Copycat Panda Express Beijing Beef
Our Copycat Panda Express Beijing Beef is full of tender flank steak, vegetables, and a sweet and spicy sauce, just like the original. The big difference is that it’s better! Free of preservatives and extra junk and as fresh as it gets, everyone will be coming back to ask for seconds.
We love Panda Express, but being cooks, we, of course, think it’s better to make our own fresh version than pay for something that’s been sitting under a heat lamp! Our copycat Beijing beef is just as beefy, sweet, and spicy as the original, but it’s a fraction of the cost and much more delicious.
Table of contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Everything you need to make it can be found at your local grocery store.
- It’s an easy recipe that’s done in just a few minutes.
- It’s even better than the original.
🛒Ingredients
Everything you need to make this copycat recipe is in your kitchen or at your local grocery store. There’s nothing fancy in here. Everything is listed here, but you can find the exact amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post.
- Flank steak – thinly sliced
- Cornstarch
- Oil
- Red bell peppers – cubed
- Sugar
- Ketchup
- Hoisin sauce
- Soy sauce
- Sweet chili sauce
- Vinegar
- Water
- Red chili flakes
- Sesame seeds
🔪 How to Make Copycat Panda Express Beijing Beef
This recipe is ready in just minutes and only takes a few simple steps. Even beginners will have no problem with this one.
Step 1: Prep the Beef
Toss the steak strips with cornstarch until fully coated.
Step 2: Sear
Add oil to a large skillet on medium-high heat. Sear the beef quickly in the hot oil. Then, add it to the slow cooker.
Step 3: Add the Vegetables
Add the onions and bell pepper on top of the seared beef.
Step 4: Make the Sauce
Combine the sugar, ketchup, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, vinegar, water, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Add to the slow cooker and stir.
Step 5: Cook
Cover and cook on low for 3 hours, stirring once or twice to prevent sticking.
Step 6: Garnish
Serve over rice, garnish with sesame seeds, and enjoy!
📝Variations
- Flank Steak: You can use skirt steak, flat iron steak, flap steak, tri-tip steak, or hanger steak (in that order) in place of flank steak.
- Mild: Omit the red pepper flakes for a less spicy version.
- Extra Spicy: Add red chilis along with red pepper flakes for an extra spicy version.
If you love Asian beef dishes like this, then try our air fryer Mongolian beef recipe.
🥄 Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large skillet
- Slow cooker
- Mixing bowl
🥫 Storage
Refrigerate this Beijing beef for up to 4 days in an air-tight container. For longer storage, freeze it for up to 3 months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container or heavy-duty freezer bag with as much air removed as possible. Defrost before reheating.
To reheat, place the dish in a saucepan or large skillet with a bit of water and cook over medium-low heat until heated through.
Serve With
Serve this dish over rice or pasta. You can pair it sides like egg rolls, fried rice, or wontons. You can also make a larger spread for family and friends by serving it alongside your other favorite Asian main courses.
💭 Tips
- Sear the beef quickly until brown on the outside. Don’t try to cook it through. The slow cooker will do that.
- Mix your sauce ingredients before adding them to the slow cooker to ensure everything melds.
- It’s best to cook this dish on low. Higher heat won’t get the steak as tender.
⁉️ FAQ
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Beijing beef is an Americanized Chinese recipe (it’s not authentic) made with thinly-sliced beef, bell peppers, onions, and a sweet and spicy sauce.
It’s best to cook flank steak over low heat. The low heat and extended cooking time helps make this tough cut of beef tender and juicy.
If you tried to fully cook the flank steak in the skillet, you probably overcooked it, making it tough. If you cut flank steak with the grain rather than against it, it will always be tough, as well.
🍽 More Recipes
Do you enjoy copycat recipes? Then try these delicious recipes:
- Copycat Magnolia Bakery Cupcakes
- Copycat Cracker Barrel Pancakes
- Copycat Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme
🧾Recipe Card
Want to make this recipe? Print the recipe card below, or pin this recipe, so you can find it later.
Copycat Panda Express Beijing Beef
Equipment
- large skillet
- slow cooker
- small bowl
Ingredients
- 2 ½ – 3 pounds flank steak thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ⅔ cups oil
- 2 red bell peppers cubed
- 1 onion cubed
- ¼ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 6 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons sweet chili sauce
- 2 teaspoons vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Toss the sliced steak with the cornstarch until it is all lightly coated.
- In a large skillet over medium high heat add the oil.
- When the oil is hot add the beef in a single layer and cook quickly just to brown the outside. You may have to do more than one batch.
- Add the beef to the slow cooker.
- Add the bell pepper and onion to the slow cooker.
- To a small bowl combine the sugar, ketchup, hoisin, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, vinegar, water and red pepper flakes.
- Stir everything to combine.
- Cook on low for 3 hours, stirring once or twice to prevent sticking.
- Garnish with sesame seeds.
- Serve over rice!
