Meat & Game

Beef with Black Bean Sauce

Tender rump beef stir-fried with peppers and onions in a rich, savoury black bean sauce made with fermented beans, garlic, ginger and aromatic spices.

By Ricky Robinson Updated January 30, 2024

This recipe brings the flavours of your favourite takeaway straight to your kitchen. Fermented black beans are a staple in Asian cooking, prized for their rich, deep umami flavour that adds real character to stir-fries and sauces. When combined with garlic, ginger and spring onions, they create a sauce that is wonderfully savoury and complex.

The beef gets a light flour coating before cooking, which helps create a lovely crust when it hits the hot wok. This simple technique locks in the juices and gives each piece a satisfying texture. The flour also helps the sauce cling to the meat, so every bite is packed with flavour.

The key to getting the black bean sauce just right is soaking the beans first. This step mellows their intensity and makes them easier to mash into the sauce. The combination of soy sauce, rice wine and a touch of sugar balances the saltiness perfectly, while cornflour thickens everything to just the right consistency.

Beef with Black Bean Sauce recipe image
Beef with Black Bean Sauce

The stir-fry comes together quickly once the sauce is ready. Tender beef cubes, crisp peppers and soft onions all get tossed in that glossy black bean sauce until everything is well coated. The high heat keeps the vegetables slightly crisp, which gives a nice contrast to the tender beef.

This dish tastes even better than your local takeaway, and you know exactly what goes into it.

Serve this over boiled rice or noodles for a proper meal that feels indulgent but is actually quite straightforward to make. It is good for a weeknight dinner when you want something a bit special without spending hours in the kitchen.

Beef with Black Bean Sauce

Beef Black bean Peppers
Total Time 2 hrs 10 min
Servings 4 servings
Calories 385 cal
Protein 28g

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Large Pan
  • Mixing Bowl
  • Wok
  • Fork

Instructions

  1. 1
    Soak the fermented black beans in a bowl of water and cover, let them soak for one hour.
  2. 2
    Place the beef in a bowl, season with salt and pepper then sprinkle over the flour. Give the beef a good stir making sure you get all the pieces covered with flour. Put into the fridge for 30 minutes.
  3. 3
    After the beans have soaked, drain and rinse, then mash most up with a fork leaving some of them whole.
  4. 4
    To make the sauce, heat oil in a pan and add the garlic, ginger, and spring onions.
  5. 5
    Next add the beans then stir in the rice wine, soy, rice vinegar, stock and caster sugar. Keep stirring as you bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce has reduced a little.
  6. 6
    Make a paste with the cornflour by adding a few tablespoons of water, then stir half into the sauce to thicken. Add a more if you'd like the sauce thicker. Cook for a few minutes then turn off the heat and set aside.
  7. 7
    Next to make the beef, heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a wok or large pan, shake off any excess flour from the beef and stir fry for 3-5 minutes before removing to a plate.
  8. 8
    Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the same pan and add the onion and peppers, stir frying for 5 minutes until the vegetables have softened slightly. Make sure to keep stirring so they don't burn.
  9. 9
    Keep the heat high and add the beef back into the pan, followed by the black bean sauce. Mix everything well together and cook until the sauce is heated through.
  10. 10
    Serve the beef over boiled rice or noodles and garnish with spring onions.
Ricky Robinson - Recipe Author
Ricky Robinson

Home cook sharing delicious recipes with a focus on flavour and simplicity.

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Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat thoroughly before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Serve over boiled rice or noodles and garnish with sliced spring onions for freshness and colour.

Beef with Black Bean Sauce

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