Everyone’s Favorite Pepper Steak Stir Fry
Growing up in my family, there were a few foods that were mandatory weekly staples in our kitchen. Like every good Midwestern family, we had spaghetti, chicken pie, and pepper steak every single week. Can anyone relate?
The ingredients for each dish were always included on our weekly grocery list. There was one recipe, however that reigned supreme over the others: Everyone’s Favorite Pepper Steak Stir Fry
This recipe was rather inexpensive, and all the ingredients were relatively easy to come by. Most of the items were staples we already had in our pantry.
We always knew this would be a quick dish, but what makes this gem-of-a-recipe so great is how easy it is. From prep time to ready-on-the-table took less than one hour. Most of that time was spent not-so-patiently waiting for the pepper steak to finish cooking.
We were usually impatiently sitting at the table working on homework or doing our daily chores. The smell of this delicious dish cooking was intoxicating! It was so hard to sit there and wait for it to be done! We usually ended up sneaking a bell pepper slice or two when our parents weren’t looking. It didn’t hurt the recipe any, and the peppers were so crisp and good.
Over the years, I have recreated an tweaked this dish many times. Everyone who tries this easy recipe loves it! Now you can enjoy this delicious pepper steak stir fry recipe for dinner, too!
Why Pepper Steak?
Pepper Steak is an easy, affordable, go-to dish that can feed an entire family, usually with leftovers to spare. We have been known to make it at many gatherings, always to happy guests and raving reviews.
My family loves all kinds of steak, any way we can get it. We are Midwesterners, after all; it kind of goes along with the territory. Whether it’s a skillet steak, steak cooked on the grill, or even a steak that’s simply tossed into a slow cooker, we are going to eat it.
This Pepper Steak recipe is a simple, no-brainer for my family. After trying it, it will become a staple for your family, too.
What You Need To Make Our Pepper Steak Recipe
- 1 pound beef chuck or round, fat trimmed or flank steak
- 1/4 cup liquid aminos or soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or 1/2 teaspoon ground)
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup coconut oil (or ghee, or other keto-friendly oil)
- 1 cup sliced onion
- 2 cup red and green bell peppers
- 1/2 cup tomato juice
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- Fresh cracked black pepper
- (Optional) 2 Tablespoons of sesame oil for extra flavor
Now You Just Have To Throw It All Together And Cook It.
Cut the beef into 1/8-inch thick strips.
Combine the soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and rice wine vinegar in a gallon-size zipper bag. Add the beef, shaking and combining to marinate. Set it aside, and let it work it’s magic while you prepare the vegetables.
Make sure you wash off the cutting board completely, or use a whole new board. Slice the onions and bell peppers into two-inch strips. Put the vegetables in a bowl to the side while you start the part that makes my mouth water.
Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet, frying pan, or wok on medium heat. Add the beef and the contents of the zipper bag to the pan. Toss it all together with a spatula until the meat is browned.
Test the meat; if it is not tender, cover and simmer another 30 minutes, checking it in 10-minute increments.
When the meat is done, crank it up to medium high heat. Add the vegetables, tomato juice, and optional sesame oil carefully to the pan. Toss the mixture until vegetables are coated and tender, about 8 minutes.
Mix the cornstarch with cold water in a small bowl until completely dissolved. Add this mixture to the pan; cook and stir until thickened.
Season with fresh cracked black pepper to taste. Make sure you stir the pepper into the dish well.
Voila!
There you have it: Everyone’s Favorite Pepper Steak Stir Fry! This dish is sometimes called Chinese Pepper Steak. Either way, it’s delicious.
Enjoy!
Pro Tips:
For a variation on the sauce, add in a stalk of thinly sliced celery to the rest of the vegetables. It will lighten the sauce, and give the dish a bright flavor.
Another variation is to use 1 cup of freshly diced tomatoes in place of the tomato juice. The sauce will be thicker and more stew-like, but will have a fresher flavor.
If you like spice, add in 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes! You will get a nice little kick of heat. It’s a quick and easy way to add a layer of flavor to the dish.
Pepper steak can be eaten alone, or served with white rice for a heartier meal.
Pepper Steak
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef chuck or round fat trimmed
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground
- ¼ cup oil
- 1 cup sliced onion
- 1 cup green peppers
- 1 cup red peppers
- ½ cup tomato juice
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- Fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the beef into 1/8-inch thick strips.
- Combine soy sauce, garlic, ginger. Add beef. Toss and set aside while preparing vegetables.
- Heat oil in large frying pan or wok. Add beef and toss over high heat until browned. Test the meat; if it is not tender, cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes over low heat.
- Turn heat up and add vegetables and tomato juice. Toss until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Mix cornstarch with water. Add to pan; stir and cook until thickened.
- Season with fresh cracked black pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
Craving More Dinner Recipes
- 25 Low Carb Slow Cooker Dinner Recipes
- Sausage and Gravy Hobo Dinner
- Apricot Chicken with Apricot Glaze
