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No need to order takeout when you can make this quick and easy Pineapple Beef Stir Fry! Ground beef is cooked in a sweet and spicy chili garlic sauce and tossed with juicy chunks of pineapple. Serve over rice or noodles and enjoy this tasty one pan weeknight dinner!
Looking for another great stir fry recipe? Try my cashew chicken stir fry!
Why you’ll love it
Stir fry recipe – Stir fry recipes are one of my favorites! They are so easy to throw together for a quick dinner and you can customize them with any vegetables you might want or need to use.
Meal prep – If you meal prep, this ground beef stir fry holds up well in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s great for lunches or dinners.
Sweet and Spicy – The stir fry sauce for this recipe is the perfect balance of savory, spicy, and sweet. Chili garlic sauce gives it the heat, while honey balances it out with the perfect amount of sweetness.
The ingredients
- Ground beef – I recommend using either 80/20 or 90/10 lean ground beef. Anything fattier and it will likely make the sauce too greasy.
- Green onions – I like the milder flavor of green onions in this stir fry. They also add great flavor as a garnish on top.
- Garlic – Preferably fresh and grated. Grated helps it melt into the beef mixture and sauce so that you don’t bite into any big chunks.
- Cilantro – Omit if you don’t like cilantro.
- Pineapple – Fresh has the best flavor, but frozen (defrosted) or canned can be used.
- Low sodium soy sauce – Use tamari to keep the recipe gluten-free.
- Hoisin – An Asian condiment similar to barbecue sauce. Look for a gluten-free brand such as San-J.
- Rice vinegar – A mild sweeter tasting vinegar often used in Asian cooking.
- Chili garlic sauce – An Asian condiment made with chili peppers, garlic, vinegar, sugar, and salt.
- Honey – Used to sweeten the stir fry sauce
- Sesame seeds and sesame oil – Adds a wonderful sesame flavor to the stir fry.
- Ginger – Grated fresh ginger will give the stir fry the best flavor. However you can substitute with dry (powdered) ginger.
- Cornstarch – Used to thicken the stir fry sauce.
How to make pineapple beef stir fry
Make the sauce – Whisk together the soy sauce, water, hoisin, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce, honey, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and ginger in bowl or jar. Set aside while you cook the beef.
Sauté the beef and pineapple – In a large skillet, add a little oil. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat then add in the ground beef and green onions. Crumble it with a spoon until it’s browned. Add in the diced pineapple and sauté another couple minutes.
Stir in the sauce – Add the stir fry sauce in with the beef and pineapple. Stir together and let it heat through until it’s bubbling.
Add the cornstarch slurry into the mixture and stir until you can no longer see it. Continue to cook the stir fry until the sauce thickens, another 3-4 minutes. Garnish with extra green onions and sesame seeds before serving.
Ways to serve beef stir fry
- Over white or brown rice.
- Use ramen or rice noodles.
- For lower carb options try serving the stir fry in lettuce cups or on top of cauliflower rice.
Make ahead tips
- The stir fry sauce can be made 1-2 days ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before using it you’ll want to whisk it together as it will likely separate.
- If you are using fresh pineapple, prep and dice it 2-3 days ahead to save time on the day you plan to make the stir fry.
Substitutions and variations
- Swap the honey with maple syrup.
- If fresh pineapple isn’t available use frozen defrosted pineapple or canned pineapple with the juices drained.
- Add vegetables such as bell peppers, broccoli, carrots, bok choy, or edamame.
- Use ground chicken or turkey in place of ground beef.
- Substitute cornstarch with arrowroot. You’ll want to use 1 1/2 teaspoons of arrowroot powder.
Storage and reheating
The pineapple beef stir fry will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
To reheat the stir fry, microwave for 30 second intervals until warm or reheat it in a skillet over medium heat.
More ground beef recipes
- Mongolian Ground Beef
- Teriyaki Ground Beef and Broccoli
- Southwest Ground Beef Sweet Potato Skillet
- Beef Enchilada Skillet
- No Bean Chili
Did you make this Pineapple Beef Stir Fry? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Pineapple Beef Stir Fry
Ingredients
Sauce
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons hoisin
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 clove of garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon of cornstarch combined with 2 teaspoon water to make a slurry
Stir Fry
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 green onions
- 1 clove of garlic
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 1/2 cups diced pineapple
Instructions
- In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together all of the ingredients for the sauce, except the cornstarch slurry. Set aside.
- Add a little oil to a large skillet. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat then add in the ground beef and green onions. Use a spoon or spatula to crumble the beef. Season with a little salt and pepper and cook until the meat is browned. Add in the diced pineapple and sauté another 2 minutes.
- Add the stir fry sauce to the beef and pineapple and stir everything together. Let it heat through until it’s bubbling. Stir in the cornstarch slurry until you can no longer see it.
- Continue to cook the stir fry until the sauce thickens, another 3-4 minutes. Garnish with extra green onions and sesame seeds then serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Such delicious flavor! Loved the idea to add other veggies to it. I included broccoli and bell pepper and served it on top of rice and it was spot on. So easy to throw together quickly – will definitely make again.
This meal is excellent. So easy and so flavorful. Next time I will double for my family of 4 because sadly there aren’t any leftovers tonight!!!!