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A close-up of a delicious beef and greens stir-fry, garnished with green onions and lime wedges, 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 10 minutes
Marinating Time 15 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 cups
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 minced fresh gingerroot
  • 2 cloves garlic minced, divided
  • 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 grated lime zest
  • 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
  • 4 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 2 medium green onions thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

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. 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.
  2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add beef and stir-fry until no longer pink, about 2-3 minutes. Remove beef from the pan.
  3. Add the red pepper, red onion, jalapeno, and the remaining clove of garlic to the skillet. Stir-fry in the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk mixture and heat through.
  4. Add the spinach and beef to the skillet. Cook until the spinach is wilted and the beef is heated through, stirring occasionally. 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 new cooks. Feel free to adjust the spice level by adding more or less Sriracha and jalapeno. You can also substitute other quick-cooking vegetables like broccoli florets or snap peas.

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