Stir-fried beef with Welsh onions
Stir-fried beef with Welsh onions, often known as 'Cong Bao Niu Rou' (葱爆牛肉), is a classic Northern Chinese dish featuring tender slices of beef quickly stir-fried with large sections of green onions (scallions or Welsh onions). The dish is celebrated for its simplicity, relying on high heat and minimal ingredients to create a savory, aromatic flavor profile where the beef remains juicy and the onions provide a sweet, crisp contrast.
🍽️ Nutrition at a glance
This dish is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate meal, making it a good source of iron, zinc, and B vitamins from the beef. A typical serving contains approximately 300-400 calories, with the majority of calories coming from protein and fat.
Nutrition breakdown
| Calories | 350 kcal |
| Protein | 28 g |
| Carbs | 8 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 680 mg |
| Iron | 4.5 mg |
| Zinc | 6.2 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.8 µg |
| Niacin (B3) | 8.5 mg |
| Phosphorus | 220 mg |
| Selenium | 25 µg |
| Vitamin K | 30 µg |
| Potassium | 420 mg |
Per 1 cup (220 g) · estimated, varies by recipe
💡 What's interesting
Culturally, this dish is a staple of Beijing cuisine and is prized for its 'wok hei'—the complex, smoky flavor imparted by a very hot wok. Nutritionally, the quick stir-frying method helps retain more of the beef's nutrients and the onions' antioxidants compared to longer cooking methods.
