dinner recipes

Pepper Steak Stir Fry Recipe

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This easy pepper steak stir fry recipe comes together in just 30 minutes and it’s better than takeout! It’s got everything I look for in a meal (from both a nutrition and an enjoyment standpoint): carbs, veggies, protein, and FLAVOR! Not only does it taste incredible (just read the reviews!), but it’s also easy to make and made with simple ingredients. Serve up this stir fry steak with rice for a completely delicious meal that will get rave reviews from the family.

Bowl of rice with steak stir fry on top.

Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

Close up of steak stir fry with peppers.

What You’ll Love About Steak Stir Fry Recipes

  • So much flavor!
  • Tender beef, crisp vegetables, and sweet and savory sauce
  • Balanced meal with protein, carbs, and veggies
  • Thick and glossy sauce like your favorite take out spot
  • Made with simple ingredients
  • Easy recipe to make
  • A family favorite, read the reviews below! (And don’t forget to leave your own)

Steak Stir Fry Ingredient List

  • Oil – Use a vegetable oil that can take high heat – like avocado oil, canola oil, or peanut oil.
  • Bell peppers – I love the mix of colors and flavors with red bell pepper and green bell peppers, but you can also use yellow and orange peppers as well. I would recommend using 2 green and then 2 sweet peppers for the best balance of flavors and variety of vibrant colors.
  • Steak – Flank steak works really well in this pepper steak stir fry, but you could also use another cut like sirloin steak or skirt steak that will stay tender if it’s cooked quickly. When you are cutting flank steak for stir fry, you want to cut it into thin strips against the grain. The flank steak from my Moink Box was perfectly tender! Some stores also carry a stir fry cut of steak which should work well and even cut down on prep time.
  • Garlic – Fresh garlic cloves will give the best flavor, but you could use frozen or jarred garlic for a convenient shortcut.
  • Ginger – Use fresh ginger or use frozen ginger cubes for an easy alternative.
  • Soy sauce – Use your favorite soy sauce, you can also use low sodium soy sauce, though you may need to adjust the seasonings. You could also use tamari or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce to make this recipe gluten-free.
  • Brown sugar – This gives a sweet flavor to the stir fry. You could also use honey or coconut sugar if you prefer.
  • Corn starch – The corn starch helps create a thick and glossy sauce, but you can omit it if you prefer. You may need to cook the sauce a few extra minutes to help it thicken up.
  • Rice vinegar – This helps balance the flavors of the stir fry marinade for steak. You could also use white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or even a white balsamic vinegar.
  • Sesame oil – Use a high-quality toasted sesame oil for best flavor.
  • Sea salt and black pepper
  • Rice – Serve the stir fry over your favorite rice – white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice are all delicious options.
  • Spice – If you like a little spice, you can add sliced jalapenos to the stir fry or finish the dish with red pepper flakes or your favorite Asian hot sauce.
Ingredients to make steak stir fry recipe.

How to Make Steak Stir Fry

This is an overview on how to make steak stir fry, the detailed instructions can be found below in the recipe card.

Make rice. Cook rice according to package instructions or use a rice maker to make things really easy. (It’s one of my favorite appliances!)
Prep ingredients. As with any stir fry recipe, you want to have all of your ingredients ready to go before you start cooking as it cooks quickly! Slice peppers, cut flank steak into thin slices, mince garlic and ginger.

PRO TIP: Freeze steak for 30 minutes or so to make it easier to slice. Slice it against the grain so the bites are nice and tender.

Make savory sauce. In a small bowl, stir together minced garlic, minced ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, and cornstarch until smooth.
Steak stir fry sauce marinade in a bowl.
Stir fry peppers. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet (the largest you have or a large wok) and stir fry bell pepper strips in hot oil for about 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
Peppers for stir fry steak and peppers in skillet.
Stir fry steak. Heat remaining vegetable oil in the same skillet and add steak to skillet in a single layer. Season with salt and pepper and cook until steak has browned.
Sliced flank steak in a skillet for stir fry.
Finish stir fry. Add peppers and soy sauce mixture back to the skillet and stir frequently, cooking for an additional few minutes, or until sauce is thick and glossy.
Steak stir fry with peppers in a skillet.
Serve. Serve beef stir-fry over a bed of rice and with any desired spices or seasonings.

FAQs

Can I add extra vegetables to this easy pepper steak recipe?

Yes, you could virtually use any vegetable; you’ll just need to be mindful of the cooking time and cooking order if using a variety of vegetables. Carrots, broccoli, onion, zucchini, mushrooms, green beans, snow peas, and bok choy would all be delicious.

What’s in pepper steak stir fry sauce?

This recipe for pepper steak stir fry sauce is simple and made with ingredients that you probably already have:

  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Soy sauce
  • Brown sugar
  • Cornstarch
  • Rice wine vinegar
  • Sesame oil

Can you make pepper steak stir fry without cornstarch?

Yes, you can omit the cornstarch if you like, the sauce will not be as thick and glossy like it is at Chinese restaurants, but will still be full of flavor.

Is this pepper steak recipe healthy?

Well I say everything is healthy. 🙂 Some foods are more nutritious than others, but all food serves a purpose. This tender pepper steak has protein, carbs, produce, and fats. OH, and FLAVOR. So I would say, yes, it’s incredibly delicious AND nutritious.

Is beef pepper stir fry Chinese?

Pepper steak is a Chinese-American dish that consists of sliced beef, sliced bell peppers, bamboo shoots and a soy sauce-based sauce. It originated from Fujian cuisine, where pork was originally used and the seasonings a bit lighter. The American adaptation dates back to 1948.

Bowl of pepper steak stir fry.

Storage Instructions

Store pepper steak stir fry leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

How to reheat

Reheat the stir fry in the microwave, or for best results, in a hot skillet, just until heated through.

What to Serve with Beef Stir Fry

Rice is, of course, the classic accompaniment, but you also have some other options:

  • Rice – Use a rice maker for perfect rice every time.
  • Noodles – Use rice noodles, soba noodles, or even regular spaghetti noodles.
  • Cauliflower rice – Add in even more veggies to this meal by serving the pepper steak stir fry recipe over a base of cauliflower rice OR combine some rice with cauliflower rice for a happy medium.
Close up of pepper steak stir fry.

How to Feed Stir Fry Steak to the Whole Family

I get it, feeding kids can be tough! But following the Division of Responsibility and knowing your job and your child’s job makes it SO much more enjoyable. You’ll be able to feed your kids any meal, which will help ensure that they are eating a variety of nutritious foods – with plenty of play food sprinkled in.

I would recommend serving small pieces of the homemade steak stir fry in a pinch bowl (taster bowl) if it’s a new or learning-to-like it food. Serve the meal with a few items you know your kids will eat, like fruit, milk, and/or bread and butter.

I like to serve this pepper steak stir fry with rice, but you can also serve it with noodles if you prefer. I would use a longer noodle like spaghetti or a flat noodle like linguine or Pad Thai noodles.

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Skillet with steak stir fry and peppers.

More Easy Stir Fry Recipes

If you like this flank steak stir fry, give one of these other easy stir fry recipes a try next time:

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Bowl of rice with steak stir fry on top.

Pepper Steak Stir Fry Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Emily Dingmann of myeverydaytable.com
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Skillet
  • Cuisine: Chinese
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

This flavorful pepper steak stir fry recipe is ready in just 30 minutes! Quick, easy, and packed with healthy ingredients – a great weeknight dinner option!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
  • 2 green bell peppers
  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 16 oz. flank steak
  • 3/4 tsp. sea salt, divided
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 3 tsp. minced ginger
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp. sesame oil

Instructions

  1. Prep ingredients: 
    Prepare rice according to package instructions. 
    Slice bell peppers. 
    Slice flank steak against the grain in 1/4 inch slices. **Freeze for 30 min to make this easy
    Mince garlic. 
    Mince ginger.
  2. Mix up the stir fry sauce. Whisk together minced garlic, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and cornstarch in a small bowl. 
    Steak stir fry sauce marinade in a bowl.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. Add peppers and 1/4 teaspoon salt to skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes. Transfer peppers to a plate. 
    Peppers for stir fry steak and peppers in skillet.
  4. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. Add steak and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes, until browned. 
    Sliced flank steak in a skillet for stir fry.
  5. Add peppers and soy sauce mixture to the pan and stir occasionally, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. 
    Steak stir fry with peppers in a skillet.
  6. Serve peppers and steak over rice. 
    Bowl of pepper steak stir fry.


Notes

  • Nutrition facts do not include rice.
  • If you like it spicy, add 1/2-1 sliced jalapeno.

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Reader Interactions

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Comments

  1. Molly

    This was amazing! Everyone loved it: husband, teenager, 9-year-old, and me. I make stir fry pretty often and this sauce was the best I’ve made! I will make it again soon!






  2. dorinda

    This recipe was great,.. and i used chicken because I didn’t have beef. However I was confused about the garlic and ginger…. it says mix with soy , sugar etc, in a sauce but then later it says add garlic and ginger to peppers when cooking…not sure what it means,. but mine was all mixed together…

    • Emily

      Oh thank you so much for catching that, I just updated it. I tested it both ways and they both work. 🙂 Glad you enjoyed it!

  3. Jenna

    When (and to what) do you add the rice wine vinegar? It’s listed in the ingredients but not the action steps. Thank you!

  4. Tonya

    This was delish I tripled the sauce so we have extra for our rice and my son’s noodles. Definitely added to our family menu

  5. Molly M

    I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to comment and rate this recipe. We make it literally almost every other week in our house. It’s a MAJOR family favorite and I sometimes even sneak in other veggies like broccoli or zucchini sliced. It’s easy and if I have time, I prep and cut veggies ahead of making it. I use Akaushi flank steak from my local grocery store and the beef is the ABSOLUTE BOMB. Thank you for making the recipe -MY FAMILY MAJORLY APPROVES!






    • Emily Dingmannn

      Yay! This review means so much to me and I so appreciate you taking the time to leave it! 🙂 Love that it’s a weekly staple at your house, and love the idea of some sliced zucchini in there, too.

Trackbacks

  1. […] This easy pepper and steak stir fry recipe comes together in just 30 minutes, and it’s better than takeout! It’s got everything I look for in a meal (from both a nutrition and an enjoyment standpoint): carbs, veggies, protein, and FLAVOR! Serve up this stir-fried steak with rice for a completely delicious meal. Get the recipe: Pepper Steak Stir Fry Recipe […]

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