to the wok with the vegetables. Toss everything together for 1 minute until well combined and heated through. Serve immediately over steamed rice.