30-Minute Orange Beef

Big wooden bowl of brown rice and sesame ginger orange beef with chopsticks to the side.

5 from 1 vote

A classic Chinese takeout recipe made healthier, this Orange Beef is crispy, tender and wildly flavorful with an amazing tangy orange sauce. Soy-free, refined sugar-free and so easy to make!

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Beef Main Dishes

Cuisine: Chinese

Servings: Servings

Calories: 450kcal

Author: Julia

Ingredients

Orange Sauce:

2/3 cup orange juice
2 tsp orange zest
1/3 cup coconut aminos or liquid aminos or soy sauce*
1 Tbsp rice vinegar or cider vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 tsp fresh ginger peeled and grated
3 cloves garlic
2 tsp sriracha optional

Beef Stir Fry:

1 lb steak of choice**
1 egg
½ cup tapioca flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour
½ tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp avocado oil or coconut oil for cooking

For serving:

1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 bunch green onion chopped

Instructions

Stir together the ingredients for the orange sauce in a small bowl or measuring cup and set aside until ready to use.
Crack an egg into a large mixing bowl and whisk it well until well-beaten.
Slice the steak into thin strips against the grain.
Add the beef strips to the mixing bowl with the whisked egg and toss until all of the strips are coated with egg.
Add the tapioca flour and black pepper to the mixing bowl and toss until the strips of steak are coated with the flour mixture. Note: this will cause the beef to stick together. This is entirely normal, and the strips will come apart easily once they are cooking in the skillet.
Heat two tablespoons of avocado oil (or cooking oil of choice) to a large non-stick skillet (I use a 12-inch skillet) over high heat. Allow the skillet to warm up for a couple of minutes before adding the steak to the hot oil. Arrange the steak into a single layer (remember, it will be stuck together, which is normal, so it will take a little maneuvering to get it into one layer). If need be, complete this step in two small batches if your skillet isn’t large enough to cook the strips in one layer.
Allow the steak to cook untouched for 2 to 3 minutes, or until it is nice and golden-brown. Flip the steak and continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the other side is golden-brown as well. The steak does not need to be cooked through just yet.
Pour the sauce into the skillet and bring everything to a full boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and the steak has reached your desired level of crisp, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Serve Orange Beef over your choice of steamed brown rice, white rice, cauliflower rice, or with sauteed vegetables.

Notes

*If you’re using coconut aminos, add ¼ teaspoon of sea salt to the sauce then add more to taste once you’re finished cooking the chicken. If you are using liquid aminos or soy sauce, hold off on adding salt until you’re done cooking, as both contain a decent amount of sodium already.

In addition, if using liquid aminos or soy sauce, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup to the sauce for sweetness. Coconut aminos is already naturally sweet so no added sweetener is necessary.

**I use boneless NY Strip, but you can also use skirt steak, flank steak, sirloin steak, filet mignon, or ribeye. Any cut of steak will work, as long as you like the type!

Store any leftover orange beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition Facts calculated for beef only - not including rice or any additional side dishes.

Nutrition