Beef & Cabbage Stir-Fry

This stir-fry cooks ground beef with a big pile of shredded cabbage and carrots in a garlic, ginger and soy sauce. It’s quick, filling and good over rice.

Cabbage is one of the cheapest vegetables in the store, and half a head is enough to turn a pound of beef into four generous servings.

It takes about 25 minutes in one pan.

Ingredients and Swaps

• Ground beef: Lean ground beef. Ground pork or turkey also work.
• Cabbage: Green cabbage, thinly sliced. A bag of coleslaw mix skips the slicing.
• Carrots: Shredded.
• Sauce: Soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and rice vinegar.
• Garlic and ginger: Fresh if you can.

Tips for the Best Cabbage Stir-Fry

• Slice the cabbage thin. Thin shreds cook quickly and evenly.
• Use a large pan. Six cups of cabbage looks like a lot, but it cooks down by half.
• Keep the heat high. You want the cabbage to sear a little, not stew.
• Stop while it has some crunch. Four to five minutes is enough.

Prices are from Walmart’s and ALDI’s websites for stores in Columbus, Ohio, checked in October 2026. Ohio’s grocery prices are within about 1% of the national average, so you may pay more or less depending on where you live, and prices change often. Here’s how we price our recipes.

Cost: Ingredients – $10.81 from Walmart, $9.61 from ALDI · Per Serving – $2.40 to $2.70

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Beef & Cabbage Stir-Fry

Savory ground beef and tender-crisp cabbage tossed in a garlic ginger soy sauce. One of the cheapest, fastest dinners you can make.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 small onion sliced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
• ½ head green cabbage thinly sliced, about 6 cups
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 3 green onions sliced
• Cooked rice for serving

Method

 

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the beef and onion and cook 6–7 minutes, breaking up the beef, until browned. Drain excess fat.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute.
3. Add the cabbage and carrots. Cook 5–6 minutes, tossing often, until the cabbage is tender-crisp.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Pour over the stir-fry and toss 1–2 minutes.
5. Top with green onions and serve over rice.

Notes

• Use a bag of coleslaw mix to skip slicing.
• Add a drizzle of sriracha or chili garlic sauce for heat.
• Ground pork or turkey also works.
• Top with a fried egg for extra protein.

How to Serve It

Over rice or noodles, with sriracha or chili garlic sauce for heat. Use the other half of the cabbage in Crunchy Asian Cabbage Salad or Egg Roll in a Bowl.

Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
• Reheat in a skillet or the microwave.
• Freeze for up to 2 months. The cabbage softens after thawing.

More ways to make a pound go further: 10 Ways to Stretch Ground Beef Into Multiple Meals.

Cabbage Stir-Fry Questions

Can I use other kinds of cabbage?

Yes. Napa and savoy cabbage are more tender and cook a minute or two faster.

How do I keep it from getting watery?

Cook over high heat in a wide pan, and add the sauce at the end.