Is crispy shredded beef one of your Chinese favourites? If so, then you'll love this crispy chilli beef recipe! It's made with fried strips of beef with a crispy coating, then tossed in a sweet chilli delicious sauce.
Every time we order a Chinese takeaway, without fail we always opt for crispy chili beef. It's our spicy takeaway staple.
If you've never tried it before, crispy chilli beef is thinly sliced tender beef strips coated in seasoned corn flour. Then pan fried until crunchy and golden brown before covering it in a sweet, tangy sauce that's full of flavour.
And the best part about this Szechuan beef dish is that you can feed it to your whole family as a Friday night treat on a budget. Serve this crispy meat with rice or noodles, or enjoy it as a snack or starter.
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✔️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
Here are just a few reasons we think this will become one of your Chinese favourites!
- Full of flavour
- Crispy, crunchy, and satisfying
- Great for using any leftover meat
- No need for marinade ingredients
- Cheaper than Chinese restaurants
- Easy to make using simple ingredients
- No need for a deep fryer as I shallow fry
- A good balance of heat, sweetness, and acidity
🛒 Ingredient Notes
Please see the printable recipe card with exact ingredient quantities and preparation instructions at the end of this post.
- Rump steak - thinly sliced against the grain, with any big chunks of fat discarded. Or use other skirt steak such as sirloin steak, ribeye or thin frying beef steaks
- Egg - to help the cornflour to stick to
- Cornflour - (cornstarch) or use potato starch, rice flour or all purpose plain flour
- Seasoning - a good pinch of salt and black pepper to season the cornflour. Or use white pepper
- Vegetable oil - for shallow frying and stir fry the vegetables before adding the sauce mixture. Or use peanut oil with a high smoke point which is perfect for stir fries
- Red pepper - for some soft, sweet luscious bites as a tasty contrast to the crispy texture of the dish. Or use other vegetables such as chopped green beans.
- Red chilli - I use 1 red chilli for medium heat. For mild, remove the seeds or use a small pinch of chilli flakes, chilli pearls or piquillo. For hotter, use finger red chilies or birdsye
- Onion - for extra texture
- Garlic cloves - for a more complex taste
- Ginger - this could be freshly grated, minced from a jar or ginger paste
- Rice wine vinegar - or use Shaoxing wine or white wine vinegar for a sweet and sour combo
- Light soy sauce - for a balanced sweet and spicy sauce. Or, for a less salty taste, you might want to swap 1 tablespoon soy sauce for dark soy sauce
- Sweet chilli sauce - for flavour
- Tomato ketchup - to intensify the sweet and sour flavour with a tomato base
- Honey - for a sweet dish with a lower GI, or swap for 4 tablespoons of caster sugar for an extra sticky sauce
- Sesame seed oil - to drizzle at the end for a nutty taste
- Spring onions - I use 2 as a garnish, but you could use a whole bunch of spring onions for some extra fresh oniony crunch
📋 Instructions
1. Place your steak in the freezer for 1 hour to firm up so that it's easier to cut.
Now thinly slice your steak with a sharp knife going against the grain.
2. Place the beef slices in a large bowl with the seasoning, egg, and cornflour, then give it a good mix.
You might need to get in with your hands to ensure every strand is coated.
3. Hold back 1 tablespoon of oil for stir-frying later then pour the rest of the oil into a large frying pan and heat up.
Give your beef enough space in the pan and fry in batches.
Fry both sides for a few minutes until golden and crispy.
4. Place your crispy beef in a bowl lined with kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil while cooking the remaining beef.
5. In a clean wok, add the remaining oil and fry the onions and red pepper for 2-3 minutes.
6. Now add the garlic, red chillies, and ginger, then fry for a further minute while stirring.
7. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining wet ingredients and stir until smooth.
Then pour into the pan and stir while cooking until thickened.
If using caster sugar, add 1 tablespoon water for enough sauce.
8. Add the crispy beef back into the large pot, and heat through while stirring.
Tip: freeze your steak for an hour before slicing as it will be firmer and easier to slice into thin strips and use a splatter guard if preferred
👩🍳 Substitutions
Depending on your dietary needs, here are a few simple swaps you can make:
- Rump steak - you can use chicken, pork or tofu instead. They will give a different protein and flavour to the dish, but still work well with the sauce. You can also use different cuts of beef, such as flank, skirt or rump steak.
- Cornflour - swap for use plain flour or rice flour instead. They will give a slightly different texture to the beef, but still make it crispy
- Rice vinegar - you can use Chinkiang black rice vinegar, sherry, red or white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar instead. They will give a similar acidity to the sauce
- Ketchup - swap for tomato puree (tomato paste), or BBQ sauce
- Light soy sauce - use gluten free tamari sauce if needed or reduced salt soy sauce
- Honey - for low sugar, use sugar free syrup, or lower GI syrups such as agave
- Vegetable oil - swap for any oil with a high smoke point such as canola, peanut, avocado, or sunflower oil
⚖️ Variations
Here are different ways you can enhance and truly personalise this crispy shredded beef recipe:
- Extra veggies - for more nutrition and crunch, add more veggies to the sauce, such as green beans, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, or baby corn
- Extra sticky sauce - you can double the sauce ingredients and add caster sugar, then simmer it for longer until it thickens. Or make it thicker by stirring in a cornflour slurry (1 tablespoon of cold water and cornstarch mixed until dissolved) and stir into the sauce and heat through
- More crispy - add sesame seeds or breadcrumbs to the beef and cornflour before frying. You can also sprinkle some roasted peanuts or cashews on top of the dish for extra crunch
- Aromatic - you can marinate the beef in oyster sauce and ½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder five-spice powder before frying. Then add a star anise, cinnamon, or orange zest to the sauce for more depth of flavour
- Kid friendly - for less heat, omit the chillies, or just use a small pinch of chilli flakes
You might also like my vegan crispy Mongolian tofu recipe version.
🔪 Equipment
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- Large mixing bowl
- Frying pan
- Chopping knife
- Chopping board
- Cheese grater
- Garlic press
- Measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- Spatula
- Kitchen roll
- Slotted spoon
❄️ Storage
Storing - we prefer eating crispy chilli beef freshly cooked, but it can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Freezing - cool to room temperature and again, store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Reheating - If you want to eat the next day, defrost in the fridge if required and microwave until piping hot, or on the hob or stove. Note: when reheating, the beef will lose its crispy crunch, but still tastes delicious
💡Pro Tips
- If using caster sugar instead of honey, add 1 tablespoon water or more to create enough sauce to coat the beef at the end
- For a milder taste, remove the seeds from the chili peppers if using
- To slice the beef thinly and evenly, you can freeze for 1 hour before cutting so that it's firmer and easier to slice while also cutting against the grain of the meat
- To make the beef crispy and tender, fry it in small batches and avoid overcrowding the pan. This will prevent the beef from sticking to each other and losing its crispiness
- While cooking in batches, drain the excess oil on a paper towel after frying to prevent a soggy crumb
- To make the sauce smooth and glossy, you can whisk the sauce ingredients well before adding them to the pan
- If you want extra flavour to the crispy beef, add ½ teaspoon Chinese five spice to the cornflour
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- Noodles - enjoy with a tasty side of egg noodles, rice noodles, udon noodles, or ramen noodles
- Rice - we often enjoy ours with mushroom or egg fried rice, whether it's created with white, brown, jasmine or basmati. All will work a treat
- Chinese sides - enjoy alongside an array of classic Chinese sides such as prawn crackers, sesame prawn toasts, crispy wontons, spring rolls, etc
- Salad - for a lighter option, serve in lettuce cups. Or with a fresh salad or homemade slaw using lettuce, cabbage, cucumber, carrot, radish, or any other salad ingredients
- Mixed vegetables - fry some mixed vegetables such as mushrooms and green peppers in a black bean sauce. Or try frying bean sprouts and water chestnuts
- Sauces - enjoy with dipping sauces such as satay sauce, hoisin, or sriracha sauce. You can also make a quick sauce by mixing and heating through some vinegar, sugar, chilli sauce and sesame oil together
❓ FAQ
Yes, you can use any cut of beef that you like or have leftover. You can also use chicken, pork or tofu instead of beef. Just make sure to slice the protein thinly and against the grain for the best results.
You can make the dish more or less spicy by adding more or less red chilli, chilli sauce or chilli flakes to the sauce. You can also use mild or hot sweet chilli sauce depending on your preference.
You can make the sauce in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also fry the beef in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
To reheat, use a nonstick pan over medium-high heat to get the beef crispy again. Then toss it with the sauce and serve.
➕ More Asian Recipes
Looking for new recipes like this? Here's some more that we love!
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📖 Recipe
Easy Crispy Shredded Beef Recipe {With Sweet Chilli}
Equipment
Ingredients
- 255 g Rump steak (1 steak about 9oz), thinly cut into strips
- 60 g Cornflour (½ cup)
- 5 tablespoon Vegetable oil (65ml) Hold back 1 tablespoon for stir frying
- 1 small Red pepper sliced
- 1 Red chilli sliced
- 2 cloves Garlic
- ½ tablespoon Ginger freshly grated, or ginger paste
- 3 tablespoon Rice wine vinegar (40ml)
- 3 tablespoon Light soy sauce (40ml)
- 1.5 tablespoon Sweet chilli sauce
- 3 tablespoon Tomato ketchup (50g) Or tomato puree
- 1 large Egg
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Ground black pepper or white pepper
- 1 Onion Sliced
- 2 tablespoon Honey
Garnish
- 2 Spring onions (scallions), sliced
- ½ teaspoon Sesame seed oil
- 1 teaspoon Sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Place your steak in the freezer for 1 hour to firm up a bit, then thinly slice with a sharp knife while against the grain.
- Add the beef slices in a large bowl with the seasoning, egg, and cornflour, then give it a good mix.
- Hold back 1 tablespoon of oil for stir-frying later, then pour the rest of the oil into a large frying pan and heat up.Shallow fry the beef in batches to give them enough space in the pan. Fry both sides until crispy, then place on some kitchen roll while frying the rest of the beef.
- In a clean wok, add the remaining oil and fry the onions and red pepper for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the garlic, red chillies, and ginger, then fry for a further minute while stirring.
- In a small bowl, mix together the remaining wet ingredients and stir until smooth.Then pour into the pan and stir while cooking until thickened.
- Add the crispy beef back into the large pot, and heat through while stirring.
Disclaimer
*This is an unofficial page and has no affiliation or endorsement from Slimming World. Slimming World's website can be found at https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/. Any syn values are personal estimates and not verified by Slimming World.
Video
Notes
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- If using caster sugar instead of honey, add 1 tablespoon water or more to create enough sauce to coat the beef at the end
- For a milder taste, remove the seeds from the chili peppers if using
-
- To slice the beef thinly and evenly, you can freeze for 1 hour before cutting so that it's firmer and easier to slice while also cutting against the grain of the meat
-
- To make the beef crispy and tender, fry it in small batches and avoid overcrowding the pan. This will prevent the beef from sticking to each other and losing its crispiness
-
- While cooking in batches, drain the excess oil on a paper towel after frying to prevent a soggy crumb
-
- To make the sauce smooth and glossy, you can whisk the sauce ingredients well before adding them to the pan
-
- If you want extra flavour to the crispy beef, add ½ teaspoon Chinese five spice to the cornflour
Denise
I’ve made this several times now and it’s a definite favourite. I mix the seasoning and cornflour together and dip the sliced steak into the whisked egg first then the seasoned cornflour before frying as I find it less messy - it’s a very tasty dish which I serve with rice and broccoli as a main course. Thank you Vikkie! 😊