Beijing Beef – Takeout Copycat! (VIDEO)
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Beijing Beef is crispy, tender, and coated in a sweet, savory, and slightly spicy sauce that is out-of-this-world good! This copycat Panda Express recipe is better than the original!
Watch the Beijing Beef Recipe Video!
A Note from CJ
Make your favorite Chinese takeout meal at home!
Like most of us, I love Chinese takeout food! That’s why I developed these recipes, so you can recreate your favorites at home – start with Panda Express Chow Mein and Egg Fried Rice. Add another protein, like Beef and Broccoli, Orange Chicken or the discontinued Sweetfire Chicken Breast. You could even add String Bean Chicken and Honey Walnut Shrimp! Don’t forget the Egg Rolls or Crab Rangoons and you got yourself a perfect meal!
Delicious! Fresher and more authentic than take out!
Ingredient Tips
- flank steak – I recommend using flank steak or strip steak. You can also use top sirloin, top round, or tri-tip steak. Make sure to slice the beef into 1/4″ strips, against the grain.
- baking soda and cornstarch – both ingredients are used frequently in Chinese cooking to tenderize beef – I’ve tested recipes without them and the difference in the tenderness of the beef is huge!
- red bell pepper – I used red bell pepper so it looks like restaurant Beijing Beef –
- oyster sauce – I like the one by Lee Kum Kee, with the lady on the label.
- sriracha – If you are sensitive to spice, I would recommend halving the amount of sriracha in the recipe.
How to Make Beijing Beef
Marinate Beef and Mix Sauce – Add the sliced steak to a bowl along with with baking soda, white pepper, soy sauce, cornstarch and egg white for 30 minutes in the fridge. In a small bowl, mix together the chicken stock, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, sriracha, and ketchup to form your sauce. In a separate small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water to form a slurry.
Dredge Beef and Fry – Add the cornstarch to a tray. Dredge the marinated beef in the cornstarch until fully coated, shaking off any excess. Add the oil to a wok over medium high heat. Heat the oil to 350°F and fry the beef for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain the beef pieces with a mesh strainer and remove to a towel lined plate to allow any excess oil to drain. Turn off the heat.
Stir-Fry Vegetables, Add Back Beef and Sauce – Remove all but 2 tbsp of oil from the wok. Turn the heat to medium high heat and stir fry the garlic for 30 seconds, followed by the onions and red bell pepper. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes until the vegetables are slightly charred, then add back the beef and sauce. Mix for 1 minute or until just combined. Add the vinegar, mix, then add the cornstarch slurry. Stir for a minute until the sauce has thickened and coated the beef and vegetables. Serve with rice & enjoy!
My Pro Tip
CJ’s Recipe & Storage/Reheating Tips
Cut the vegetables to similar sizes so they would cook evenly! It’s a simple step that makes a big difference.
Once you start cooking, Beijing Beef will come together very quickly. The key to pulling this off successfully is having the premixed sauce, beef, and vegetables ready and easily accessible during the cooking process.
Re-stir the cornstarch slurry before adding it during cooking, as the cornstarch does not dissolve in water but instead settles at the bottom. If you don’t give it a stir before adding, you can get lumps of cornstarch in your final dish.
Storage and Reheating – Store leftover Beijing Beef in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I like reheat Beijing Beef in the air fryer in order to crisp up the beef. When reheating the beef in the air fryer, the sauce with further caramelize and infuse into the crispy batter! Air fry at 350°F for 6-8 minutes or until warmed through and crispy Alternatively, reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. If you don’t care about restoring the texture, you can reheat until warmed through in the microwave.
If you tried this Beijing Beef or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Beijing Beef – Exact Panda Express Copycat! (VIDEO)
Equipment
Ingredients
Beef
- 1 lb flank steak, cut into 1/4" strips against the grain
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 egg white, beaten
- 3 cups neutral oil, for frying
Vegetables
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 2" pieces
- 1 small white onion, cut into 2" pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken stock, or water
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp sriracha , adjust if you prefer less spicy
- 2 tbsp ketchup
Cornstarch Slurry
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
Instructions
- Add the sliced steak to a bowl along with with baking soda, white pepper, soy sauce, cornstarch and egg white for 30 minutes in the fridge.
- In a small bowl, mix together the chicken stock, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, sriracha, and ketchup to form your sauce. In a separate small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water to form a slurry.
- Add the cornstarch to a tray. Dredge the marinated beef in the cornstarch until fully coated, shaking off any excess.
- Add the oil to a wok over medium high heat. Heat the oil to 350°F and fry the beef for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Drain the beef pieces with a mesh strainer and remove to a towel lined plate to allow any excess oil to drain. Turn off the heat.
- Remove all but 2 tbsp of oil from the wok. Turn the heat to medium high heat and stir fry the garlic for 30 seconds, followed by the onions and red bell pepper. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes until the vegetables are slightly charred, then add back the beef and sauce. Mix for 1 minute or until just combined.
- Add the vinegar, mix, then add the cornstarch slurry. Stir for a minute until the sauce has thickened and coated the beef and vegetables. Serve with rice & enjoy!
Video
Notes
Storage and Reheating
You can store leftover Beijing Beef in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I like reheat Beijing Beef in the air fryer in order to crisp up the beef. When reheating the beef in the air fryer, the sauce with further caramelize and infuse into the crispy batter! Air fry at 350°F for 6-8 minutes or until warmed through and crispy. Alternatively, reheat in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes until warmed through. I don’t recommend reheating Beijing Beef (or any fried food) in the microwave unless you don’t care about the texture and just want to heat it back up as quickly as possible.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This Panda Express Copycat Beijing Beef recipe was originally published in September 2021, and updated in December 2025.
My family loved this recipe. Definitely a keeper
Thank you, Holly!
Thank You!! I have made this twice now. So good! Better than takeout. I changed nothing. I appreciate the heads up on having everything measured and ready. Eating out is expensive.
So glad you enjoyed Margaret!
This was a straight family pleaser! Super recommended!
IG: pastor.danielseo
LOVE this recipe!!!
What type of vinegar is used in this recipe?
I’m confused because it says to use cornstarch in the marinade and then to dust it in cornstarch and fry. Please clarify
Hi Amanda – yes, cornstarch is used in the marinade and then that marinated beef is dusted in more cornstarch to provide a crispy exterior!
Easy, easy, easy recipe. Comes together quickly and is full of flavor! A favorite of mine!
Very good
Flank steak tender
However, I would use less sugar and less ketchup.
Easy to make and turned out better than I’ve had in restaurants!
Amazing recipe and my fav!