Lemon Pepper Steak Asparagus Stir-Fry

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Servings

2 cups rice of choice
16-24 oz flank skirt, sirloin, or flat iron steak, cut against the grain into very thin slices
¼ cup + 2 tsp soy sauce or tamari, divided
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
½ tsp kosher salt, divided
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp cornstarch or tapioca starch
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced, white/light green parts separated from dark green parts
4 celery stalks or 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
1 lemon, zest peeled off, then cut into wedges
½ cup water, divided
½ large bunch asparagus, cut into 1-2-inch pieces (about 10-12 oz or 2 cups)
Sesame seeds, for topping
Pro tip! ~ You want the slices to be as thin as possible. Just do your best and use a sharp knife! To make it easier, place it in the freezer for 20-30 minutes, then slice immediately. Slicing the steak is honestly the most time consuming part!

Cook 2 cups rice of choice
Thinly slice 16-24 oz steak against the grain
Thinly slice 1 bunch scallions and store white/light green parts separately from dark green parts
Thinly slice 1 fennel bulb or 4 celery stalks (about 2 heaping cups)
Cut ½ bunch asparagus into 1-2-inch pieces (2 cups)

Cook the rice (instructions here).
Toss the steak in 2 teaspoons soy sauce, sesame oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and pepper to coat.
Sprinkle the cornstarch (or other starch of choice) all over the steak and toss again to coat.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil. Once the skillet is hot, add the steak and spread out into an even layer. Let it cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes or until browned in spots, then give it a stir and cook for 1-2 more minutes, stirring often, or until mostly cooked through. Transfer back to the plate or bowl or cutting board you tossed it in.
Reduce the heat to medium, then add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil along with the white/light green scallions, celery or fennel, lemon zest, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir everything together and cook for 30 seconds, then pour in ¼ cup water and scrape up anything stuck to the bottom of the skillet.
Cook until the water has evaporated, about 1-2 more minutes. Add the beef back into the skillet along with the asparagus.
Increase the heat back up to medium-high and add the remaining ¼ cup soy sauce and ¼ cup water. Stir everything together, and let it simmer rapidly until the sauce reduces and thickens a bit, about 3-5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat and stir in half of the dark green scallions.
Serve on top of warm rice and top with the remaining green scallions, sesame seeds, more black pepper, and lemon wedges for squeezing.

Substitutions:

To make vegetarian/vegan, substitute drained, pressed, and sliced or cubed tofu for the steak.
Replace asparagus with green beans, snap peas, radish, or any other quick cooking veggies.
Replace the steak with thinly sliced pork or chicken.
You can replace the scallions with 2-3 cloves of garlic and just top with any herbs.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer:
- Stir-fry: up to 4 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer
- Rice: up to 4 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer

Warm up the rice first (covered with a very wet paper towel) in the microwave. Then top with the stir-fry and microwave again or reheat them both separately.
Turn it into fried rice! Add the cold rice to a skillet with plenty of oil and cook until the rice becomes slightly crispy and golden in spots. Add the stir-fry and cook, stirring everything together. You could fry some eggs in the skillet for more protein/to stretch the recipe.
Top with a fried egg and/or avocado.