Kabocha Squash and Beef Stir Fry

If you're looking for a quick meal, try this kabocha squash and beef stir fry, perfect for a laid-back weeknight dinner upgrade. Juicy top sirloin meets sweet kabocha squash in a flavor-packed meal with aromatics and spices.

Watch how to make this

Recipe

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Kabocha Squash and Beef Stir Fry

Total Time45 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: beef

Servings: 4

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Marinated beef

• 1 pound top sirloin cut into 3" strips
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine

Stir fry sauce

• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Remaining ingredients

• 3 tablespoons oil divided
• 2 cups peeled kabocha squash chopped into 1" cubes
• ½ cup water divided
• ½ medium onion sliced
• 1 small Japanese eggplant sliced
• 1 medium red bell pepper sliced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 Thai chile minced
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

• Toss top sirloin with cornstarch, soy sauce, and rice wine. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Stir until sugar is dissolved and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large wok or saute pan over high heat. Add marinated beef and saute until browned, about 3-4 minutes. Remove beef and set aside.
• Heat another tablespoon in the same pan over medium heat. Add chopped kabocha squash and saute until browned and caramelized. Add ¼ cup water and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and continue to cook until squash is tender. Remove squash and set aside.
• Heat another tablespoon oil in the same pan. Add sliced onion and eggplant and saute until browned. Add ¼ cup water and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and continue to cook until eggplant is tender.
• Remove lid and add sliced bell pepper, garlic, Thai chile, and ginger. Saute until bell peppers are tender, about 2 minutes. Add back beef, kabocha squash, and stir fry sauce. Bring to a simmer, tossing to coat. Saute for another minute or until everything is well sauced. Remove from heat and toss in chopped cilantro. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and serve stir fry with rice.

Notes

You can also use other sirloin cuts, flank steak, or skirt steak for the stir fry.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Marinate beef

Before we can start cooking the kabocha squash and beef stir fry, we must first marinate the beef. Cut the top sirloin into wide strips and toss it with cornstarch, soy sauce, and red wine.

The cornstarch will help tenderize the meat.

If you can't find top sirloin, you can use flank, skirt steak, or any other tender cut.

Step 2: Prepare vegetables and saute

While the beef is marinating, prepare all of the other ingredients. It's important to have all the vegetables cut and the sauce made before you start cooking.

Stir-fry cooking is quick, so you don't want to stop in the middle to cut the bell peppers.

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a wok or large saute pan and cook the beef until beautifully browned. Then, remove the beef, and brown the kabocha squash. Add a splash of water and cover the pan, simmering until the squash becomes tender.

Remove the squash from the pan and set it aside with the beef.

In the same pan, heat another tablespoon of oil and saute sliced onion and eggplant until browned. Add another splash of water, cover the pan, and cook until the eggplant becomes tender.

I hate it when eggplant is not cooked and has a spongy texture. By adding water, you make sure it breaks down and softens.

Remove the lid and add the bell peppers and aromatics. Saute until the bell peppers soften, then add back the beef and kabocha squash along with the sauce. Let everything simmer for another minute, soaking up all that sauce.

Finish the kabocha squash and beef stir fry with chopped cilantro and garnish with sesame seeds. Serve the dish with rice and enjoy!

I ate this every day for 4 days in a row; I enjoyed it so much. In fact, it rivals my other favorite beef stir fry, Thai beef stir fry with peanut sauce. It's a winter stir-fry that checks off all the boxes!

Check out this full list of amazing ways to cook squash for more ideas!

Make-ahead and storage

• Make-ahead: You can marinate the beef in advance and chop the vegetables ahead of time to streamline the cooking process.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refridgerator for up to 4 days.

More stir-fry recipes

Looking for more quick stir-fry dishes? Try these: