One Pan Beef and Scallions

This One Pan Beef and Scallions recipe is a fast, flavorful weeknight dinner packed with tender thin-sliced sirloin, crisp scallions, and a savory-sweet garlic-ginger sauce.

Coated in a lightly thickened, umami-rich sauce with soy, sesame, honey, and rice vinegar, this dish comes together in one skillet for easy cooking and minimal cleanup. It’s cozy, comforting, and packed with flavor.

Serve it over steaming rice, noodles, or your favorite vegetables for a comforting, restaurant-style meal at home.

What ingredients do I need?

• Top Sirloin – Tender and flavorful, this lean cut cooks quickly while staying juicy. Thinly sliced against the grain ensures every bite is tender and absorbs the savory sauce beautifully. You can also use flank steak or ribeye for a richer flavor.
• Cornstarch – Lightly coats the beef for a velvety texture and helps thicken the sauce. It gives that signature glossy, restaurant-style finish found in classic stir-fries.
• Salt & Pepper – Simple seasonings that enhance the beef’s natural flavor and balance the rich soy-based sauce.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Used for searing the beef and sautéing scallions. It adds depth and helps achieve a golden crust while keeping the dish lighter than traditional stir-fry oils.
• Scallions (Green Onions) – The star vegetable of the dish. Their mild, sweet onion flavor adds brightness and balance. Cooking them until just tender preserves their color and freshness.
• Soy Sauce – The umami foundation of the sauce. Reduced-sodium soy sauce keeps it flavorful without being too salty, creating a rich, savory base.
• Garlic – Adds a deep aromatic note that infuses the entire dish with warmth and flavor.
• Ginger – Brings freshness and a slight zing that cuts through the richness of the beef and sauce. Freshly minced ginger gives the best flavor.
• Sesame Oil – Adds a nutty, toasty aroma that’s essential in Asian-inspired sauces. A little goes a long way in rounding out the flavor profile.
• Honey – Balances the salty, savory elements with a hint of sweetness and helps the sauce caramelize beautifully.
• Rice Vinegar – Provides a light tang that brightens the sauce and enhances overall flavor contrast.
• Cornstarch Slurry – A small mix of cornstarch and soy sauce thickens the sauce just enough to coat the beef and scallions in a glossy, flavorful glaze.

Leftovers and Storage

• Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave.
• Freezer: Sauce can be frozen separately for up to 1 month. Beef and scallions are best fresh but can be cooked and frozen for up to 2 months.
• Reheating tip: Add a splash of water or broth when reheating to loosen the sauce.

But, I Still Have A Few Questions…

Can I use another cut of beef?
Yes — flank, ribeye, or skirt steak work best. Avoid very thick cuts, which won’t cook quickly in a stir-fry.

Can this be made ahead?
You can prep the beef and scallions in advance. Sauce can be made and stored separately. Reheat briefly before serving.

Can I make it vegetarian?
Use tofu or tempeh instead of beef and soy sauce or tamari for the sauce.

How do I thicken the sauce?
Dissolve cornstarch in soy sauce first, then whisk into the simmering sauce until slightly thickened.

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One Pan Beef and Scallions

This One Pan Beef and Scallions is a quick, flavor-packed stir-fry that brings bold, savory flavor to your weeknight table. Tender slices of beef are seared until golden, then tossed with caramelized scallions in a glossy, umami-rich sauce made with soy, garlic, ginger, and a touch of honey. It’s perfectly balanced — salty, slightly sweet, and deeply aromatic — and comes together in under 30 minutes with minimal cleanup. Serve it over rice, noodles, or steamed vegetables for a cozy, satisfying meal that tastes like takeout but feels homemade.

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Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 1-2 lb thin sliced top sirloin sliced into thin squares or rectangles
• ▢ 3 tbsp cornstarch
• ▢ Pinch salt and pepper
• ▢ 4 bunch of scallions cut into 1” pieces

Sauce—

• ▢ 1/2 c. soy sauce I use reduced sodium
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 1 tsp ginger minced
• ▢ 1 tsp sesame oil
• ▢ 1 tbsp honey
• ▢ 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• ▢ 1/2 tsp cornstarch mix with 1 tsp soy sauce to dissolve

Instructions

• In a large bowl, mix together sirloin, cornstarch, salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and then add sirloin. Brown the meat, remove from skillet, and set aside.
• Add scallions to the skillet and cook 2-3 minutes until starting to soften.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Add the sauce to the scallions and bring to a light boil. Reduce to simmer. Mix together the 1/2 tsp cornstarch and 1 tsp of soy sauce until no lump, add to the sauce. Stir and simmer until sauce thickens a little.
• Add back sirloin, stir and simmer another 1-2 minutes.
• Serve over ramen, rice, vegetables.

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