Description
This Quick & Easy Skillet Chinese Pepper Steak Stir Fry brings restaurant flavor to your weeknight table fast. We use tender beef strips, crisp bell peppers, and onions coated in a savory, slightly sweet sauce. It is a joyful meal that reminds you cooking should be fun, not serious.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs Flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce (for marinating)
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch (for marinating)
- 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil (for searing)
- 1 large Onion, cut into thick wedges
- 2 Bell peppers (red and green), sliced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Fresh ginger, grated
- 1/4 cup Beef broth
- 3 tablespoons Soy sauce (for sauce)
- 2 tablespoons Brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Oyster sauce (optional, for deeper flavor)
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons cold water (slurry)
Instructions
- Place the sliced steak in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Toss well to coat. Let it sit while you prepare the vegetables.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the beef broth, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, oyster sauce (if using), and sesame oil. Set the sauce aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the marinated beef in a single layer (work in batches if necessary to avoid crowding). Sear quickly until browned, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove the beef and set it aside.
- Add a little more oil to the skillet if needed. Add the onion wedges and bell pepper slices. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until crisp-tender.
- Push the vegetables to one side of the skillet. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the open space. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Mix the aromatics with the vegetables.
- Return the cooked beef to the skillet. Pour the prepared sauce mixture over the beef and vegetables. Bring the sauce to a simmer.
- Stir the cornstarch slurry again, then pour it slowly into the simmering sauce while stirring constantly. The sauce will thicken quickly.
- Cook for one final minute until the sauce coats everything nicely. Serve immediately over hot rice.
Notes
- For extra tenderness, you can marinate the beef for 30 minutes before cooking.
- We love using red and green peppers for color, but use whatever you have on hand.
- This dish pairs perfectly with steamed white rice or noodles.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stir Fry
- Cuisine: Chinese American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 650mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 90mg