Easy Pepper Steak Recipe

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Better than takeout Chinese Pepper Steak

Chinese takeout is one of my favorite cuisines to make at home and this Pepper Steak recipe does not disappoint!  It will satisfy all of your Chinese food cravings with its juicy beef, sweet, bell peppers and complex layers of savory, garlicy, gingery and as-spicy-as-you-want-it essence. As much as I love the end result of this Pepper Steak, I especially love how it’s such a quick prep-ahead meal.  By marinating the beef and slicing the peppers ahead of time, you can literally have dinner on the table in 10 minutes once you start cooking!  So, please don’t shy away when you look at the ingredient list – it is long – but most of the ingredients are just dump and whisk; I wouldn’t want you to cheat yourself out of this sensationally satisfying Pepper Steak recipe!

Why we love this Chinese Pepper Steak Recipe

Family friendly:  everyone loves Chinese Pepper Steak!  Unlike my Szechuan Beef, it is not spicy – or only as spicy as you want to make it.  Easy:  although this recipe takes some planning ahead due to marinating the beef – it is SO easy! Marinate the steak, chop the bell peppers and aromatics, whisk the stir fry sauce together then cook!  Simple ingredients:  this Pepper Steak recipe is made with pantry staples if you do much Asian cooking at all.  If not, you can easily find all of the ingredients at your grocery store.  Keep some flank steak in the freezer then you can make it any time. FLAVOR!  the stir fry sauce is bursting with aromatic garlic and ginger along with soy sauce, chicken broth, oyster sauce and chili sauce for a savory, salty, deeply satisfying richness that envelops every nook and cranny of the fresh stir-fried Chinese Pepper Steak. Juicy and tender:  I’ve included a simple marinade which also includes a secret ingredient that will deliver the most, tender, juicy steak ever. Customizable:   use whatever veggies you have on hand; add more or less heat, any variety of CRUNCH such as peanuts, cashews or water chestnuts and/or even add fruit such as pineapple or mangos.  I also like to mix up how I serve my Pepper Steak:  over rice, zoodles, or ramen, or even dice the steak smaller and serve in lettuce wraps. Make ahead.  The fantastic thing about this Pepper Steak recipe is it can be prepped ahead. Marinate your steak, chop your bell peppers and whisk the stir fry sauce together.  The sauce can be stored for weeks, then just thrown into the skillet when you’re ready to cook!

Now, I’m going to break down this Pepper Steak recipe and try and answer all your questions as well as offer some tips and tricks.  You can use my “jump to recipe” button at the top of the page to skip straight to the recipe.

What you’ll need for this Easy Pepper Steak Recipe

WHAT KIND OF BEEF IS USED FOR PEPPER STEAK?

I recommend flank steak for this Peppers and Steak recipe because it has just the right amount of marbling for maximum flavor and emerges buttery tender once marinated and cooks up quickly without becoming chewy or rubbery (just don’t overcook!). It is also less expensive than prime cuts but emerges equally delicious. You are also welcome to use tenderloin, sirloin or ribeye steak for this Chinese Pepper Steak recipe if you already have it on hand, but otherwise, I wouldn’t spend the extra money on it.

HOW DO YOU MAKE CHINESE PEPPER STEAK TENDER?

This Chinese Pepper Steak is crazy tender thanks to 1) slicing the beef thinly, 2) slicing the beef across the grain and 3) marinating the beef.  The marinade is a very thick combination of soy sauce, rice wine, cornstarch etc. and it makes ALL the difference between buttery tender beef and okay beef.  Here’s how it works:

soy sauce:  the salt in the soy sauce helps break down the proteins for a more tender texture and infuses the steak with flavor. rice wine: is an acidic ingredient that breaks down lean muscle fibers on the surface meat. cornstarch: acts as a binder and helps our soy sauce bind to the meat for more flavorful beef.   Cornstarch also provides a light coating that helps protect it from the intense heat when cooking. 

To elevate the Pepper Steak marinade even more so the beef is bursting with flavor through and through, we add:

1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder

Now the Chinese Pepper Steak is undeniably the most tender, flavorful steak you’ve ever encountered on its own – now just wait for the stir fry sauce!

Pepper Steak Chinese Sauce Ingredients

The Pepper Steak stir-fry sauce is exploding with complex flavor but is super easy to make. The ingredient list might seem a bit lengthy, but all you do is whisk everything together.  Here’s what you’ll need:

HOW DO I THICKEN THE STIR FRY SAUCE?

The cornstarch in both the sauce and from the beef marinade will thicken the sauce as it simmers with the bell peppers.  If you still would like a thicker sauce, then just keep simmering until it reaches desired consistency, but take care not to overcook your bell peppers.  For an even thicker sauce, make a slurry by whisking 1 teaspoon cornstarch in 2 tablespoons chicken broth then adding it to the simmering sauce.  Repeat this step as desired.

HOW DO I THIN THE STIR FRY SAUCE?

Your stir fry sauce will thicken more the longer it is simmers. If it simmers to the point of too thick, don’t worry! It is easy to thin by whisking in additional chicken broth or water. 

HOW DO I STORE THE STIR FRY SAUCE?

Stir fry sauce can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container or mason jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.  Shake it up or whisk it to recombine before using.

PEPPER STEAK RECIPE HELPFUL TOOLS

Large Saucepan:  if you don’t have a wok, then a large stainless-steel saucepan is the perfect alternative for stir fries, curries and I also LOVE it for pastas!  They are virtually indestructible, distribute heat evenly, don’t react with acidic ingredients and won’t leech into the food.  I love both my 10 and 12-inch Le Creuset Stainless Steel Pans but this more economical pan also has excellent reviews. Garlic press:  I use this every single day!   It is the ultimate garlic press- it is easy-to-use, easy-to-clean and minces garlic with one squeeze.  Unlike other presses, this garlic press has beveled holes that finely cut the clove rather than bruising it, bringing out the best flavor. Zester/micro planer: cooking is made 100X easier when you have the right tools for the job! This zester is razor-sharp and makes grating everything a snap from ginger, lemons, limes, Parmesan, nutmeg and chocolate.  Quality Knives: a chef’s knife will be your most used kitchen tool by far!  Quality knives make prep time much quicker and are important for safety as well.  If you’re concerned about moola, please remember that your best chef knives, depending on how hard you use them and how well you take care of them, can easily last 25 years or more. I love my Wusthof but there are hundreds of less expensive knives with great reviews such as this one.

To make this Pepper Steak Recipe crispy:

How to make Pepper Steak and Rice in advance

Chinese Pepper Steak has a few steps, but you can prep EVERYTHING ahead of time so all that’s left to do at dinnertime is cook! Here’s how:

Slice steak:  you can do this at any time before marinating or just before marinating then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Marinate steak:  marinate your beef 30 minutes up to 8 hours before cooking. Make stir-fry sauce:  whisk the ingredients together up to 24 hours in advance and store, covered in the refrigerator. Chop veggies:  you can slice your bell peppers and onions, chop your garlic, and grate your ginger 24 hours in advance and store in separate air tight containers in the refrigerator. Cook!  Now all that’s left to do is stir fry within the next 48 hours without any of the prep!

Easy Pepper Steak Recipe Variations

While this Pepper Steak sauce is just right for us, you can adjust it to make it just right for YOU and your family’s personal tastes. Just keep a note of your adjustments then whip out the perfect stir fry sauce every time.  

sweeten it up with additional brown sugar or swap the sugar for honey add sweet heat with sweet chili sauce for extra tang, add additional rice wine spice it up with additional chili sauce add herbs such as Thai basil, coriander or cilantro amp up the garlic and/or ginger for a stronger punch of flavor add fun with nuts, water chestnuts, sesame seeds, pineapple, mangos or Mandarin oranges

CAN I ADD OTHER VEGETABLES?

Chinese Pepper Steak is named for its two main ingredients – bell peppers and steak- so essentially you need bell peppers in order to make “Pepper Steak.” That being said, if you don’t have bell peppers on hand you can still make a steak stir fry – just don’t call it Pepper Steak 😉.   You can also swap one of the bell peppers for other vegetables.

WHAT ELSE CAN I ADD TO CHINESE PEPPER STEAK?

This Chinese Pepper Steak doesn’t have to be limited to just protein and veggies.  I often like to add nuts to my stir fries.  Here are some ideas: 

Nuts:  peanuts or cashews add a deeply satisfying crunch that you will CRAVE in every bite!  Take care to purchase raw, unsalted nuts.  To elevate your cashews or peanuts, dry roast them in a nonstick skillet until toasted- YUM! Water chestnuts:  also add a tantalizing crunch.  Water chestnuts are easy to find in a can so you can keep them stocked and ready to go. Sesame seeds:  add the nutty sesame flavor.  Take care to use toasted sesame seeds or toast them yourself. Pineapple:  for sweet and savory – think teriyaki chicken and pineapple.  Mango: one of my favorite fruits to add to EVERYTHING.  If you’re intimidated by choosing or cutting mangos, check out this post here. Mandarin oranges:  use canned or fresh.  Fresh hold together better but canned or super convenient. Ramen:  use less veggies so your stir fry is saucier and add some cooked ramen.

If using other stir fry vegetables, you can mix and match based on what’s in your fridge, your favorites, what’s in season or what’s on sale such as: 

Bean sprouts (popular addition) Broccoli Carrots Mushrooms Snow Peas Snap Peas Zucchini Celery Asparagus Baby corn Edamame Cabbage (green or red) Spinach Bok choy

Pepper Steak Recipe Easy tips and tricks

This Pepper Steak recipe is pretty straightforward, but here is a summary of some tips and tricks to make it a sizzling success:

TIPS FOR TENDER STEAK:

Use a sharp knife. Sharpen your knife before slicing the steak to ensure buttery clean cuts. Freeze steak.   Place your steak in the freezer 60 minutes before cutting. This will help it not wiggle beneath your knife so it’s much easier to slice thinly and cleanly. Slice steak into thirds.  I recommend slicing your steak into thirds before you freeze it so you can work with one third at a time while the rest of the steak stays frozen. Slice steak across the grain.  You want to cut perpendicular to the muscle fibers running through the steak in one direction so they become as short as possible and virtually undiscernible.  If you cut with the grain, the fibers are left long which results in chewy, rubbery steak.  Slice steak thinly.  This goes with slicing your steak across the grain – by slicing your steak thinly (about ¼-inch slices), you are shortening the muscle fibers which results in more tender steak. Use a hot skillet.  Make sure your skillet is smoking hot before adding your steak so it will sear on the outside and remain tender on the inside. Don’t overlap steak. Add steak to the skillet in a single layer to sear otherwise it will steam. Cook steak in batches.   You will need to cook your steak in 2-3 batches so there is enough room for it to sear in a single layer. Don’t overcook steak.  Overcooked steak means tough steak.  Don’t cook your steak completely when searing because it will continue to cook when you will add it back to the skillet with the stir fry sauce

TIPS FOR THE BEST STIR FRY:

Use correct oil.  You may substitute the vegetable oil with peanut oil but please don’t use olive oil because olive oil has a lower smoking point and stronger flavor. Prep veggies and sauce first.  While your steak is marinating, chop the bell peppers and aromatics and prep your sauce.  You want everything ready before you start actually cooking the Pepper Steak because the actually stir-frying takes just a few minutes. If you have to stop to make your sauce while your bell peppers are still in the pan, they can end up soft and even worse – mushy. Dry vegetables.  It is important that the bell peppers are dry or they will steam and not get the characteristic stir-fry texture. To dry vegetables, pat them very dry with paper towels. Garlic pro tip: purchase the pre-bagged, already peeled garlic to save time.  They are actually less expensive than whole garlic cloves (at least when I did the math). Ginger pro tip:  I like to freeze ginger so it’s always at my fingertips.  To freeze ginger: grate it, spread it by the teaspoon or tablespoon on parchment paper and flash freeze until solid, about 1 hour.  Transfer to an airtight container or plastic bag for up to 6 months.   You can add frozen ginger directly to your stir fry. Onion pro tip:  to help prevent tearing up while you slice your onions, freeze the onion for 30 minutes.  The cold slows the conversion of sulfoxides into those irritating eye-stinging gases. Use quality ingredients. QUALITY oyster sauce like Lee Kum Kee or Kikkoman is essential because you can TASTE the difference! Use rice wine and NOT rice wine vinegar.  Rice wine is NOT rice vinegar- DO NOT switch them out.  Rice wine adds a sweetness and depth of flavor; rice vinegar, on the other hand, will add an acidic flavor. Customize heat. Use more or less chili sauce depending on how spicy you want your Pepper Steak recipe. Don’t overcook bell peppers.  I suggest setting the timer for 1 minute – it can go fast and you don’t want to overcook the bell peppers.  It is better to under-cook them when stir frying then allow them to reach desired-crisp tenderness once you add the stir fry sauce. Add sauce to the sides of the pan.  Pour the stir fry sauce around and down the sides of the pan instead of directly into the center.  This will prevent the pan from cooling down too much.  

To make this Pepper Steak Recipe crispy:

This Pepper Steak is more tender than crispy because it is sautéed verses fried.  To create crispy steak, you will need to fry the steak:

Toss steak in an additional 2 tablespoons cornstarch right before cooking. Fill the bottom of a heavy bottom pan completely with vegetable oil or other high smoking point oil until it reaches ¼-inch up the sides. Heat oil over medium high heat until it very hot and smoking – the oil should sizzle if you flick water on it (375 degrees F). Add steak in a single layer using tongs. Fry for 1-2 minute or until deeply golden. If the steak is not completely submerged, then flip after 1 minute and cook an additional minute on the other side or until deeply golden. Remove to a cooling rack set over paper towels to drain.

What to serve with this Pepper Steak Recipe

Traditionally, Chinese Pepper Steak is served with rice to soak up all the sauce and for a neutral textural component for all that savory stir fry sauce.  RICE OPTIONS

Rice. I like jasmine rice or brown rice but any rice will work.  Just pop the rice in your rice cooker for a hands’ off, easy side. You can also use microwave rice pouches if you’re making a serving for one or meal prep.   Low carb.  Cauliflower rice, quinoa, broccoli rice or a blend of brown rice and any of the aforementioned options.   You can also use low carb noodles such as zoodles or spaghetti squash. Noodles.  Ramen, soba noodles, rice noodles or even linguine are a fun way to mix things up! 

IN ADDITION TO RICE, YOU CAN SERVE PEPPER STEAK WITH:

Appetizers: You can turn Pepper Steak into a feast by pairing it with Chinese appetizers such as Crab Rangoons, Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Pineapple Cream Cheese Wontons, Traditional Egg Rolls, Sesame Chicken Egg Rolls, Sweet and Sour Chicken Egg Rolls or Chinese Chicken Wings.  It is also delicious with potstickers, even though they are technically Japanese and not Chinese.   Soup:  Let the Chinese feast continue with soup!  I love to warm up to Egg Drop Soup  which is SUPER easy and always a sultry, satisfying favorite.   Salad:  This Pepper Steak recipe also pairs wonderfully with a fresh, crunchy salad such as Crunchy Asian Salad, Chinese Salad, or Asian Pineapple Salad. Fruit: fresh fruit such as chopped pineapple is always an easy, welcome sweet stir fry side.  Grilled Pineapple, Summer Fruit Salad, Perfect Fruit Salad, Creamy Grape Salad, and Pina Colada Fruit Salad are also fantastic.

How to store Pepper Steak and Rice

This easy Pepper Steak reheats wonderfully for lunches or dinners, just take care to not overcook it initially. 

How to store:  Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. How to reheat in microwave: transfer small portions to a microwave safe dish, heat for one minute, stir then continue to heat at 30 second intervals.  How to reheat on the stove: For larger portions, rewarm gently in a large skillet, stirring often.  You may need to add a splash of water (better yet chicken broth if you have it) to thin the sauce as needed.

How to freeze Chinese Pepper Steak

I do not recommend freezing the Pepper Steak once assembled because the bell peppers can become a mushy texture, but you can freeze the steak and stir fry sauce separately. 

TO FREEZE BEFORE STIR-FRYING

Stir Fry Sauce: whisk together, add to a freezer bag or freezer safe airtight container, label and freeze for up to 3 months. Steak: you can freeze the steak after combined with the marinade or after its seared.  After you sear the steak, let it cool completely then transfer it to an airtight container or plastic freezer bag and squeeze out any excess air. Freeze for 2 to 3 months.  Defrost in the refrigerator before using.

TO FREEZE AFTER STIR-FRYING

If you want to freeze after the Chinese Pepper Steak is already assembled, I suggest picking out the bell peppers or using a different more freezer friendly vegetable such as broccoli. 

Let Pepper Steak cool completely in the refrigerator. Transfer to an airtight container.  If using a freezer bag, squeeze out any excess air to prevent freezer burn. Label and freeze for up to 3 months.  When ready to eat, let Pepper Steak defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave for 60 seconds then at 30 second intervals or gently on the stove.

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