We are back with another one-pan recipe – ground beef and cabbage stir fry!
This stir fry recipe is actually a fridge foraging meal I make somewhat often when we want something easy for dinner. I never really measure and just use lots of cabbage and whatever protein and veggies we have on hand. It always comes out so good!
Cabbage might not be the first thing you think about in a stir-fry but it works so well. Sauteeing cabbage is one of my favorite ways to enjoy it (behind coleslaw) as it takes on whatever flavor you are cooking it with. It’s also an easy way to pack in some veggies as it cooks down a lot.
Quick tip – be careful not to overcook the cabbage though. You don’t want super limp leaves – you still want a little bite and crunch to them!
Why we love this ground beef and cabbage stir fry
- comes together in about 25 minutes
- made in one pan – yay for not a lot of dishes to clean up
- packed with lots of vegetables – we have a ton of cabbage along with red bell pepper, onion, and carrots! It’s loaded with vitamin A and vitamin C (both over 100% of your daily needs), vitamin B3 and B12, vitamin K, zinc, and phosphorus to name a few.
- is super customizable – add more vegetables or change up meat, you can easily use what you have on hand.
- great for meal prep – the leftovers taste great and it works well for meal prep.
Ingredients for beef and cabbage stir fry
- olive oil
- garlic
- ginger
- ground beef – I used 90/10
- onion
- cabbage
- bell pepper
- carrots
- coconut aminos
- lime juice
- honey
- sesame oil
- fish sauce
- sriracha
- salt and pepper
- for servings – green onion, sesame seeds, cilantro…
How to make beef and cabbage stir fry
- Make the stir fry sauce. In a small bowl or jar, combine the coconut aminos, lime juice, honey, sesame oil, fish sauce, sriracha, and a pinch of pepper. Adjust according to taste. Set aside.
- Cook the beef. Heat a large skillet or large cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add oil, and let it get hot. Add the ginger and garlic and saute, stirring constantly, for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Be careful it doesn’t burn. Then add your beef, breaking it up with a spatula or meat chopper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes until browned on the outside and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Saute your veggies. Leaving the beef juices in the pan, add the onion and salt and pepper and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cabbage and mix well to combine. Saute for another 1-2 minutes. Next, add your bell peppers with a little more salt and pepper and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finally, add your carrots and saute for a final 1-2 minutes.
- Bring it together. Add back your beef (along with its juices) and your stir fry sauce. Mix well to combine and let warm through, about 1-2 minutes.
- Enjoy! Top with optional toppings and serve how you like.
How do you cut cabbage for stir fry?
The key to making this cabbage stir fry recipe is cutting the cabbage so it comes together quickly. You want thin strips – not shredded so it disappears in your stir fry, but not too thick.
To cut cabbage for stir fry, first, cut your cabbage in half. Remove the core if you like, but I find you don’t need to. Place the cabbage cut side down so the half-circle side is facing up. Then, taking a sharp knife, start on one side and cut about 1/4-1/2 inch thick strips, moving your knife closer to the middle as you cut.
Once you get close to the core (if you didn’t remove it), you can rotate the cabbage and start on the other side. If some strips are too long, you can cut them in half.
What to serve with beef and cabbage
This is meal is on the low carb end for some, I like to serve it with some carbs to balance it out. Here are a few suggestions:
- any kind of grains – white rice, brown rice, and quinoa are all great for soaking up some of the stir fry sauce
- cauliflower rice – a good option to keep it low carb
- roasted potatoes
Meal prep
- partial prep #1 – make the sauce and prep your veggies by slicing them. Store in separate containers in the fridge. When you are ready, make your beef. Continue with the directions as written. Making the sauce and slicing veggies in advance will save you 5 or so minutes when fully assembling.
- partial prep #2 – cook the beef, cut up your veggies, and make the sauce. Store them in separate containers in the fridge. When you are ready to assemble, saute your veggies and then add your beef and sauce. Making the sauce and the beef mixture and slicing the veggies in advance will save you 10-15 minutes when fully assembling.
- full prep – just follow the directions as written and store it in a tightly sealed glass dish for up to 5 days in the fridge.
- freeze – I haven’t tried freezing this recipe, but it should work. You can either freeze the whole recipe in a large container or in individual servings. It should last up to 3 months in the freezer.
Substitutions
- oil – any kind of neutral oil will work (coconut, avocado…)
- fresh ginger and garlic – you can use garlic powder or ground ginger instead. Use 1 teaspoon of each.
- ground beef – you can use any ground meat and fat percentage you like. Ground chicken, turkey, or pork would work great.
- cabbage – Chinese cabbage is a great substitute, or you can try red cabbage if that is all you can find. Red cabbage is a little more robust, but will mild out as you cook it.
- veggies – use any veggies you like! The more the merrier. Zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, snow peas, and mushrooms would be good substitutes or additions.
- coconut aminos – low sodium soy sauce or tamari will work instead, it will just change the flavor a bit. Using either one of those will lower the carbs in the recipe. If using soy sauce, the recipe will not be gluten-free. Do not use liquid aminos as they are way too salty.
- honey – any kind of sweetener will work, but it will change the flavor. You can also try granulated sugar instead of liquid sweetener.
- sriracha – a spicy chili sauce (sambal oelek) would work well to substitute. To keep this Whole30 approved, use Yellowbird sriracha (my favorite), which is sweetened with fruits and veggies.
More healthy beef recipes
- easy beef and broccoli stir fry
- philly cheesesteak skillet
- chili spaghetti squash casserole
- burger salad with special sauce dressing
- stuffed butternut squash with beef and kale
If you love quick and easy healthy dinner recipes, check out our free 30-Minute Meals Recipe Book!
Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry
Easy 25-minute ground beef and cabbage stir fry comes together in one pan for a quick and healthy dinner recipe. Packed with protein, veggies, and fiber and is also great for meal prep. Gluten-free, paleo, and Whole30.
Print Recipe
ingredients
Beef and Cabbage
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch grated ginger
- 1 pound ground beef (I used 90/10)
- 1 cup diced onion (120 grams)
- 5 cups sliced cabbage (300 grams)
- 2 cups julienned red bell peppers (220 grams/about 1 large)
- 1 cup shredded carrots (85 grams)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- toppings: sliced green onions, sesame seeds, cilantro, sriracha…
- for serving: white rice, cauliflower rice…
Stir Fry Sauce
- 3 tablespoons coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/2 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
- pinch of pepper
instructions
- Make the stir fry sauce. In a small bowl or jar, combine the coconut aminos, lime juice, honey, sriracha, sesame oil, fish sauce, and a pinch of pepper. Adjust according to taste and set aside.
- Cook the beef. Heat a large skillet or cast-iron over medium heat, add oil, and let it get hot. Add the ginger and garlic and saute, stirring constantly, for 30-60 seconds until fragrant. Be careful it doesn't burn. Add your beef, breaking it up with a spatula or meat chopper. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5-6 minutes until browned on the outside and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Saute your veggies. Leaving the beef juices in the pan, add the onion and some salt and pepper and saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cabbage and mix well to combine. Saute for another 1-2 minutes. Next, add your peppers with a little more salt and pepper and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finally, add your carrots and saute for a final 1-2 minutes.
- Bring it together. Add back your beef (along with its juices) and your stir fry sauce. Mix well to combine and let warm through, about 1-2 minutes.
- Enjoy! Top with optional toppings and serve how you like.
nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry
Amount Per Serving (1 serving (1/3 of recipe))
Calories 414
Calories from Fat 167
% Daily Value*
Fat 18.6g29%
Saturated Fat 6.5g41%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 8.3g
Cholesterol 98mg33%
Potassium 1051mg30%
Carbohydrates 30g10%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 17g19%
Protein 33.3g67%
Vitamin A 7211IU144%
Vitamin C 140mg170%
Calcium 101mg10%
Iron 4.5mg25%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe or anything from Eat the Gains, leave a comment and rating to let people know how you liked it! Also, make sure to post it and tag me so I can see all of your creations!! @eatthegains and #eatthegains on Instagram!
Liz says
I’ve made this one a couple times and it’s delicious. I’ve made with ground bison with great results too.
Kelly says
So glad you enjoyed it and love the use of bison too! Thanks, Liz!
Eileen Snyder says
This was so good! Took the suggestion of pairing it with rice and it definitely hit the spot!
Kelly says
Happy to hear you liked it, Eileen! Thanks for trying it!
Lauren says
Made this for dinner and it was so simple and good! WE used ground turkey and added asparagus. Whole family enjoyed the meal.
Kelly says
Love the addition of some veggies! Thanks for trying it Lauren!
Haley says
My new fav ETG recipe. I doubled everything in order to have leftovers 😋
Kelly says
Yes to leftovers! Glad you enjoyed Haley, thanks for trying it!
Dad says
It was really tasty
Kelly says
Glad you got to enjoy it while you were here!