If you love the ease of cooking with an air fryer, then you will love this Air Fryer Sticky Asian Beef recipe! This gluten-free dinner recipe is better than any take-out order and cooks in under 30 minutes from start to finish! With a sweet, sticky sauce, you can serve this over rice, cauliflower rice, or just eat it on its own. Who said air fryer recipes had to be simple and boring?!
Air Fryer Sticky Asian Beef Recipe
I absolutely love my air fryer. I’ve never really been a kitchen gadget person, mostly because I don’t like the clutter all over my cabinet. I still don’t own an Instant Pot (the horror!!), but my first air fryer was gifted to us, and I figured I’d give it a shot! Boy, have I been missing out on crazy easy cooking with an air fryer! Asian-inspired recipes are some of my favorites to make in the air fryer, like my air fryer orange beef and air fryer sweet & sour chicken.
This sticky Asian beef recipe is gluten-free, using my favorite “breading” – arrowroot starch. Arrowroot gives the meat just enough of crisp for it to feel like it’s breaded, but without the thick, crunchy breading on traditional fried foods. This would be a perfect weeknight gluten-free dinner meal; I guarantee the whole family will love it!
Ingredients for Air Fryer Sticky Asian Beef
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 2 red peppers – sliced
- 1/2 cup liquid aminos
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 lb sirloin steak – thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup arrowroot starch
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- Sesame seeds for garnishment
- rice or cauliflower rice
How to make Air Fryer Sticky Asian Beef
In a skillet, add one tablespoon of coconut oil and melt over medium heat. Then, add the sliced red pepper and let them cook while you prepare the steak – stirring occasionally.
In a small saucepan, add the liquid aminos, water, brown sugar, ginger, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes – whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10 minutes. If the sauce is still thin and runny at 10 minutes, add 1/2 teaspoon arrowroot starch and whisk to combine. Reduce heat to low and let thicken until you’re ready to pour over the cooked steak.
Slice the sirloin steak into thin strips. Then, coat with the arrowroot starch, salt, and pepper.
Place the steak into the air fryer basket and cook at 400 degrees F. for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, open the air fryer basket and using a fork toss the steak strips. Then, cook for another 5 minutes or until it reaches the desired level of doneness.
At this point, the peppers should be finished cooking. Add the steak to the skillet with the peppers, then add the thickened sauce and toss to coat. Serve over rice, cauliflower rice, or eat on its own.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe calls for sirloin steak. We always recommend our partners at Certified Angus Beef® brand as we believe in the quality standards they use with all of their cuts of beef. You could also use flank steak for this recipe as well. 
Arrowroot starch is a starch that is extracted from the arrowroot plant. It is naturally gluten-free and easily digested. Corn starch is extracted from corn. They are both thickening agents and are mostly interchangeable.
Compared to oil-frying, yes, air fried food could be viewed as healthier, especially if using oils that may potentially contain harmful compounds. However, we always encourage an intuitive eating lifestyle where you decide on the foods that make you feel your best.
No, you do not have to preheat your air fryer. Some recipes do recommend preheating; however, it is not a requirement.
Recommended Kitchen Tools
Wanderlust and Wellness participates in the Amazon affiliate program. Please see my affiliate disclaimer.
Enjoy any of these gluten-free desserts with your dinner!
- Vanilla Panna Cotta with White Wine Sauce
- Gluten-Free Key Lime Bars
- Gluten-Free Banana Pudding
- Gluten-Free Cinnamon Roll Mug Cake
Air Fryer Sticky Asian Beef
Air Fryer Sticky Asian Beef
Better than take-out, this easy Air Fryer Sticky Asian Beef is gluten-free and cooks in the air fryer in under 20 minutes!
If you like this recipe, please leave a comment and rate it 5-stars!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. coconut oil
- 2 red peppers - sliced
- 1/2 cup liquid aminos
- 1/2 cup water
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/2 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 lb sirloin steak - thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup arrowroot starch
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. pepper
- Sesame seeds for garnishment
- rice or cauliflower rice
Instructions
- In a skillet, melt the coconut oil over medium heat, then add the sliced red peppers and cook until tender. Once tender, reduce heat to low.
- In a saucepan, add the liquid aminos, water, brown sugar, ginger, minced garlic, and red pepper flakes - whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer for 10 minutes. Let the sauce cook while you prepare the steak. At the 10 minute mark, if the sauce is still thin and runny, add 1/2 teaspoon arrowroot starch and whisk to combine. Reduce heat to low and let cook until ready to use.
- While the sauce and peppers are cooking, begin to prepare the steak. Thinly slice the sirloin steak. Season with the arrowroot starch, salt, and pepper, then toss to coat.
- Add the steak to the air fryer basket. It's okay if some of the pieces overlap one another.
- Cook in the air fryer at 400 degrees F. for ten minutes. Open the basket and using a fork toss the steak. Then, cook for an additional five minutes or until the steak is crispy and reaches the desired level of doneness.
- Once the steak is finished, remove the air fryer basket and transfer the cooked steak to the pan with the red peppers. Add the thickened sauce and stir to coat.
- Serve over rice, cauliflower rice, or on its own. Top with sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- Corn starch can be swapped in for arrowroot if needed.
- If you do not have liquid aminos, use 1/2 cup soy sauce, however, be sure you use a gluten-free brand.
- Nutritional Disclaimer
Jennifer is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Wanderlust and Wellness since 2016. She creates easy, approachable gluten-free recipes for the everyday home cook; because cooking gluten-free doesn’t mean food has to be complicated or tasteless.
I’ve made this a number of times in my Instant Pot Duo Crisp, so good! I’ve used A few different thin cuts of steak, corn starch and gluten free soy sauce, Frequently requested. Thanks!