In my home, this authentic Chinese beef recipe is a weeknight favorite. The tender beef, infused with garlic and a hint of sweetness, pairs beautifully with water spinach, bringing a refreshing balance to the dish.

Let me show you how to make Chinese beef stir fry with just a handful of ingredients!

Why You’ll Love This Stir-Fried Chinese Beef Recipe

• Quick and Easy – Just 10 minutes of cooking time, perfect for busy days
• Authentic and Flavorful – Straight from the kitchens of Southern China
• Savory and Satisfying – Shacha sauce gives it that signature umami depth
• Nutritious – High in protein and fiber, with a fresh, leafy crunch
• Customizable – Swap water spinach for bok choy, morning glory, or scallions

What is Shacha Sauce?

Shacha sauce (沙茶酱 shā chá jiàng) is the key ingredient in this Chinese beef stir fry with sauce. Made from garlic, shallots, dried shrimp, peanuts, chilies, and soy sauce, it brings an irresistible savory-sweet-spicy balance to stir-fried dishes.

Often compared to a Chinese BBQ sauce, Shacha sauce is commonly used as a hotpot dipping sauce in Northern China, but in the southern coastal regions, it takes center stage in dishes like this Shacha sauce beef stir fry.

If you’ve never cooked with Shacha sauce before, this is the perfect dish to start with!

A Nourishing and Savory Chinese Beef Recipe

Beef

• Packed with high-quality protein, iron, and essential B vitamins
• Keeps you energized and satisfied

Water Spinach (Kōng Xīn Cài 空心菜)

• Loaded with vitamin C, vitamin A, and fiber
• Supports digestion and overall health

Garlic

• Naturally anti-inflammatory and heart-healthy
• Adds an aromatic depth to this Chinese-style beef cooking

Ingredients for This Homemade Chinese Beef Recipe

How to Make Chinese Beef Stir Fry with Sauce

1. Prep the Beef

• Slice the beef thinly for a tender bite
• In a bowl, mix beef with Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, cornstarch, black pepper, and a bit of oil
• Let it marinate for 30 minutes—this makes the beef extra juicy!

2. Prep the Vegetables

• Mince the garlic
• Wash and cut the water spinach into three sections (two parts stem, one part leaves)

3. Sauté the Shacha Sauce

• Heat cooking oil in a wok
• Add Shacha sauce and stir gently on low heat for about 30 seconds
• Toss in the garlic and stir for another minute

4. Stir-Fry the Beef

• Turn the heat to high and add the marinated beef
• Let it sear briefly before stir-frying until browned

5. Add the Greens

• Once the beef is browned, add sugar and the water spinach stems
• Stir-fry until the stems soften slightly
• Add the leaves and cook just until they wilt

6. Final Touches

• Sprinkle in salt to taste, give it all one last toss, and serve hot

Customize Your Chinese Beef and Vegetable Stir Fry

• Love spice? Add fresh chilies or a drizzle of chili oil
• Different beef cuts? Try flank steak or ribeye for extra tenderness
• No water spinach? Bok choy, morning glory, or spinach work beautifully
• Want a full meal? Serve it over steamed jasmine rice

Why This is the Best Chinese Beef Recipe

• The marinade makes the beef incredibly tender and flavorful
• Shacha sauce adds a smoky, nutty depth that’s hard to resist
• Water spinach brings a light, refreshing crunch to balance the dish
• Quick and easy, making it a perfect homemade Chinese beef recipe

What to Serve with Shacha Beef

• Steamed Jasmine Rice – Soaks up all the rich, umami sauce
• Chinese Cucumber Salad – Cool and crunchy, the perfect contrast
• Egg Drop Soup – A light, comforting side to round out the meal

Pro Tips for Perfect Stir-Fried Chinese Beef Recipe

• Marinate the beef – This ensures deep flavor and tenderness
• Use high heat – A hot wok keeps the beef juicy and caramelized
• Cook the beef first – Then add the veggies for the best texture
• Don’t overcook – Quick cooking lets the Shacha sauce shine

More Authentic Chinese Beef Recipes to Try

• Yuxiang Pork Stir Fry – A fragrant, spicy Sichuan classic
• Chicken and Zucchini Stir Fry – A light, gingery stir-fry
• Yellow Zucchini and Pork Belly Stir Fry – A delicious way to enjoy pork belly
• Authentic Kung Pao Chicken – A bold and spicy classic

Final Thoughts: Try This Shacha Sauce Beef Stir Fry Tonight!

Shacha Beef Stir Fry is one of those dishes that feels like home—savory, comforting, and deeply satisfying. Whether you’re an experienced cook or just starting your journey with Chinese-style beef cooking, this dish is a simple way to bring authentic flavors to your kitchen.

Try it today and let me know how your Shacha sauce beef stir fry turns out!

The Best Chinese Beef Recipe – Shacha Beef Stir Fry

Recipe by LinCourse: BeefCuisine: ChineseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

3

servings

Prep time

40

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

This Shacha Beef Stir Fry is a quick and flavorful Chinese beef recipe featuring tender beef, garlic, and crisp water spinach, all coated in a rich and savory Shacha sauce. This authentic Chinese beef stir fry is ready in just 30 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight meal. Serve with steamed jasmine rice for a complete dish.

Ingredients

• 225g Beef (the best beef for this dish preferably would have a bit of fat)

• 150-200g Water spinach (if you don’t have water spinach in your local shops, feel free to opt for spinach with stem or spring onions)

• 5 gloves of garlic

• ½ tsp ground black pepper

• 1 tsp cooking wine (Chinese cooking wine or Mirin)

• ½ tsp sugar

• 1 tbs cornstarch

• 1 tbs light soy sauce

• 2 tsp Shacha sauce

• Salt

Directions

• Julienne the beef
• Add 1 tbs cooking wine, 1 tbs light soy sauce, 1 tbs cornstarch, ½ tsp ground black pepper, 1 tbs cooking oil to the beef, mix well and let it marinate for 30 mins
• Mince 5 gloves of garlic
• Wash and cut water spinach into 3 equal sections, 2 parts of stems and 1 part of leaves
• Heat up some cooking oil in a pan or wok
• Add 2 tsp of Shacha sauce and cook on low heat
• Add minced garlic in cook for a further 1 min
• Turn the heat to high and add in marinated beef let it sit for a bit and gently stir fry
• Wait until the beef is nicely browned, add ½ tsp sugar, and the water spinach stem, stir fry until it softens
• Add in the leaves
• Add salt to your taste
• Plate and enjoy

Recipe Video

The post The Best Chinese Beef Recipe – Shacha Beef Stir Fry appeared first on Lin's Chinese Kitchen.

A popular saying in China is “王者以民为天，而民以食为天”, which means “The kingdom depends on people, but people depends on food”. Also, it’s a common belief amongst travellers that the best way of understanding a country and its culture is through its food. If you’re planning a trip to China, check out China’s top 10 night markets for a deep dive into Chinese culture through your taste buds.

Back to the dish now which packs tender, spicy, refreshing and vibrant all in one bowl. This special dish is originated from the 湘 (xiāng) region in Hunan Province, and it will knock your socks off. Other than that, it’s easy to prepare and quick to put together.

Chinese Coriander Beef Salad Recipe

Recipe by LinCourse: SaladCuisine: Chinese

Servings

3

servings

Prep time

25

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

This recipe will show you how to make an authentic Chinese coriander beef salad just like in the night markets of Hunan province.

Ingredients

• Main

• 500g beef joint

• 30g fresh coriander

• Marinate sauce

• 1 tbsp light soy

• 2 tsp dark soy

• 1/2 tsp Shaoxing cooking wine

• ¼ tsp baking soda

• 2 tsp starch

• Salad Dressing

• 1 tbsp white sesame seeds

• 2 tsp chilli flakes

• ¼ salt

• ¼ tsp black pepper

• ½ tbsp sugar

• ½ tbsp Chinese dark rice vinegar

• ½ tbsp light soy

• 5 shakes of ground Chinese Sichuan pepper

• 2 cloves of garlic

• 2 fresh chillies

• 2 spring onions

Directions

• Cut your beef joint into thick pieces (around 3mm thick) and put them in a big container. I bought Sainsbury’s small fatted beef roasting joint and just removed the fat part, but you can use other cuts as well.
• Add 1 tbsp light soy, 2 tsp dark soy, ½ tsp Shaoxing cooking wine, ¼ tsp baking soda, 2 tsp starch to the sliced beef, massage well and set it aside. Let it marinate for at least 20 minutes.
• Finely slice the chillies, spring onions and chop 2 cloves of garlic. Put them in a bowl.
• Add 1 tbsp white sesame seeds, 2 tsp chilli flakes, ¼ salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, ½ tbsp sugar, ½ tbsp Chinese dark rice vinegar, ½ tbsp light soy, and 5 shakes of ground Chinese Sichuan pepper in the bowl.
• Heat up 3 tbsp of vegetable oil and pour it over the mixed dressing ingredients. You should be able to smell the fragrance by now; absolutely mouth-watering!
• Wash 30g fresh coriander and cut them in half. Set them aside on a plate for later use.
• Boil a pot of water.
• Boil the marinated sliced beef until it is thoroughly cooked. Drain the water and let the meat cool.
• Put the cooled meat in a big container, add the salad dressing and fresh coriander and mix well.
• Plate and serve. Hope this refreshing beef salad can bring you joy as all good food should do 您慢用 (nín màn yòng).

Try It Yourself!

And there you have it! You can now make an authentic Chinese coriander beef salad to bring a dose of Chinese night market to your table. Try it out and let us know how it went by leaving us a comment below. We also check the comments for questions so fire away if you need some guidance. Be sure to also follow us on Instagram for more photos of authentic Chinese dishes.

The post Beef and Coriander – Perfect Combo for a Refreshing Salad appeared first on Lin's Chinese Kitchen.

Ever since then, beef tomato noodles have become a regular dish on my winter menu. I honestly won’t feel my winter is complete without it. So, in this post, I wanted to share with you this authentic Chinese dish.

Before we start, I have to warn you. This is not a quick meal, BUT the result will be worth the trouble. It is best to eat this with freshly handmade noodles so check out our recipe to complete your experience. Now, on to the recipe.

Beef Tomato Soup Noodles Recipe

Recipe by LinCourse: Beef, NoodlesCuisine: ChineseDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

2

hours 

Cooking time

1

hour 

20

minutes

This post shows you how to make authentic Chinese beef tomato soup noodles that are perfect for cold winter days and nights.

Ingredients

• Beef tomato soup

• Diced beef shin 500 g

• Medium tomatoes x 5

• Ginger 3 slices around 15 g

• Cinnamon stick x 1

• Star anise 2g

• Sichuan peppercorn 2 g

• Bay leaves x 2

• Shaoxing Cooking Wine 1 tsp

• Large garlic 4 cloves

• Fennel seeds 2 g

• Tsaoko x 1

• Leek 25 g

• Dried hawthorn 3 slices

• Soybean paste 1 tbs

• Oyster sauce 1 tsp

• Sugar 3 tsp

• Salt 2 tsp or to taste

• Wangshouyi multi-flavoured seasoning 1/4 tsp

• Garnish

• Boiled eggs x 2

• Pak Choi or other vegetable of your choice

Directions

• Give the beef a long cold bath. I bought 500g beef shin from my local Saintsbury, I feel it has the right amount of fat and lean meat ratio. You can use other cuts, too. Take a big container, put cold water in and add 1 tsp of Shaoxing Cooking Wine and 1 piece of fresh ginger. Put the beef in and let it sit for 30-60 minutes.
• While the beef is comfortably bathing, let’s cut the tomatoes into big chunks then set them aside for later use. I cut them in half first and cut each half into 4 pieces.
• Time to change the beef water. Keep bathing the beef and change the water every 15 mins until the water is clear and no more blood is coming out.
• Prepare the spices: 2 slices of ginger, 2g star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 2g Sichuan peppercorn, 2 bay leaves, 4 cloves of large garlic, 1 tsaoko, 2g fennel seeds, 25g leek and 3 dried hawthorn slices.
• Warm up your cooking pot, add 1 tbs of oil and a tsp of cane sugar. Mix over medium heat until sugar melts and the sugar and oil mix turns brown. Then, add your spices in and let it all cook for 1 minute.
• Take the beef out from its bath and let it dry. Put it in the pot and quickly stir. Add 1 tbs soybean paste (you should be able to get this in your local Chinese shop) and 2 tsp of oyster sauce. Keep stirring to let everything in the pot mix well.
• Let our beef cook thoroughly with the lid on the pot, then transfer everything into the pot in your pressure cooker and add just enough hot water to cover everything in the pot. Put it on the “stew option” and let it cook.
• While our beef is being cooked let’s cook our tomatoes! Warm up a cooking pot, add 1 tsp of vegetable oil and let it heat up.
• Add the chunky tomatoes from Step 2 to the pot. Add 1 tsp of salt and close the lid to let them cook until they are soft and mushy.
• Set aside and wait for the beef to finish cooking.
• Separate all the spices from our beef stew until we have only beef and soup in the pressure cook pot left.
• Add the cooked tomatoes to the stew. Add 1 tsp of salt, 2 tsp of sugar and ¼ tsp of Wangshouyi Multi-flavoured seasoning.
• Mix well and put it back to the pressure cooker for another full stew program.
• After it’s done, take it all out of the pressure cooker. Transfer the content to a cooking pot and let it boil on medium-high heat without a lid for 10-15 mins. This is to thicken the stew and give it a more concentrated flavour.
• The beef stew now should be ready, and if you taste the stew itself it should taste a bit too salty to eat the way it is right now, and that is ok.
• For me, the soul of soup noodles is hidden in the noodle water itself. After you boil your noodles, add them to your bowl as well as the water left in the pot with which you boiled your noodles. Trust me. This simple step will bring out all the flavours of your soup noodles.
• Add your beef tomato stew to the bowl. My ratio is 2 portions of the noodle water and 1 portion of the stew, but you can try different ratios to your taste.
• Garnish with a boiled egg and vegetables of your choice. Add a touch of Chinese dark rice vinegar if you are a fan and enjoy (您慢用 nín màn yòng ）！

Try It Yourself

And there you have it! Authentic Chinese beef tomato soup noodles that are great for those cold winter days and nights. It takes a while to prepare and cook but you’ll likely agree they’re worth the effort. Give this recipe a go and let us know what you think in the comments below. Be sure to ask any questions you may have about the process and ingredients as we check in the comments regularly. Also, be sure to follow us on Instagram for more Chinese food photos.

The post Beef Tomato Soup Noodles Recipe appeared first on Lin's Chinese Kitchen.

In China, we have lots of sweet and sour recipes, which I will slowly introduce to you over the course of several recipes, including this one. May it be pork, beef, chicken, egg, tofu, fish, or anything you can think of, we most probably have a sweet and sour recipe for it.

In this post, we’re going to cook a super quick adapted version of sweet and sour beef meatballs（糖醋牛肉丸 táng cù niú ròu wán ）together. And don’t be thinking you’ll need store-bought sauce. In this authentic recipe, you’ll be making it from scratch which is orders of magnitude better than what you find at the supermarket. You can literally have this done within 15 mins and… BOOM happy eating!

What You’ll Need to Cook This Dish

One box of beef meat balls from your local supermarket. Mine are dozen 10% fat meatballs roughly 350g. You’ll also need tomato puree, sugar, light soy, Shaoxing cooking wine, and the soul of this dish – Chinese dark rice vinegar.

Naturally, you’ll also need some veggies. For me, I chose one bell pepper and a handful of cherry tomatoes. You could also try pineapple or carrot and let us know if you find other vegetables or fruits that go well with the sweet and sour sauce.

Now let’s get cooking!

Quick Sweet & Sour Beef Meatballs Recipe

Recipe by LinCourse: MainCuisine: ChineseDifficulty: Super Easy

Servings

3

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

15

minutes

An authentic Chinese recipe that shows you how to make a homemade sweet and sour sauce with meatballs and vegetables.

Ingredients

• 10% fat beef meatballs 350g

• 1 x bell pepper

• 9 x cherry tomatoes

• Shaoxing cooking wine 1 tbs

• Light soy sauce 2 tbs

• Sugar 2 tbs

• Chinese dark rice vinegar 3.5 tbs

• Water 3.5 tbs

• Corn starch 2.5 tsp

• Tomato puree 1/2 tbs

Directions

• Let’s get the meatballs ready. Mix well with 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil, and cook them thoroughly. I used my air fryer because it makes the process fast and hassle-free. I set my air fryer at 200°C for 12 mins, which I have shaken the meatballs 2 times during the whole cooking process.
• While our meatballs are getting cooked nicely, let’s prepare our veggies. 
  Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and chop the bell pepper into small pieces (similar size as the cherry tomatoes). Place them aside for later use.
• Mix the sweet & sour sauce ingredients well in a bowl and set aside.
• Heat up a cooking pot on high heat, put 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil after the pot is properly heated.
• Wait for the oil to warm up and add your choice of veggies in. Let them cook for 2 mins.
• Add the cooked beef meatballs in. Keep stir fry for 30 secs until well mixed.
• Mix your bowl of sweet & sour sauce well, pour in the pot. Keep stirring on high heat until the sauce thickens.
• Place in a plate, you could choose to garnish with some white sesame seeds, finely chopped spring onions, or just serve as it is with rice. Enjoy! Or as we say in China: “您吃好 nín chī hǎo (Eat well)”.

Try It Yourself!

And there you have it! A quick and easy sweet and sour dish for pretty much any occasion. We’re quite confident that after making our sweet and sour sauce you’ll never go back to store-bought again. Let us know how it goes by leaving a comment below. We’re also around to answer questions if have any. And also remember to follow us on Instagram for more food photos!

The post Quick Sweet & Sour Beef Meatballs Recipe appeared first on Lin's Chinese Kitchen.

This dish was first introduced to the Chinese during the Tang Dynasty by the Proto-Turkic people in the north. As nomads, flour was a rare item at that time, so they would treat important guests with thinly made dough wrapped around flavoured meat. The version we are making today has been adapted to modern Chinese tastes and is easy to make at home.

To make this dish, there are three main parts we need to prepare separately: the dough, the oil and flour mix, and the filling.

Chinese Beef & Leek Pie Recipe

Recipe by LinCourse: PiesCuisine: ChineseDifficulty: Medium

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

50

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

An authentic Chinese recipe that shows you how to make delicious beef and leek pies. Suitable for any occasion.

Ingredients

• Dough

• Plain flour 500g

• 40°C water 280g

• Oil & Flour Mix

• Plain flour 100g

• Vegetable oil 100g

• Meat filling

• Minced beef 5% fat 500g

• Leek 250g

• Ginger 12g

• Garlic 15g

• Salt 1 tsp

• Dark soy 1 tsp

• Light soy 2 tsp

• Sugar 1/2 tsp

• Sesame oil 3 tsp

• Special Dipping Sauce

• Garlic 3 cloves

• Laoganma chilli sauce 1 tsp

• Sesame oil 1 tbs

• Chinese dark soy vinegar 2 tbs

Directions

• The Dough
• First, we need to prepare the dough as it needs quite a bit of time to rest. Put 500g of plain four in a big container and slowly mix 280g of 40°C warm water in until it looks like this.
• Cover the container with a lid or cling film and let it rest for 30 mins. Use this time to prepare other parts.
• Knead the dough until it is smooth, cover the container again with a lid or cling film, and let it rest again for 20 mins.
• The Oil & Flour Mix
• While your dough is resting, let’s prepare the oil and flour mix first because this needs to cool before we use it. Warm up a saucepan at medium-high heat.
• Add 100g of plain flour and 100g of vegetable oil in and stir well.
• Let it cook until it looks like this.
• The Meat Filling
• After you are done with the mix, you can start preparing our filling. Put 500g of minced beef (I used 5% fat) into a big container, add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp dark soy, 2 tsp light soy, ½ tsp sugar, and 3 tsp sesame oil.
• Roughly chop 12g of ginger, 15g of garlic and 250g leek, then throw them into a food processor, or finely chop them up if you don’t have one (good arm exercise).
• Add the vegetable mix into the big container with the minced beef and mix well in one direction (mum’s orders!)
• Cover the container with a lid or cling film, and let the filling sit for 20 mins.
• Putting It All Together
• By now you should have all 3 parts ready. Let’s move to the final stage. Spread some flour on your work surface. Cut the rested dough in half. Use only one for now, and put the other half back to the container, cover with a lid or cling film.
• You do not need to knead the dough again. Just flatten it and start rolling with your rolling pin. The final product should be a long piece, 2-3mm thin and less than 20cm in width.
• Spread the oil and flour mixture evenly on the flattened dough.
• Give your meat filling a good mix again before using. Spread it evenly on top of the oil and flour mix.
• Roll from left to right (or right to left if you prefer) into a big roll.
• Close the top and bottom side, and flatten the roll with your hands gently.
• Warm up a pan with medium heat and add a teaspoon of vegetable oil.
• Wait for the oil to heat up and slowly move your meat pie in the pan.
• Cover the pan with a lid let the pie cook for 10 mins.
• Flip the pie and you should see some nice browning there. Leave the pie uncovered and cook for a further 7 mins.
• Make sure the meat is thoroughly cooked. Serve and enjoy!
• Special Dipping Sauce
• Try this special dipping sauce (goes well with our Xianbing (馅饼xiàn bǐng) recipe too)!
• Mince, crush or finely chop the garlic cloves and mix with all other dipping sauce ingredients in a bowl.

Try It Yourself!

And there you have it! It takes a bit of time but the result is well worth the effort. Give it a go and let us know how it went by hitting up the comments below. We’re also around to answer any and all questions about this recipe. Remember to also follow us on Instagram for more delicious food photos.

The post Chinese Beef & Leek Pie Recipe appeared first on Lin's Chinese Kitchen.