Crispy Chili Beef is a beloved takeout classic that’s surprisingly easy to make at home. Tender strips of beef are fried until perfectly golden and crunchy, then tossed in a bold, sweet-and-spicy chili sauce that’s bursting with flavor. If you love Crispy Sesame Beef or Mongolian Beef, you’ll fall for this dish—it’s quick, satisfying, and sure to impress on busy weeknights or at dinner parties.
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🥩 The Ingredients
You can keep it simple with regular or low-sodium soy sauce, or make it more authentic with a quick trip to your Asian market for light and dark soy sauce to deepen the flavor—either way, the ingredients come together to deliver a better-than-takeout taste. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
👉 Substitutions and Variations
- Beef: Swap with chicken, pork, shrimp, or even tofu for a lighter or vegetarian-friendly version.
- Soy Sauce: Use regular or low-sodium soy sauce, or upgrade with light and dark soy sauce for authentic flavor.
- Chili Heat: Adjust spice by using fresh red chilies, chili flakes, or a milder sweet chili sauce.
- Vegetables: Add bell peppers, broccoli, or snap peas for extra crunch and nutrition.
- Sweetness: Replace sugar with honey or brown sugar for a different depth of sweetness.
- Gluten-Free: Use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, and cornstarch or arrowroot for coating.
- Crispness Level: For extra crunch, double-fry the beef strips before tossing them in the sauce.
Expert Tip
For perfectly thin, even strips, place the beef in the freezer for about 20–30 minutes before slicing—this firms up the meat just enough to make cutting against the grain much easier.
☑️ Tips and Tricks for Making Perfect Crispy Chili. Beef
- Slice thinly: Cut the beef into very thin strips against the grain for tenderness and quick cooking.
- Cornstarch coating: Toss the beef in cornstarch just before frying to achieve that signature crisp texture.
- High heat is key: Fry in hot oil so the beef crisps quickly without becoming greasy.
- Batch fry: Cook the beef in small batches to keep the oil hot and the coating crunchy.
- Sauce timing: Add the beef to the sauce just before serving so it stays crisp on the outside while coated in flavor.
- Soy sauce upgrade: Use light and dark soy sauce from your Asian market for authentic depth, or stick with regular/low-sodium if that’s what you have.
👩🏼🍳 How to Make Crispy Chili Beef Extra Crispy
- Step 1: Freeze the steak for 20 to 30 minutes, then cut against the grain and make strips of beef.
- Step 2: Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Step 3: Whisk the salt and pepper into the cornstarch in a bowl.
- Step 4: Working in batches, add the beef to the eggs and stir until fully coated.
- Step 5: Allow the eggs to drip from the beef strips and then coat them with the cornstarch mixture.
- Step 6: Deep-fry until golden and very crispy. Set aside.
Expert Tip
For a smoother cooking flow, fry the beef in a separate heatproof pan, then quickly bring everything together in the wok for that final toss in sauce—just be sure to handle the hot oil with care to keep things safe and stress-free.
🔥 How To Stir-Fry Crispy Chili Beef
- Step 1: Heat the oil over high heat in the wok and stir-fry the onions, carrots, and peppers for 1 minute.
- Step 2: Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for another 30 seconds.
- Step 3: Pour in the prepared sauce and bring to a boil.
- Step 4: Add the crispy beef and stir until fully coated. Serve at once with sesame seeds and scallions.
🍽️ How to Serve
- With rice: Serve over perfectly steamed rice to soak up the sweet and spicy sauce.
- With noodles: Toss with lo mein, rice noodles, or even soba for a heartier meal.
- With vegetables: Pair with stir-fried broccoli, bell peppers, or bok choy for balance and crunch.
- As an appetizer: Serve in smaller portions with toothpicks for a crowd-pleasing starter.
- In lettuce wraps: Spoon into crisp lettuce cups for a lighter, fresher twist.
- With sides: Add homemade egg rolls, savory scallion pancakes, or authentic crab rangoon for a full takeout-style spread at home.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
It’s best enjoyed fresh, but you can prep the beef and sauce separately, then combine just before serving.
Ribery, flank steak, and sirloin are great options because they’re tender and slice easily into thin strips.
Yes—you can shallow fry the beef, which means cooking it in a smaller amount of oil (just enough to cover the bottom of the pan) instead of fully submerging it. You can also try air frying, though the texture may be slightly less crunchy.
Yes, simply use tamari or coconut aminos in place of soy sauce and ensure your cornstarch is gluten-free.
The heat level is adjustable—add more or fewer chilies or use a milder chili sauce to suit your taste.
🥡 Other Classic Chinese Take-Out Recipes
Ready to make the best take-out fake-out in town? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Crispy Chili Beef
Video
Equipment
- Sturdy pot for deep-frying Or just use your wok
- Wok or large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 lb beef filet ie, ribeye, flank, or sirloin
- Peanut oil or vegetable oil, for frying
- salt and pepper for seasoning the beef
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoon light soy sauce see NOTES
- 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce see NOTES
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoon honey
- ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes more for extra heat
- 1 cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil or vegetable oil, for stir-frying.
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced
- 1 medium carrot julieened, or cut into strips
- 1 red chili pepper ie, Fresno chili pepper
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon ginger fresh, minced
- toasted sesame seeds for garnish
- 1 bunch scallions sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Wrap the steak in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes.1 lb beef filet
- Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat to 350 to 365°F.Peanut oil
- Remove the steak from the freezer, and cut against the grain into thin strips. Season the steak with salt and pepper.salt and pepper
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, honey, chili sauce, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.¼ cup rice vinegar, 2 tablespoon light soy sauce, 2 tablespoon dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoon honey, ¼ cup sweet chili sauce, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with the salt and pepper.1 cup cornstarch, ½ teaspoon Kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- In another bowl, add the eggs and lightly beat them. Add the beef and toss until fully coated.2 eggs
- Working in batches, lift the beef from the eggs, allowing excess egg to drip off, and add to the seasoned cornstarch. Toss until fully coated.
- Carefully add the beef to the hot oil, and use a metal spider or tongs to move the beef around, to help them not stick to each other. Fry until lightly golden and very crispy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oil onto a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat this process with the remaining beef. Set aside. Let the oil cool down and safely discard it.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of peanut oil in your wok over high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onion, carrots, and chili pepper, and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes.1 tablespoon peanut oil, 1 medium onion, 1 medium carrot, 1 red chili pepper
- Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.4 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoon ginger
- Stir in the reserved sauce and bring to a boil. Carefully add the crispy beef and use two large wooden spoons to toss until fully coated.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately, garnished with sesame seeds and chopped scallions. Serve over steamed rice or cooked noodles.toasted sesame seeds, 1 bunch scallions
Notes
- For the most authentic flavor, use a combination of light and dark soy sauce from your Asian market. If unavailable, regular or low-sodium soy sauce works just fine.
- Fry the beef in small batches to keep the oil hot and the coating crisp.
- For extra crunch, double-fry the beef before tossing it in the sauce.
- Adjust the spice level by adding more chilies and/or red pepper flakes.
- Serve immediately after tossing in the sauce to preserve the crispy coating.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in a hot skillet or air fryer to help restore crispness—avoid the microwave, which can make the beef soggy.
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