Tender Gluten Free Orange Beef and Summer Squash Stir-Fry tossed in a citrusy and tangy orange soy sauce with loads of zucchini and yellow squash. The perfect 30 minute Asian cuisine for a weeknight.
Well this post has taken a whopping 8 hours to write. Why, you ask???
Because it is just that special. That’s why.
Bahahahaha! Yeah right!!!
Well, I mean, this meal is pretty dang good if orange beef is your thing…and who doesn’t LOVE orange beef?!
But unfortunately, the length of time in writing this post is in no way related to the quality of this meal. It’s more so related to my CHILDREN.
My ever needy, oh so cute, children. I have thus far been interrupted by:
- A trip to the splash pad. Because, really, who can pass up a trip to the splash pad with great weather, good friends, and happy children???
- A lunch break. Yeah, shocker, kids must eat.
- Picking up the house (primarily cleaning the kitchen). Another spoiler alert…kids always make a mess. ALWAYS.
- Meeting Braelyn at the bus stop. Apparently it is important to pick up your child after school…
- Snack break. Kids are HUNGRY when they get home from school.
- Playing referee between sassy fighting kids. This occurred MULTIPLE times.
- Getting a quick “haircut” at Salon Emry. I just couldn’t resist her little face asking, “Mom, I cut your hair???” I may regret playing into this game later…
Aaaaaand, now here I am 8 hours later finishing up whatever it is I want to say to you before this day ends out to be one large unproductive chunk of oblivion.
So before any more interruptions take place (dinner is fast approaching) can I please tell you why this gluten free Orange Been and Summer Squash Stir-Fry is so darn delicious?!
It’s delicious because it has thin strips of tender beef.
(Side note: you can find a great picture for slicing your meat over at Iowa Girl Eats.)
It’s delicious because it’s loaded with bite sized pieces of zucchini, yellow squash, and mushrooms.
It’s delicious because all of this deliciousness is tossed in a tangy, citrusy, Asian inspired orange sauce with just the right amount of kick.
The fusion of garlic, ginger, honey and orange is just perfect. It’s every flavor that a true orange sauce needs to have.
This sauce is a heavenly blend between sweet, salty, and citrus with a small hint of floral coming through with the honey.
I’m pretty much sure, like 99.99999% sure, this sauce would be good with chicken as well. Just follow the same steps, keeping your chicken cubes about 1/2 inch thick and cooking until no longer pink in the middle. Yeah, I’ll be trying that one real soon.
You can also switch up the veggies in this dish. Not a zucchini fan? Use broccoli, carrots, onions, bell peppers, whatever floats your stir-fry boat.
All I know is that this meal is quick, easy, and finger licking good. Even though you don’t use your fingers to eat any of it. That would be weird, sticky, and messy.
- 2-3 tablespoons avocado or canola oil
- 1½ pounds thinly cut flank or sirloin steak, cut across the grain into strips about ⅛" thick
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 tablespoons gluten free tamari sauce
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 zucchini, halved and cut into ½" thick slices
- 1 yellow squash, halved and cut into ½" thick slices
- 1 8 oz. package of mushrooms, cut into ¼" thick slices
- Begin preparing meat by patting steak dry. Cut steak into very thin (as thin as you can get) strips about 1½-2" in length, making sure to cut across the grain. Generously salt and pepper the strips on meat and set aside.
- Prepare veggies by cutting zucchini and yellow squash in half lengthwise and then slice the halves into ½" thick pieces. Slice mushrooms about ¼" thick. Set aside.
- Begin heating a large skillet/saucepan on medium high heat while you make the orange sauce. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together orange juice, orange zest, garlic powder, red chili flakes, pepper, ground ginger, tamari sauce, sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and cornstarch.
- Pour 1 tablespoon oil into the skillet and heat until drop of water in the skillet sizzles. Add even layer of beef strips, being sure not to crowd meat, and leave for 30 seconds. Turn beef and cook about 1-2 minutes more depending on your thickness of steak. Do not over cook or it will turn tough. Remove beef from skillet and set on plate with paper towel. Repeat in batches until all steak is cook, adding oil as needed.
- Once steak is cooked, add 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet (if no oil is left), and heat through. Add vegetables to the skillet and sauté until crisp tender, about 4-5 minutes. Remove vegetables into a bowl and set aside.
- Pour sauce mixture into skillet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and stir continuously for 3 minutes until sauce is thickened.
- Toss steak slices and vegetables back into skillet and stir until evenly coated, reducing heat to low.
- Serve warm over rice or noodles.
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