Thai Basil Beef

Thai Basil Beef is a super easy one-skillet meal loaded with tender, juicy beef and absolutely bursting with flavor! This easy dinner recipe is perfect for a healthy weeknight meal the whole family will love.

Looking for more Thai recipes? Try my Pad Thai, or my Thai Chicken Satay. Both are ready in less than 30 minutes!

The first time I had this Thai beef and basil dish I instantly fell in love with Thai basil. It’s not as sweet as regular basil and has a minty / licorice flavor to it. It’s absolutely delicious!

The sauce that the steak and peppers get tossed in is rich, sweet, salty, and very flavorful! It’s quite a simple sauce, made up of light and dark soy sauce, brown sugar, fish sauce, and oyster sauce. It really ties this whole Thai Basil Beef recipe together!

This Thai Basil Beef recipe comes together in minutes. The beef gets marinated for 30 minutes while I am prepping the rest of the ingredients. You can marinate for longer if you have time! This can also be marinated the morning of! When I’m ready to cook, I fry the flank steak in a hot pan over high heat. This cooks the steak quickly and provides a nice sear on the outside. Then, I remove the steak from the pan and sauté the red bell pepper, green onions, and garlic until they are just starting to get soft. I return the steak to the pan along with the sauce, and lastly, fold in the Thai basil so it doesn’t wilt too much.

Ingredients

The full ingredient list and measurements are listed in the printable recipe below.

Stir fry

• Flank Steak: I like using flank steak in this recipe however skirt steak or ground beef can also be used.
• Cornstarch: Helps to sear the steak and thicken up the sauce.
• Soy Sauce: This adds saltiness and seasoning to the steak, as well as helping to make it tender. Make sure to use low sodium soy sauce so you can keep the saltiness down.
• Vegetables: Red bell pepper, green onion, and garlic: These vegetables add flavor as well as a pop of color!
• Thai basil leaves: The star of the dish! Thai basil brings a herby freshness to this recipe. You can find thai basil at Asian Grocery stores. I typically purchase mine from the local farmers market. Feel free to substitute mint or regular basil if you cant find fresh thai basil.

Sauce

• Soy sauce: I used both dark and light soy sauce to add seasoning and richness to the dish. If you can’t find dark soy sauce simply substitute regular low sodium soy sauce.
• Fish sauce: This is used in all kinds of Asian cuisine! It adds a hint of fishiness, along with sweetness and some acidity, as it is fermented.
• Oyster sauce: Despite the name, it doesn’t actually taste fishy! It’s salty and sweet, with a hint of earthiness.
• Brown sugar: A touch of brown sugar adds a caramelized sweetness to this Thai basil Beef recipe and really brings all the flavors together.

How to make this Thai Basil Beef Stir Fry

1. Marinate beef: In a medium bowl add the sliced beef, water, cornstarch, and soy sauce. Toss to coat. Marinate the beef for 30 minutes. This will help make it SUPER tender!
2. Sear beef: Secondly, heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Remove the beef from the marinade and sear the beef until just browned, 2-3 minutes. When it’s ready, remove it from the pan and set aside.
3. Saute veggies: Add the red pepper and green onion to the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes or until tender, and then add in garlic and cook for an additional minute.
4. Simmer: Return the beef back to the pan along with the sauce. Cook until thickened, 2-3 minutes.
5. Fold in the Thai basil: And cook until it’s just wilted. Serve immediately with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

What to serve with Thai Basil Beef

Here are a few tried and true side dishes that I love:

• Authentic Chicken Lo Mein
• Easy Chow Mein
• The BEST Fried Rice
• Cauliflower Fried Rice
• White or brown rice. For a low carb option try cauliflower rice.
• Steamed vegetables
• Crunchy Asian Broccoli Slaw

Where can I buy Thai Basil?

I get Thai basil from my local Asian grocery store. Some grocery stores also sell it, and if you have a green thumb, it’s pretty easy to grow at home!

I can’t find any Thai basil. What can I use instead?

If you can’t find Thai basil, fresh mint or regular Italian basil would work in this Thai Basil Beef recipe. It won’t be the same flavor but will still be delicious!

Storage and Reheating

• Store: Leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Reheat: To heat up the leftovers, simply add everything into a saucepan on the stove and heat it over a medium heat until it is warmed through.

Is it freezer-friendly?

Yes! I love making a double-batch to freeze for later. Freeze this Thai basil beef dinner for up to 4 months in the freezer. Then, when you’re ready to eat, thaw the frozen food completely before heating it up on the stove.

More take-out inspired beef recipes you will love:

• Pepper Steak
• Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef
• Spicy Szechuan Beef
• Beef Teriyaki Noodles
• 30 Minute Mongolian Beef
• Korean Beef Bowls

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