Next time you’re craving for satays, try this beef satay goreng or fried satay instead. All the satay flavour, none of the skewers and grilling hassle!
When I had guests over recently, I planned a big platter of gado gado with an amazing satay peanut sauce. But as I was poking around in the freezer, I found some beef and thought, why not make satay goreng (sate goreng) or fried satays?
It’s basically everything you love about satay, but without the fuss of skewers. Quick to make, no need to fire up the grill, and absolutely packed with flavour.
This is SO GOOD drenched with peanut sauce, and completed as a meal with some compressed rice cakes… but I’ve been known to grab leftovers straight from the fridge and snacking on them.
Whether you’re hosting guests or craving a quicker version of satays, beef satay goreng is your shortcut to something special!
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Beef Satay Goreng
- Key Ingredients for Beef Satay Goreng
- Key Steps to Making Beef Satay Goreng (with pictures)
- How to Serve Satay Goreng
- Tips and Tricks
- Storing and Reheating
- More Recipes Like This
Why You’ll Love This Beef Satay Goreng
- No skewers, no grill – just a wok or pan.
- All the satay flavours in a fraction of the time.
- Super versatile: serve as a main, side, or even a snack.
- Fantastic for meal prep – even better the next day!
Key Ingredients for Beef Satay Goreng
This recipe takes inspiration from my chicken satay recipe, but skips the skewers and grilling.
- Beef: Thinly sliced against the grain for tenderness and quick cooking. Your typical stir frying beef such as sirloin, flank, or ribeye are good for this, but I used my rendang cuts such as chuck with no issues at all! Slice thinly against the grain – no other hacks needed. Feel free to use any other proteins of choice such as chicken or lamb.
- Onion, garlic, ginger: The trifecta of aromatics makes the base flavour of the beef. I used my onion, garlic and ginger paste.
- Lemongrass: Much more pronounced here compared to chicken satay. You’ll use up to 4 stalks for an intense, citrusy aroma.
- Cumin: Unlike chicken satay, beef satay has a touch more cumin. The general ratio of cumin to coriander & fennel should be 2:1, i.e. 1 tablespoon of cumin to 1/2 tablespoon coriander and fennel.
- Coriander and fennel: Powdered versions is fine, but I used freshly coarsely ground spices for texture. Fennel is optional, but do not skip coriander. If using just coriander, adjust to make up the fennel, for example, for this recipe, 1/2 tablespoon of coriander should be adjusted to 1 tablespoon.
- Palm sugar: For balancing the spice with sweetness, and helping the marinade caramelize in the pan. Regular sugar will work as well.
- Turmeric: Just a touch for colour and earthiness.
- Optional crushed peanuts: For more authenticity, add extra tablespoons of crushed peanuts! This will add texture and a flavour to complement the satay sauce. I rarely do this, unless I’m making peanut sauce at the same time.
- Neutral oil or coconut oil: For cooking — the coconut oil especially adds a lovely aroma.
Key Steps to Making Beef Satay Goreng (with pictures)
This is the kind of recipe where a little prep goes a long way. Here’s the breakdown:
1. Slice the beef
- Thin slices are key! About 2–3mm thick, and always across the grain for tenderness.
TIP! Partially freeze your beef to make slicing way easier.
- Pat dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture and place in marinating vessel of choice.
2. Blend the spice paste
- Peel and roughly chop onion, ginger and garlic. Remove the tough outer layer of lemongrass, and slice.
- In a blender or food processor, blitz together onion (or shallots), garlic, lemongrass, ginger, and a splash of water. It doesn’t need to be silky smooth — a coarse paste is perfect.
- If using pre-made aromatic pastes, you can skip this step.
3. Marinate the beef
- Pour the spice paste over the beef, then add the ground cumin, coriander, fennel, turmeric, salt, palm sugar, and crushed peanuts if using.
- Mix well until everything is evenly coated.
- Marinate for at least 30 minutes — overnight is always best for full flavour infusion.
4. Cook the beef
You’ve got two options depending on your texture preference:
a. Deep-fried method:
This is the version that is mostly served and preferred – deep fried until almost crisp!
- Heat about 1/2 cup of oil in a wok or pan. Fry the beef until it darkens into a deep, chocolatey brown and develops crispy edges.
- Work in batches to avoid overcrowding.
- This version is crispier, and darker in colour.
b. Stir-fried method:
- Use a little oil and let the beef sear undisturbed for 30 seconds before stirring. This helps it develop that golden, caramelised crust.
- Stir-fry in batches for 4–6 minutes total, until cooked through, and all of the liquid has cooked off.
- This version is softer, juicier, and lighter.
5. Serve and Enjoy!
- Serve immediately with lontong or rice cakes, cucumbers and raw onions, with a side of peanut sauce. Enjoy!
How to Serve Satay Goreng
Beef satay goreng is super versatile. Here’s how I like to serve it:
- Complete this satay meal with a side of: peanut satay sauce, ketupat or lontong (compressed rice cakes) and fresh cucumber and raw red onions.
- With rice as a side dish! This is especially if you don’t have any peanut sauce.
- As a meaty addition to Gado Gado.
Tips and Tricks
- Slice the beef while it’s slightly frozen — this makes it way easier to get those thin, even slices.
- Pat or soak up any liquid — we want the minimal amount of liquid in the marinade so the beef can absorb as much of the aromatics. The beef will continue to release liquid as it thaws and as it marinades.
- Use freshly coarsely ground spices if possible — it really makes the flavour pop.
- Blitz the lemongrass for chunky fibres — this adds texture and that signature beef satay look.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan — work in batches if needed to avoid steaming the beef.
Storing and Reheating
Storage:
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3–4 days.
Reheating:
You can reheat on the stove over medium heat, or microwave in short bursts.
Freezing:
Yes, this freezes well – both the uncooked version or cooked!
- To freeze cooked satay goreng: Just cool completely and store in freezer-safe bags or containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat before serving.
- To freeze uncooked satay goreng: Store in freezer-safe bags or containers. Thaw completely before frying. If there is too much liquid released, soak excess liquid with paper towels.
More Recipes Like This
- Singapore and Malaysian Chicken Satay
- The BEST, Authentic Satay Peanut Sauce | Kuah Kacang
- Cheat Peanut Sauce
- Easy Lontong or Nasi Impit (Compressed Rice Cakes)
- Gado Gado
Beef Satay Goreng (Stir-Fried Beef Satay)
4
servings20
minutes10
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
- For the beef:
500 g (1.1 lb) beef (sirloin, flank steak, or ribeye), thinly sliced across the grain
- Marinade
1 medium onion or 5 small shallots, chopped (or 3-4 tbsp onion paste)
4 garlic cloves (or 1 tbsp garlic paste)
1 -inch (2.5 cm) piece ginger, chopped (or 1 tbsp ginger paste)
4 stalks lemongrass, white inner part only, sliced
1 tbsp freshly ground cumin seeds (or 2 tsps cumin powder)
1/2 tbsp freshly ground coriander seeds (or 1 tsp coriander powder)
1/2 tbsp freshly ground fennel seeds or 1 tsp fennel powder)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt, or to taste
2 tbsp palm sugar (or sugar)
2 tbsp toasted crushed peanuts (optional)
1/4 cup (60 ml) water (to help with blending)
- For cooking
1/2 cup neutral-tasting oil, for frying
- Optional garnishes:
Cucumber and red onions
Optional garnishes: Sliced red chilies, fried shallots, lime wedges
Directions
- Thinly slice beef:
- Thinly slice beef across the grain.
- Place beef in a marinating bowl. Try to soak up any leftover liquid in the bowl with paper towels.
- Prepare the spice paste:
- In a blender or food processor, combine the onion (or shallots), garlic, lemongrass, ginger, with a splash of water, just for easier blending. If using aromatics paste, skip this step.
- Blitz into a coarse paste. Don’t worry about making it completely smooth.
- Marinate the beef:
- Pour the aromatics paste over the thinly sliced beef.
- Add the rest of the ingredients: coarsely ground cumin, coriander, fennel, turmeric powder, salt, roasted crushed peanuts if using.
- Toss the thinly sliced beef with the spice paste until every piece is well coated.
- Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes for maximum flavour, overnight is always best! (longer = even better).
- Cook the Beef:
- Deep-fried method: Heat about 1/2 cup of oil and add the beef. Allow the beef to deep fry until it darkens into a deep, chocolatey colour and turns slightly crispy. Cook in batches if needed.
This version produces slightly crisp satay goreng that is deeper in colour. - Stir-fried method: Use just a little oil and add the beef. Let sit for about 30 seconds without stirring until it gets some browning. Then stir fry for about 4-6 minutes until cooked through. Cook in batches if needed.
This version gives you a juicier, softer, and slightly healthier result. - Serve:
- Plate up immediately, sprinkle with garnishes like fried shallots, fresh coriander, lime wedges, and sliced chilies if you want extra punch.
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