Simple Stir Fry Recipe

Name: Simple Stir Fry Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 lbs ground beef; 1 package Asian Stir Fry Veggies (Trader Joe's (18 oz)); 2 packages Thai Wheat Noodles (Trader Joe's); 1 jar General Tsao's Stir Fry Sauce (Trader Joe's (14oz)); 2 tbsp green onion (chopped)

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An easy, 5-ingredient, one pan meal, that takes less than 20 minutes start to finish?! You think I’m kidding, but this Simple Stir Fry Recipe checks all the boxes and tastes just like the Chinese takeout version.

ground beef, veggie and noodle stir fry on white serving plate topped with chopped green onions.

Update: This post was originally published in 2022. It was updated in early 2026 with new images, modified recipe, and updated body content.

You’ll love this Trader Joe’s Beef Stir Fry

If you’re all about maximum convenience, minimal time and ingredients, and a boat load of flavor then look no further than this Simple Stir Fry Recipe. I recently picked up these 5 ingredients for a dear friend who is postpartum and popped them in her refrigerator. She said she and her husband made dinner together in 20 minutes and it was delicious. Now that is convenience.

I’m a sucker for Chinese takeout. So much as I gave it up for Lent and it was HARD. The cravings were real but instead on a busy weeknight I turned to this recipe which tastes just as good, if not better! Plus, you don’t have to go pick it up or spend extra cash on delivery fees. Yeah you know, modern day luxury, right?!

Trader Joe’s makes this recipe silly easy! With delicious General Tsao stir fry sauce, pre-chopped stir fry veggies, and packaged Thai noodles it seriously can’t get much simpler. But fear not, if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near by, read on to discover simple swaps that you can pick up at any local grocery store.

If you love this recipe, I think you’ll also obsess over these Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Korean Beef Stir Fry Noodles, these P.F. Chang’s Cocktail Meatballs, Tender & Juicy Steak, and this Spicy Thai Salad, too!

Recipe Ingredients

ingredients for trader joes stir fry in packages on white background.

Ground Beef – I used 96% lean ground beef. You could also use ground chicken or turkey if you prefer.
Stir Fry Vegetables – Again for the sake of simplicity, I used Trader Joe’s pre-cut, raw Asian style veggie stir fry mix, which can be found in the refrigerated section.
Thai Wheat Noodles – This will be the base of our stir fry. I used a pre-cooked package from TJ’s, but you could also use KAME brand found at most other grocery stores.
Optional garnish: sesame seeds, green onion, sriracha, soy sauce, spicy mayo, etc.

See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

How to Make This Recipe

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and use a meat masher to break up.

ground beef and stir fry veggies including bell peppers, pea pods, onion and bell pepper in large skillet. — Step 2

2. Once meat is cooked about half way (about 3-4 minutes or so), add in chopped stir-fry vegetables. Sauté for an additional 5-8 minutes.

stir fry veggies and beef in large skillet topped with two blocks of soba noodles. — Step 3

3. Add the noodle packages and use a rubber spatula to break apart and stir.

beef and stir fry veggies mixed with thick udon noodles in skillet with a dark sauce. — Step 4

4. Add in the sauce, cover for a few minutes to let the noodles soften, and give everything a good stir. Once heated through, serve garnished with green onions and enjoy!

green block with white writing featuring Always Pan.

Recipe FAQs

How do you store stir fry?

Allow this stir-fry recipe to cool before storing in Tupperware in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I LOVE Chinese takeout and I like to keep the containers it comes in because they’re perfect for meal prepping recipes like this and makes you feel as if you’re actually enjoying a restaurant meal.

What vegetables should I use in my stir fry?

The bag of mixed veggies I bought included broccoli, snow peas, green pepper, onions, and baby corn. You could buy these veggies individually and/or also add mushrooms, snap peas, green beans, cauliflower, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, baby bok choy and carrots for a delicious stir fry.

How can I make low carb Stir Fry?

Use cauliflower rice or zoodles instead of the Thai Wheat noodles.

How can I make gluten free

The Trader Joe’s sauce does have soy in it so you’ll want to purchase a different one. The teriyaki marinade from primal kitchen is delish if you need a good sauce rec! Also feel free to make your own sauce by combining sesame oil, coconut aminos, honey and rice vinegar. Just throw the stir-fry sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk thoroughly.

More Recipes You’ll Love

Korean Beef Stir Fry

Spicy Peanut Noodles

Bang Bang Bowls

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