An ultra delicious stir-fry with tender beef and spinach. Thanks to some jalapeños, a little honey and a soy-based sauce, this dish is savory, sweet and spicy with a hint of ginger and garlic… super tasty! A true flavor bomb. Serve with rice or noodles and a crispy cucumber salad for a fantastic homemade takeout.
Why you’ll love this spicy stir-fry recipe
This dish is packed with flavor—tender beef, fresh spinach, and the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy in every bite. The sauce is a game-changer, made with sesame oil, pickled jalapeño brine, soy sauce, sriracha, and a sticky drizzle of honey.
Here’s how it comes together: prep is key for a quick and seamless stir-fry. In just 5 minutes of cooking, the beef gets stir-fried to perfection with crispy edges and a juicy center. Garlic, ginger, and pickled jalapeño slices are added, followed by spinach and that bold sweet-spicy sauce. The honey and soy sauce coat the beef in a rich glaze, while the jalapeños soak up all the delicious flavors.
Follow my step-by-step VIDEO and make this incredible stir-fry with ease!
Recipe tips
- Adjust the spice level to suit your taste.
- Swap the beef for chicken if you prefer.
- Instead of spinach, try broccoli, mushrooms, peppers, zucchini, carrots, bamboo shoots, or sugar snap peas for variety.
- Serve with steamed sushi rice, jasmine rice, rice noodles, brown rice, fried rice or stir-fry noodles to complete the dish. And don’t forget that fresh crispy cucumber salad.
Storing tips
- Fridge: Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Transfer the fully cooked dish to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
More stir-fry recipes, please!
Spicy Beef and Spinach Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 11 ounces beef - flank steak, skirt steak, sirloin or rump steak
- 6 ounces spinach
- 4 garlic cloves - minced
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 tbsp chopped pickled jalapeños - less or more to taste
- 6 scallions - chopped
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- sesame seeds - for serving
- crispy fried onions - for serving
Beef marinade
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
Stir-fry sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp brine from the pickled jalapeños
- 1 tsp srirach - less or more to taste
- ¼ tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Cut the beef in thin slices across the grain. Add to a bowl and combine with the marinade ingredients. Set aside and let marinate for at least 15 minutes.
- In the meantime: Boil the rice according package directions.
- Combine the ingredients for the stir-fry sauce in a small bowl.
- Mince the garlic cloves, grate the ginger, chop the jalapeños and scallions.
- Heat the oil in a wok over high heat until smoking-hot and oil starts to shimmer. Place beef in a single layer, cook undisturbed until the beef begins to sear, about 30 seconds. Then stir-fry for 1 minute until the beef is lightly browned but not cooked through.
- Add garlic, ginger and jalapeños. Stir-fry for 30 seconds.
- Add spinach, stir until it starts to wilt, 30 seconds. Pour in the prepared sauce, stir-fry for 30 sec up to 1 minute, just until the sauce starts to thicken. Stir in scallions.
- Serve immediately with rice and maybe a fresh cucumber salad. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and fried onions. Enjoy!
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