Easy Pepper Steak Recipe with Rice

This easy pepper steak recipe is made with tender slices of flank steak, colorful bell peppers, and onions tossed in a savory homemade stir fry sauce. Serve the beef and peppers over a bed of fluffy white rice for a quick and satisfying weeknight dinner.

Ready in about 30 minutes, this homemade pepper steak is an easy alternative to Chinese takeout. The thinly sliced beef cooks quickly in a hot skillet, while soy sauce, ginger, and cornstarch create a rich sauce that coats every bite. It’s simple, flavorful, and made with everyday ingredients.

Why You’ll Love This Pepper Steak Recipe

• Quick: Dinner can be on the table in about 30 minutes.
• Simple ingredients: You only need steak, peppers, onions and a handful of pantry staples for the sauce.
• One skillet: The beef and vegetables cook together for easy cleanup.
• Takeout-inspired: You get tender beef and crisp peppers coated in a savory Chinese-inspired sauce without ordering takeout.
• Easy to customize: Change the vegetables, use your favorite cut of beef or serve it with white rice, brown rice or cauliflower rice.

Ingredients for Pepper Steak

You only need a handful of ingredients to make homemade pepper steak and rice. Flank steak works especially well because it cooks quickly when thinly sliced, while bell peppers and onions add color, texture and flavor.

Flank Steak – Flank steak is my go-to cut of beef for pepper steak because it cooks quickly and works well in stir fry recipes. Slice the steak thinly against the grain for the most tender results. You can also substitute sirloin, skirt steak, flat iron steak or ribeye.

Oil – A small amount of oil is used to sear the steak and help create that delicious browned exterior. Use a neutral cooking oil that works well with higher heat, such as vegetable, canola or avocado oil.

Bell Peppers – Bell peppers add color, crunch and a slightly sweet flavor to the pepper steak. I like using a combination of red and green bell peppers, but you can use whichever colors you have on hand. Red, yellow and orange peppers tend to be sweeter, while green peppers have a more savory flavor.

White Onion – Sliced white onion adds flavor and a little sweetness as it cooks with the steak and peppers. A yellow onion can easily be substituted if that’s what you have available.

Salt and Pepper

A simple seasoning of salt and black pepper enhances the flavor of the beef. Go light on the salt since soy sauce is naturally salty, and you can always adjust the seasoning before serving.

Ground Ginger – Ground ginger adds a warm, slightly spicy flavor to the homemade pepper steak sauce. For a stronger and fresher ginger flavor, you can substitute freshly grated ginger.

Soy Sauce – Soy sauce creates the salty, savory and umami base of the pepper steak sauce. Regular soy sauce works great, or use low-sodium soy sauce if you want more control over the saltiness of the finished dish.

Water – Water helps thin the soy sauce and creates the right amount of liquid for coating the steak and vegetables. Once combined with the cornstarch, it helps create a smooth, thickened sauce.

Cornstarch – Cornstarch is the thickening agent for the homemade pepper steak sauce. Whisk it thoroughly with the water and soy sauce before adding it to the skillet to prevent lumps. As the sauce heats, it thickens and coats the steak, peppers and onions.

White Rice – White rice is optional but makes the perfect base for serving pepper steak. The rice soaks up the savory sauce and turns the stir fry into a complete meal. You can also serve pepper steak with jasmine rice, brown rice or cauliflower rice.

How to Make

Full directions on how to make this pepper steak stir-fry are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post. This is a quick walk through on this Chinese American dish. An easy meal with simple ingredients.

Step One: The first steps is to prep your beef and slice into thin strips. The thinner the strips the easier it will be to eat. Too thick of pieces can become chewy.

Step Two: Slice up the peppers and onions and set to the side. Heat a pan with oil on medium-high heat.

Step Three: Season the steak with salt and pepper. Don’t use a ton of salt, because of the soy sauce.

Step Four: Place steak into the hot oil and sear for 3-4 minutes. Then add in the pepper and onions and saute to finish cooking.

Step Five: Next you will grab a bowl and add your water, cornstarch, soy sauce, and ginger. Mix well.

Step Six: Pour the sauce into the steak mixture and cook for a minute until sauce is coating all the beef and peppers. Then serve!

Tips for Making the Best Pepper Steak

Slice the steak against the grain. – Always slice flank steak thinly against the grain. This shortens the muscle fibers and helps create tender pieces of beef that are easier to chew.

Cut the steak into thin strips. – Thin, evenly sized strips cook quickly and evenly. If you have trouble slicing the steak, place it in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes first to firm it up.

Use a hot skillet. – Make sure your skillet and oil are hot before adding the beef. This helps sear and brown the outside instead of steaming the steak.

Don’t overcrowd the pan. – If your skillet isn’t large enough to hold the steak in a single layer, cook the beef in batches. Overcrowding can prevent the meat from getting a good sear.

Don’t overcook the vegetables. – Cook the bell peppers and onions until they are tender but still have a slight crunch. This adds great texture to the finished pepper steak.

Adjust the sauce to taste. – Low-sodium soy sauce can be used to reduce the saltiness. Taste the finished sauce before adding additional salt.

Let the sauce thicken. – Once the sauce is added to the skillet, give the cornstarch time to work. Simmer until the sauce thickens and evenly coats the steak, peppers and onions.

Serve immediately. – Pepper steak is best served hot from the skillet while the beef is tender and the vegetables still have some texture. Spoon it over warm white or jasmine rice and serve.

Storing

Refrigerate – Any leftovers you have you can store in the fridge in an airtight container. You will find it stores for 2-3 days in the fridge.

Reheat – To reheat you can warm it up in the microwave. You will find if you heat it up on the stovetop it can burn the sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Recipes

• Stuffed Pepper Casserole
• Hot Dog Chili
• Blackstone Steak and Potatoes
• Pineapple Chicken Kabobs

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