Et Sote (or Beef Tava) is a delicious Turkish classic made with beef strips, onions, tomatoes, garlic and peppers. This simple, quick & wholesome beef stir fry is packed with Mediterranean flavours and is perfect for a busy weeknight meal. Serve it with Bazlama (Turkish Flatbread) and a bowl of Turkish Shepherd Salad (Coban Salatasi) for a real feast!
Et Sote is a simple, everyday Turkish meat dish that everyone loves. This Turkish style beef stir-fry comes together in just 25 minutes and only requires ingredients that you probably already have. It is loaded with Mediterranean flavours that would please the whole family.
Why This Recipe Works?
- This simple Turkish beef recipe is very easy to make with a few fridge ingredients without needing a trip to the shop.
- It is ready in 25 minutes, a perfect busy weekday meal that would please everyone, even the picky eaters.
- The leftovers would keep in an airtight container for up to five days refrigerated or up to three months in the freezer.
- Et Sote (or Beef Tava) is loaded with vegetables, beef and Mediterranean flavours.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Beef - Sirloin steaks are the most popular choice for making a stir-fry. However, you can also use flank, skirt, ribeye or even beef chuck. Beef chuck steak is the most economical choice, but it requires some trimming. Make sure you remove the tough tissue from the steaks before frying.
- Red Peppers - You can use Romano peppers or bell peppers.
- Green peppers - I prefer using Turkish green peppers. They are one of the most popular peppers used in Turkish cuisine. They are usually mild but some of them can be quite hot. You can replace them with bell pepper or Spanish Padron peppers.
- Onions - You can use white, brown or yellow onions.
- Tomatoes - Use the best tomatoes you can find (like plum tomatoes).
- Tomato paste - It is the staple of Turkish cooking. It adds an umami flavour to the dishes as well as a bright red colour. You can find it in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops. You can also buy it from Amazon .
- Garlic - Fresh garlic is a great flavouring that adds sweetness and nuttiness to dishes. Turn it into a paste with a Mortar and Pestle or grate it using a Microplane Zester Grater.
- Olive oil - I use a good quality olive oil to achieve the best flavour. You can substitute it with butter.
- Butter - You can substitute it with olive oil.
- Spices - I use dried thyme, chilli flakes and freshly ground black pepper with this sauté beef dish.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making Et Sote (Beef Tava) is very easy and to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few simple steps:
Put a large wok or a frying pan on medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the pan is hot, sear the beef strips until browned.
Melt the butter, add the sliced onions and then sauté for a few minutes.
Stir in the garlic along with the red and green peppers, and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, thyme, pepper, chilli flakes and salt, cook for 30 seconds.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes and then add the water.
Cover the pan with a lid and then cook it on medium heat for 10 minutes, until the beef strips are thoroughly cooked. Serve immediately with your choice of a side dish when still warm.
Related Recipes
For more quick&easy weeknight dishes why not try:
You can serve this meat dish with some pilaf dish such as Bulgur Pilavi (Turkish Bulgur Pilaf), Turkish Rice (Sehriyeli Pilav) or Turkish Bulgur Pilaf With Lentils.
You can also serve Et Sote with some bread to mop up the juices! Turkish Pide Bread - Ramazan Pidesi, Tawa Naan With Garlic or Homemade Pita Bread are great for this task. Ezme Salad (Acili Ezme) and Cacik (Turkish Yoghurt With Cucumbers) are other side dishes that would pair perfectly with this scrumptious meat dish.
The leftovers would keep refrigerated for up to five days and frozen for up to three months in an airtight container.
Top Tip From the Chef
Et Sote is the ultimate quick dinner. This Turkish beef stir fry is cooked in just 15 minutes. Cooking the meat at high heat results in tender, juicy and caramelized beef. This recipe moves fast so make sure you have all of your ingredients ready to go before you start cooking.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this simple, healthy and delicious Turkish Beef Stir Fry as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!
Did you make this recipe?
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Et Sote
Equipment
Ingredients
- 800 g beef strips (Sirloin, flank, skirt, ribeye or beef chuck.)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter (optional, you can use olive oil as a substitute)
- 1 onion (sliced)
- 1 red pepper (sliced) (sweet Romano pepper)
- 3-4 Turkish green peppers (sliced) (or 1 green bell pepper, or 6-7 Padron peppers)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano
- ½ teaspoon flaked chilli (pul biber)
- 2 large tomatoes (diced)
- 150 ml water
Instructions
- Put a large wok or a frying pan on medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the pan is hot, sear the beef stripes until browned.
- Add the butter to the pan along with the sliced onions and sauté for a few minutes.
- Stir in the garlic along with the red and green peppers, and sauté for 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste, thyme, pepper, chilli flakes and salt, cook for 30 seconds and then add the chopped tomatoes.
- Stir well, add the water, cover the pan with a lid and then cook it on medium heat for 10 minutes, until the beef strips are thoroughly cooked.
- Serve immediately with your choice of a side dish when still warm.
Nutrition
FOOD SAFETY
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Don’t leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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Rubin
This recipe was super easy and the beef loin I used maintained excellent flavour and consistency.