Description
This Air Fryer Crispy Chilli Beef recipe offers a quick, flavorful way to enjoy tender, marinated steak strips coated in a crispy cornflour crust and tossed in a tangy, spicy sauce with vibrant veggies. Using the air fryer ensures a healthier twist with less oil while delivering a perfect crunchy texture on the outside and succulent beef inside. Ideal for a speedy weeknight dinner, it combines aromatic garlic, ginger, chilli, and a blend of sauces for a deliciously balanced Asian-inspired dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Marinade
- 250g thin-cut minute steak, thinly sliced into strips
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus a drizzle for beef
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 1 red chilli, thinly sliced
- 1 red pepper, cut into chunks
- 4 spring onions, sliced, green and white parts separated
- 4 tbsp rice wine vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
- ½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp caster sugar
Instructions
- Marinate the Beef: In a bowl, combine rice wine vinegar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, tomato ketchup, Chinese five-spice powder, 2 tsp soy sauce, sesame oil, caster sugar, garlic, ginger, chilli, and white parts of spring onions to form the marinade. Add the thinly sliced steak strips, toss well to coat each piece thoroughly, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours to enhance flavor if time allows.
- Prepare the Beef for Air Frying: Remove beef from the marinade and sprinkle the cornflour evenly over the strips. Toss gently to coat each piece in a floury paste, then carefully pull the strips apart to ensure they don’t clump. Arrange the strips on a plate and drizzle each piece with a little vegetable oil. Preheat the air fryer to 220°C (428°F) if your model requires preheating.
- Air Fry the Beef: Place the coated beef strips on the cooking rack inside the air fryer basket. Cook at 220°C for 6 minutes, then carefully turn the pieces over and continue cooking for another 4-6 minutes until the beef is crispy and golden on the outside.
- Prepare the Sauce and Vegetables: While the beef is cooking, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over high heat. Add crushed garlic, ginger matchsticks, sliced red chilli, red pepper chunks, and the white parts of the spring onions. Stir-fry vigorously for 2-3 minutes until the pepper softens but the garlic and ginger do not burn.
- Add Sauces and Bubble the Sauce: Into the wok, add the reserved marinade sauce ingredients. Stir everything together and cook for an additional minute until the sauce starts bubbling, intensifying the flavors and slightly thickening.
- Toss the Crispy Beef with Sauce: Transfer the air-fried beef strips into the wok with the sauce and vegetables. Toss quickly to coat the beef evenly and continue stirring over heat for another minute until everything is piping hot and well combined.
- Garnish and Serve: Remove from heat, sprinkle the green parts of the sliced spring onions over the dish for freshness and color. Serve immediately with a little extra sauce on the side if desired, perfect paired with steamed rice or noodles.
Notes
- Marinating the beef overnight enhances the depth of flavor but is not mandatory.
- Ensure the beef strips are separated well after coating with cornflour for optimal crispiness.
- Adjust chilli quantity according to your preferred spice level.
- If your air fryer does not have a rack, you can use the basket but avoid overcrowding to maintain crispiness.
- Use gluten-free soy sauce if a gluten-free version is required.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus up to 24 hours marination)
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Asian
Keywords: crispy chilli beef, air fryer beef recipe, quick Asian beef, air fryer dinner, spicy beef stir-fry
