This mouthwatering Air Fryer Orange Beef brings the bold flavors of your favorite takeout right to your kitchen in under 30 minutes. With just 234 calories per serving and packed with 26g of lean protein, it’s a healthier twist on the classic Chinese dish that doesn’t sacrifice taste.
The air fryer creates perfectly crispy beef strips coated in a vibrant orange sauce, making this recipe a fantastic choice for busy weeknight dinners when you want something quick yet impressive.
Ingredients for Air Fryer Orange Beef
- Top Sirloin Beef: 1 lb, sliced thinly (about ¼ inch thickness for optimal cooking)
- Cornstarch: ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons, divided (helps create crispy texture)
- Orange Components: ¼ cup fresh juice and 2 tbsp zest (can use 4 Clementines)
- Molasses: 1.5 tbsp fancy molasses (adds rich sweetness)
- Asian Seasonings: 1 tbsp soy sauce, ½ tbsp rice vinegar, ½ tbsp sesame oil
- Aromatics: 1 tbsp minced garlic, ½ tbsp ginger powder
- Green Onions: ½ cup plus extra for garnish
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prep the Beef: Thoroughly coat beef slices with ¼ cup cornstarch in a mixing bowl
- Air Frying: Place in air fryer basket with oil spray, cook at 380°F for 6 minutes per batch
- Sauce Preparation: Combine remaining ingredients in saucepan while beef cooks
- Simmer Sauce: Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes to blend flavors
- Combine: Transfer cooked beef to large bowl and mix well with the prepared sauce
- Serve: Present over rice or noodles, garnish with sesame seeds and green onions
Cooking Techniques
Air frying gives this orange beef a wonderful crispy exterior while keeping the inside tender and juicy! The key is not overcrowding your air fryer basket – give those beef slices some breathing room. A light spray of oil helps achieve that gorgeous golden-brown color. The cornstarch coating is your friend here – it creates that amazing crispy texture that makes this dish so special.
Simple Substitutions
No fresh oranges? You can use store-bought orange juice, but try to pick one without added sugar. If you don’t have top sirloin, flank steak or skirt steak work great too – just slice them nice and thin against the grain. Can’t find fancy molasses? Regular molasses or even brown sugar will do in a pinch, though you might want to use a bit less since brown sugar is sweeter. Rice vinegar can be swapped with apple cider vinegar if needed.
Serving Suggestions
This orange beef shines when served over a bed of fluffy white rice or lo mein noodles. Want to add some color and crunch? Toss in some steamed broccoli or snap peas on the side. Don’t skip the sesame seeds and green onions on top – they add such a nice finishing touch! For a complete meal, serve with a simple Asian cucumber salad or some egg drop soup.
Storage Tips
Keep your leftover orange beef in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When reheating, pop it back in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes at 350°F – this helps bring back some of that crispy texture. The sauce might thicken up in the fridge, so you can thin it out with a splash of orange juice or water when reheating. For best results, store the sauce and beef separately if you’re not planning to eat it all right away.
Air Fryer Orange Beef
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Small Saucepan
- Large Bowl
Ingredients
For the Beef
- 1 lb Top Sirloin Beef thinly sliced about ¼ inch thick
- 1/4 cup Cornstarch + 2 tablespoons divided
For the Sauce
- 1/4 cup Fresh Orange Juice or 4 freshly squeezed Clementine’s
- 2 tbsp Orange Zest
- 1.5 tbsp Molasses fancy molasses work best
- 1/2 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Garlic minced
- 1/2 tbsp Ginger Powder
- 1/2 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1/2 cup Green Onion plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Mix your steak and 1/4 cup cornstarch together in a bowl. Mix well so that the steak is fully incorporated with the starch.
- Place in air fryer basket and spray with oil.
- Cook in the air fryer at 380°F/193ºC for 6 minutes per batch, do not over crowd the meat.
- While your steak is cooking, mix all of the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan.
- Cook on medium for about five minutes allowing the flavors to simmer.
- Once your steak has finished cooking in the air fryer, transfer to a large bowl. Add your sauce over the steak and mix well.
- Serve over rice, or noodles. Top with sesame seeds or green onions and enjoy!
