Best stir-fry recipes for cooking in a wok

Super tender beef in a glossy, sticky sauce with peppery notes; you’ll want to get this glorious stir-fry, supercharged with a secret ingredient, in your repertoire now. 

Home-made beef stir-fry can get a bad rap; we’ve all eaten tough beef. But with my tips and tricks, you’ll get super-tender meat and a sauce that packs a punch, every single time. 

You’ll be amazed what you can do with 500g of mince, a few other ingredients, and your wok when you’re pressed for time. You’ll want to make this dish time and time again, I promise. 

I love the gorgeously spicy Korean flavours of kimchi and gochujang and they’re front and centre in this beef dish. Ready in minutes, it’s the perfect no-fuss weeknight dinner.

It happens to us all – sometimes, you don’t feel like cooking. I get it. When you’re in one of those ruts, this quick recipe delivers maximum, big-flavoured impact for mimic effort.

Featuring the robust flavours of cumin and chilli, this rustic Chinese lamb dish is utterly divine. Pair it with steamed rice and braised Chinese cabbage for a fabulous, easy feast that’s worthy of even a dinner party. 

You might think pork belly is a cut that needs cooking for a long time, but actually, not necessarily. If you prep it the right way, it’s perfect cooked in the wok for a quick, tasty meal.

How to make beef fillet stretch further, and in the most delicious way imaginable? This dish, right here. And it’s not any old stir-fry either  – it’s tender, delicious, beefy, and happens to be one of my all-time faves.

Here I use the technique of ‘oil velveting’, a classic Chinese process used when preparing meat for stir-frying. I’ve simplified the process but it still makes the meat 100% tender, every time. 

Chop suey: it’s known and loved for its blend of tender meat, soft and fluffy egg, and crunchy vegetables. And that’s before I even start on the delicious gravy-like sauce that always smacks of perfection.

The scrumptious sauce is packed with delicious Chinese staples you’ll probably have in your fridge and pantry; hoisin, oyster, and dark soy sauces, plus five spice, honey and garlic. 

The difference with this recipe is the home-made Chinese five spice mix. You won’t believe the punch of flavour it gives but if you don’t have time, you can always use store-bought. The dish still tastes amazing.

This recipe for Thai morning glory stir-fry, aka pad pak boong fai dang, is Asian greens at their best: crunchy, savoury, spicy and sweet. It’s cheap and quick to make, too.

With just a handful of staple ingredients, mushrooms and  some pork scotch fillet steaks, you can honestly have this Mama Noi favourite ready in around 15 minutes. 

This is a classic restaurant dish, but my version is lighter, fresher and overall awesome-r. Simmer up the sauce, coat the chicken in flour, deep-fry it for a light crunch, then bring everything together. 

You can make an excellent version of this famous Chinese dish at home, especially if you use fermented black beans, not black bean sauce. They’re full of umami and create a dish that will blow your mind.  

Here’s a sticky chicken stir-fry infused with the light, fragrant flavours of Vietnam; garlic, lemongrass, tamarind, ginger and a dash of caramelised sugar. Serve it with steamed rice for a simple but sensational dinner. 

Bursting with veggies, lightly crisped chicken and a glossy sauce, it’s easier than you think to make my version of this Thai classic. It’s way tastier than takeaway too. 

Simple, but a bit special too with its sweet, spicy, fragrant flavours, this chicken stir-fry tastes fast, fresh and fabulous. 

Stick with the technique and the surprise ingredients in this one! The flavours are lip-smackingly amazing. 

You need this Taiwanese sesame chicken stir-fry on your dinner radar. Gloriously sticky and savoury, it only takes minutes to cook and it tastes divine. 

Spicy peppercorns and fiery chillies turn up the heat to maximum volume – this stir-fry is not for the faint-hearted. All you chilli fans will completely love it.

A lovely honey, soy and garlic marinade makes prawns and greens really sing; just serve with some steamed rice or noodles and dinner is done, dusted and delicious.

Can you handle the heat? Chilli, fragrant holy basil and juicy prawns are a match made in (spicy) heaven in a dish that takes just 20 minutes to whip up.

Here’s a light dish that makes a brilliant lunch or even breakfast. It stars Asian luffa vegetable, which is similar to zucchini but has a much tougher skin that needs peeling.