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Firecracker Ground Beef Stir Fry

By: Author Mason Woodruff

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Looking for a high protein ground beef stir fry that’s big on flavor? This firecracker ground beef perfectly fits the bill.

Extra lean ground beef is paired with green beans, bell pepper, onion, and a sweet ‘n’ spicy sauce to make a stir fry with 18 grams of protein, 20 grams of carbs, and 220 calories per serving. Serve with rice, cauliflower rice, or your favorite stir fry pairings for a quick weeknight dinner or meal prep option.

ground beef stir fry in a bowl with rice garnished with green onion, chili oil, and sesame seeds

How to Make This Firecracker Ground Beef Stir Fry (Recipe Video)

I recently featured this recipe in a video about meal prepping while traveling. In this adapted version, I used ground bison, doubled the amount of green beans and onion, diced the veggies small, and used a bit more sauce.

It’s a good reminder that recipes are starting points, and you should always look to customize them to fit your needs and preferences! Check out the meal prep video below.

You’ll also find a video of the original version with ground beef in the recipe card below.

More Macro Friendly Ground Beef Recipes

If you enjoy the simplicity of ground beef and veggie combos, I have a ton of recipes for you to try next:

I hope you enjoy this firecracker ground beef. If you do, I always appreciate recipe reviews. And in case you have a question about the recipe, fire away in the comments at the bottom of this post.

firecracker ground beef, green beans, bell pepper, and onion in a skillet with a scallion and sesame seed garnish

Firecracker Ground Beef Stir Fry

Yield: 5 Servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Extra lean ground beef, green beans, bell pepper, and onion with a sweet and spicy firecracker sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Extra Lean Ground Beef
  • 1 1/2 cup (6 oz) Green Beans, trimmed and cut into thirds
  • 1 Bell Pepper, cut into 2" strips
  • 1/2 Sweet Onion, cut into 2" strips
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoon (24g) Olive Oil, divided

For the Sauce

  • 1/4 cup (84g) Honey*
  • 1/4 cup (60g) Frank's RedHot Buffalo Sauce
  • 1/4 cup (60g) Water
  • 2 Tablespoons (30g) Rice Vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

Instructions

  1. Whisk all the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
  2. Brown and fully cook the ground beef in a large skillet with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat before transferring to a bowl and setting aside.
  3. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same skillet before adding the vegetables. Cook until the onion and pepper begin to soften and pick up a little color, about 4-5 minutes. The green beans should be bright green and on the verge of tender crisp.
  4. Add the ground beef back to the skillet along with the sauce. Stir everything together and leave untouched for 1-2 minutes until the sauce begins to caramelize on the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and evenly coats the stir fry, about 3-4 minutes total.
  5. Garnish with scallions, sesame seed, and chili oil or chili crisp, if desired. Serve with rice, cauliflower rice, or a blend of the two.

Notes

*For a lower carb sauce option, my firecracker ground chicken recipe uses zero-calorie, non-glycemic Swerve Brown (a brown sugar substitute). Dark brown sugar also works as a substitute for honey.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 5 Serving Size: about 7 oz
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 220Total Fat: 7gCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 18g
© Mason Woodruff
Cuisine: American / Category: Ground Beef Recipes

veronica

Thursday 30th of March 2023

I made this last night and it was so good and yummy! the best part is how easy it was to make, thank you so much for this amazing recipe.

Linda Swenson

Tuesday 27th of September 2022

Can’t wait to try this! I’m not a huge fan of ground beef so I’ll try with sliced sirloin.

Railea Sandoval

Monday 18th of July 2022

Great recipe for a quick meal. I used strips of zucchini instead of green beans because I had them on hand. Very versatile and will be added to our meal prep rotation. Thanks for sharing!

Mason Woodruff

Tuesday 19th of July 2022

Great improvisation, chef. Thanks for the feedback!

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