Here’s another weeknight staple we’ve been enjoying: sesame beef and celery stir fry. It’s another part of our healthy celery recipe series that has helped me control my blood sugar during my type 2 diabetes journey. We just love the savory crunch of the celery with the tender beef and sauce. -Diane

spoon in pot of sesame beef celery stir fry

Healthy Sesame Beef and Celery

It’s all cooked in one pot and is AMAZING. I say this in caps because it tastes like what you would order in a restaurant, but it’s totally homemade. We add a generous serving of chopped celery for the extra fiber and nutrients. The sauce is great when added to black rice, brown rice or quinoa if you’re like me and watching my carbs and sugar intake.

Video: Sesame Beef and Celery Stir Fry

Brown Sugar Substitutes for Beef Celery Stir Fry

There’s very little brown sugar in the recipe because a little touch of sweetness really rounds out the celery flavors. But I use brown sugar substitutes and there’s many options out there. So research the best one for you and how your body reacts to it. Some artificial sweeteners has caused me some serious bloating but I’ve figured out those culprits and eliminated them from our shopping list. The one we personally use the most and feel the flavor is super close the traditional brown sugar is the Lakanto Monkfruit Brown Sugar Substitute.

spooning sesame beef and celery stir fry

Don’t Like Celery? Ok, Here’s other options

Now I know not everyone is a fan of celery or are allergic to it (yes, this is a thing). But you don’t have to add celery if you don’t want to. Here’s other vegetable options to add. Just add any vegetable, that’s what matters in making this soup healthy and blood sugar friendly.

  • Add two cups of chopped spinach. Make it a Popeye’s beef stir fry. LOL.
  • Chopped broccoli or cauliflower is fantastic.
  • Quality canned green beans
  • Chopped bok choy, mustard greens or cabbage. There’s so many types of cabbage and greens.
  • If you love kale, then two cups of chopped kale is perfect.
  • And if you don’t like beef, then here’s our Shrimp and celery stir fry recipe for a seafood option.
spoon in pot of sesame beef celery stir fry

Sesame Beef and Celery Stir Fry

Yield: 6 Servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
It's all about the sauce and there's plenty of it to soak up with rice, bread or pasta. Add other quick cook vegetables if you like.
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Ingredients

  • 1 pound (454 g) beef sirloin, top round or flank , sliced thin
  • 5-6 stalks (200 g) celery , cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 Tablespoon (30 ml) vegetable oil
  • 1/2 onion , diced
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced or crushed
  • 1-2 inch (2.5-5 cm) knob of fresh ginger , minced or finely grated

For The Sauce:

  • 2/3 cup (160 ml) water
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons (22 ml) corn starch
  • 1/3 cup (80 ml) soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup (55 g) brown sugar , or to personal taste. Use Brown sugar substitute for low carb & diabetic friendly
  • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) sesame seed oil

For serving:

  • Rice, pasta, noodles, quinoa or bread
  • 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) sesame seeds , optional

Instructions 

  • Make the sauce: in medium bowl whisk together the 2/3 cup water and 1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch until smooth. Whisk in the remaining all sauce ingredients (1/3 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup brown sugar (or brown sugar substitute, 2 teaspoons rice vinegar, and 2 teaspoons sesame seed oil). Set aside.
    whisking sauce for beef and celery stir fry
  • Chop celery and set aside. We do not destring our celery because we like the additional chew and fiber for better blood sugar levels. But if you want your celery more tender, then you can destring the celery.
    chopping celery
  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon of oil to the pan then add the sliced beef. Sear until cooked though and all sides are golden.
    cooking beef slices
  • Add diced onions, and minced garlic and ginger. Cook until soft and translucent.
    cooking down the onions and garlic in meat
  • Add the celery and cook for about 1 minute or until your preferred texture. We like our celery slightly crunchy so we cook it for 1 minute.
    adding celery to beef
  • Whisk the sauce one more time to make sure the cornstarch isn’t lumpy, then pour the sauce over the beef and celery in the pan. Heat to a strong simmer and cook for about 1 minute to thicken the sauce, stirring occasionally to make sure the beef and celery.
    adding sauce to pan
  • Top with sesame seeds. Serve warm over rice or noodles if desired.
    topped with sesame seeds

Video

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories: 201kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 8g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 796mg, Potassium: 418mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 150IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 71mg, Iron: 2mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Asian
Calories: 201

More Easy Everyday Recipes

If you enjoy our beef celery stir fry recipe, please let us know in the comments below. In the meantime, here’s some more easy everyday recipes for you to enjoy.

spooning beef celery stir fry