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A close-up of a delicious beef and spinach stir-fry, perfect for easy dinner recipes for beginners.

Easy Beef and Spinach Stir-Fry

This easy beef and spinach stir-fry is a quick and flavorful dinner perfect for beginners. It uses simple ingredients and comes together in under 30 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Marinating Time 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Asian-inspired
Calories: 312
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Beef
  • 1 pound beef top sirloin steak cut into thin strips
  • 1 tablespoon fresh gingerroot minced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Sauce
  • 1 cup light coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon lime zest grated
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Stir-Fry
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil divided
  • 1 large sweet red pepper cut into thin strips
  • 1/2 medium red onion thinly sliced
  • 1 medium jalapeno pepper seeded and thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 4 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 2 green onions thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped

Equipment

  • Large bowl
  • Small bowl
  • Large skillet

Method
 

  1. In a large bowl, toss beef with ginger, 2 garlic cloves, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Let stand for 15 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together coconut milk, sugar, chili sauce, lime zest, lime juice, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until blended.
  3. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and stir-fry until no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes. Remove the beef from the pan.
  4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of canola oil to the skillet. Stir-fry the red pepper, red onion, jalapeno, and the remaining minced garlic until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2-3 minutes.
  5. Stir in the coconut milk mixture and heat through. Add the spinach and beef. Cook until the spinach is wilted and the beef is heated through, stirring occasionally.
  6. Sprinkle with green onions and cilantro before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 26gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 641mgFiber: 2gSugar: 10g

Notes

This recipe is a great starting point for beginner cooks. Feel free to adjust the spice level by adding more or less Sriracha and jalapeno. You can also substitute other vegetables you have on hand.

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