Our 20 Best Stir-Fry Recipes That Are Even Better Than Take-Out

By Melanie Fincher
January 17, 2020
Credit: AllrecipesPhoto

Few recipes are easier to throw together for a quick weeknight dinner than a stir-fry. And even better, everything comes together in one skillet or wok, so cleanup is a breeze. We whittled down our nearly 300 hundred stir-fry recipes to find the best of the best for you. Read on for our 20 best stir-fry recipes that are even better than take-out, plus learn the proper technique for making this easy, budget-friendly meal.

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Szechwan Shrimp

Credit: ClarStar
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Our most popular stir-fry recipe is a classic Chinese restaurant dish you can make at home in just 20 minutes."You have to give anything this fast, healthy and so full of flavor a 5. Note this isn't a recipe for small children or others with a tongue that can't handle the heat," says reviewer Tony Bibbs. "I'd cut back on the red pepper quite a bit if you want to achieve that."

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Kung Pao Chicken

Credit: Kari N
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"Spicy chicken with peanuts, similar to what is served in Chinese restaurants," says recipe creator Arlena. "It is easy to make, and you can be as sloppy with the measurements as you want. They reduce to a nice, thick sauce. Substitute cashews for peanuts, or bamboo shoots for the water chestnuts."

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Asian Beef with Snow Peas

Credit: Allrecipes Magazine
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Steak and snow peas are tossed in a flavorful ginger sauce. Reviewer Shadowlady says, "I have to admit, this was great and I was surprised at how light and flavorful the sauce was. I also doubled the sauce and it works well over rice, or with noodles added at the end and coated."

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Chicken Stir-Fry

Credit: Katie Sechrist
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"A quick and easy dish to prepare, this chicken stir-fry is packed with veggies. Try adding bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, snap peas, or any of your favorite vegetables. Serve it with white or brown rice, or noodles," says recipe creator Katie Sechrist.

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Restaurant Style Beef and Broccoli

Credit: Sara Simpson
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Get take-out without ever having to go out. Reviewer Harriet Green says, "This is a good recipe and pretty standard for Chinese home cooking and is always welcome as comfort food; the ingredients are always handy."

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Sweet and Sour Pork III

Credit: pelicangal
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"I have shied away from attempting Asian food at home because it never tastes like the restaurant quality, but this was different," says reviewer ~TxCin~ILove2Ck. "This was so delicious and hard to believe it came from my kitchen and wasn't from a Chinese restaurant." Recipe creator PAM_1 says the secret to this recipe is apple cider vinegar.

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Crispy Orange Beef

Credit: DGM31
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"The fragrance of the orange zest and ginger was incredible. The beef was crispy and tender. This recipe is a definite keeper," says reviewer SHORECOOK.

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Sesame Beef

Credit: Holiday Baker
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"Strips of round steak and chopped scallions are marinated with soy sauce and garlic, then quickly stir fried with sesame seeds," says recipe creator LMEC623. "Add a little sesame oil to the marinade if you like that flavor. Serve with rice."

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Mongolian Beef and Spring Onions

Credit: Kathy D
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"Fast to fix and a family favorite," says reviewer slade88green. Green onions and steak are tossed in a soy and ginger sauce.

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Chinese Pepper Steak

Credit: Sandi Johnson Purinton
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"This smelled so good while it was cooking. It doesn't make a lot of sauce, but it isn't loaded with oil like take-out stir-fry either which I liked," says reviewer Holiday Baker. 

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Ginger Veggie Stir-Fry

Credit: OkinawanPrincess
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This versatile vegetable stir-fry can be easily customized to fit any taste. "A great, simple recipe. To make it easier, I used ginger paste and minced garlic from a jar, and frozen vegetables," says reviewer SHAHZADI.

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Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry

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Reviewer TTV78 says, "There is nothing like a good kick of ground black pepper in a good old stir-fry, so this really hit the spot for us!"Serve this cabbage stir-fry with steamed rice and egg drop soup.

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Broccoli and Chicken Stir-Fry

Credit: nurgul
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"The technique described to thicken the sauce was perfect," says reviewer Pam Araki. "This was so easy and perfect." Chicken, onions, and broccoli florets are tossed in a thick sauce made from soy sauce, brown sugar, and ginger.

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Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

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This one's for the garlic lovers. Reviewer Terri says, "I like that the cabbage was al dente and lent a slight crunch to the meal. My 16-year-old son and husband at the entire batch in one sitting."

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Sweet and Spicy Stir Fry with Chicken and Broccoli

Credit: TTV78
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"I marinated the chicken in a soy sauce, honey, and garlic mixture overnight," says reviewer Beth. "Really made the chicken tasty and stayed moist." This simple stir-fry will become a part of your regular dinner rotation.

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Sesame Shrimp Stir-Fry

Credit: VikingChef
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"I've made this so many times, you can use just about any veggies you have on hand. Water chestnuts are very good in it...The broth with cornstarch and teriyaki make this dish," says reviewer *Sherri*. 

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Chef John's Caramel Chicken

Credit: Robert Castaneda
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"This stunning dish is an amazing combination of sweet, spicy, and salty flavors all sticking to succulent pieces of chicken," says Chef John.

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Thai Red Chicken Curry

Credit: bradysmom
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"This is a quick and easy curry stir-fry made with chicken, zucchini, red bell pepper and carrot. Coconut milk and curry paste make an irresistible sauce," says recipe creator THEKNACKEREDCHEF. "No need to go out to eat, as this dish is ready in about 20 minutes!"

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Addictive Sesame Chicken

Credit: Joseph Cormier
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"Followed the recipe exactly and the family can't get enough of it! Better than a restaurant," says reviewer Leonda58. "Will likely slice the chicken thinner next time to work on getting the chicken a bit crispier."

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Orange Chicken Stir Fry

Credit: Kellie Foster
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"Chicken breast meat stir fried with orange juice and zest, soy sauce, garlic and brown sugar, topped with bean sprouts and served over crispy chow mein noodles," says recipe creator Kelly Dale-Carpenter. "A healthy, zesty stir fry treat guaranteed to excite the most finicky eaters!" Get dinner on the table fast with this easy recipe.

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State of Home Cooking

We're serving up and celebrating the biggest home-cooking trends from the most enthusiastic cooks we know: our community. We crunched the data from 1.2 billion annual Allrecipes.com visits and 2.5 billion annual page views. Then we dug even further, surveying Allrecipes cooks about what's in their carts and fridges, on their stovetops and tables, and on their minds. Stir-fry is just one of the topics they're most curious about. See more of the "State of Home Cooking" special report.

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By Melanie Fincher