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Trust me on this one. If you want the most tender pepper steak you’ve ever made at home, this recipe is it. It’s fast, saucy, and I give you just enough tips to make it work on a busy night!
Read This Before You Order Takeout
- It actually turns out tender! No chewy steak, no wondering what went wrong. My pepper steak recipe just works.
- It’s fast enough for a weeknight! Simple ingredients and straightforward steps, and it tastes just like take-out, maybe even better!
- The sauce is so good! The kind you want extra rice for because you’re definitely not letting it go to waste.
Pepper Steak Ingredients
- Steak: You don’t have to use flank steak; you could use sirloin, round, or skirt steak.
- Bell Pepper: Use your favorite color of bell peppers or add some of your favorite vegetables.
How to Make Pepper Steak Stir-Fry
This simple pepper steak recipe is sure to become part of your dinner rotation. You get good protein, veggies, and this dish is ready in 30 minutes! I like serving it with rice and some garlic edamame!
- Cook Peppers: In a medium-sized skillet or wok over medium-high heat, add oil. Add red bell pepper and green bell pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes until tender. Remove and set aside on a plate.
- Cook Steak: Turn the heat to high and add sliced flank steak. Brown the beef for about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-high and continue to cook until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.
- Make Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk minced garlic, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ground ginger, and cornstarch.
- Combine: Add the cooked peppers back to the skillet, then pour in the sauce mixture. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken. Garnish with green onions, if desired, then serve pepper steak over rice.
Alyssa’s Pro Tip
Slicing the Steak: Always slice the meat against the grain for tender steak. If it’s hard to cut, I suggest freezing it for 1-2 hours before slicing.
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Pepper Steak
An easy pepper steak made with tender beef, crisp peppers, and a savory sauce you’ll want over everything.
Ingredients
Peppers and Steak
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 chopped red bell pepper cut into 1 inch cubes or strips
- 1 chopped green bell pepper cut into 1 inch cubes or strips
- 1 ½ pounds sliced flank steak sliced in strips against the grain
Sauce
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar packed
- ½ cup soy sauce low-sodium
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- In a medium-sized skillet or wok over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add 1 chopped red bell pepper and 1 chopped green bell pepper and cook for 1-2 minutes until tender. Remove and set aside on a plate.
- Turn the heat to high and add 1 ½ pounds sliced flank steak. Brown the beef for about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-high and continue to cook until no longer pink, about 3 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk 3 cloves minced garlic, ¼ cup packed brown sugar , ½ cup soy sauce , 2 teaspoons sesame oil , 1 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch.
- Add the cooked peppers back to the skillet, then pour in the sauce. Continue to cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken. Serve over rice.
Video
Notes
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
- Freezer: Freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 407kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 40gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 102mgSodium: 1717mgPotassium: 790mgFiber: 1gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 1042IUVitamin C: 63mgCalcium: 63mgIron: 4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
Very good and simple recipe…
Great and very easy to follow…I agree the sauce tasted very salty on its own so I added a little more sugar but over rice it was great!
Do you use light or dark brown sugar?
I used light but dark will work if you like the richer flavoring.
What other cuts of Steak could you use besides flank steak? We are on a budget and flank steaks are a bit on the pricier side…
If you purchase your meat from a butcher, some can also help you pick the right meat for you that is at your expense. I suggest using a type of roast or skirt steak then.
This is wonderful! I made this tonight after my husband and I decided we needed to eat more vegetables 🙂 I added onion, water chestnuts, onions, and pea pods- delicious!!! I also added some cayenne pepper for a little spice, it’s a win!
Hi,
This looks amazing! Does anyone happen to know what the equivalent to flank steak would be in Australia? Thank you
Jiffy steak or London broil.
I made this tonight and thought It was incredible, and scratched that stir fry itch I had.
I substituted sirloin for the flank steak, but kept everything else the same. I’ll definitely make this again.
Love this! I’m making it for the second time tonight. I added onions and I’d love to add broccoli or peas, but my son-in-law hates veggies so I’m just glad he loves the peppers! It’s a winner, thanks so much!!
I’m making this for dinner tonight. In the list of ingredients, you mention 2 tablespoons of olive oil, divided. Yet in the instructions, you only mentioned using 1 tablespoon with the peppers. I will assume that the other tablespoon of olive oil is to be used to brown the flank steak or perhaps I need a stronger pair of reading glasses.
I was wondering the same thing…and also assumed the other tbsp on the meat.
The recipe looks great! I was going to print it out and try it but hesitated because this recipe is missing Nutrition Facts. My husband is diabetic and we count carbohydrates. I see in a previous post that you are working to add this data. I will sure try out this recipe once you get this updated:)
I made this the other day. This was such an incredible recipe! Thank you! The sauce is so clean! I can’t eat a heavy sauce. This is restaurant quality!
I’m On Board with Jessica. Cut back on the sauce, since it’s so overwhelming, you can’t enjoy the meal.
Just made this tonight and it was a hit with my very picky eaters! I used a little less brown sugar, a non-packed quarter cup instead of packed. I also cut my soy sauce since I didn’t have low sodium. I used a quarter cup of soy then added a little more than a quarter cup of water to balance the salt. But then my family added more soy so maybe I should have just left it alone! I will add this to my meal options for sure.
your recipe are absolutely delicious. I love your work. Thanks For Sharing.
Just found out about your blog. We were trying another Pepper Steak and it was terrible, but your recipe will be our second attempt. I can already tell that yours will be better. But, I’ve got a question for you. Why don’t you make videos and post them on Youtube? Then, we can get to know who you are, and then it would be easier for us (out here in real world with just a little cooking experience) to try your recipes and duplicate the taste. Just a thought … thanks, DavidF
Delicious Pepper Steak! It was a hit with my husband. Very easy to make. You chop veggies beforehand. Sauté veggies move them over and sauté meat (tenderloin). Add sauce and stir….. ready! Great recipe