This pepper steak recipe is my go-to when I'm craving take-out-style flavor, but want it to be healthier and homemade. It's gingery, garlicky, and fast. The BEST part is my signature stir-fry sauce, which pulls it all together. Big flavor. Real ingredients. Weeknight ready.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Bell peppers: You can use orange (my personal favorite), yellow, or red. Green bell peppers tend to be slightly bitter.
- Onion: You'll need a whole small onion. Use red, yellow, or white onion.
- Steak: I go with top-sirloin—it's quick to cook, easy to slice, and stays tender without any fuss.
- Stir-fry sauce: This is my homemade sauce made with ginger, garlic, chili flakes, and a special ingredient to give it a hint of sweetness. You can also use store-bought stir-fry sauce.
How to Make Pepper Steak
Before you turn on your stove, have everything prepped—sauce mixed, steak sliced thin, and peppers and onions cut into chunky wedges. Stir-fry moves fast, and once the heat's on, there's no time to pause.
If you've got a large wok, now's the time to use it. A big stainless steel skillet works too. Set it over medium-high heat, drizzle in the oil, and give the pan a quick swirl to coat the bottom—this is where the flavor starts.
Toss in the onion and bell pepper wedges and add hit them with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir-fry just until the onions start to soften and everything picks up a little color.
Slide in the sliced steak, add another pinch of salt and pepper, and stir-fry for 3-5 minutes, until the beef browns. Pour in the sauce and crank the heat—let it bubble, coat, and thicken into that crave-worthy glaze that clings to every bite. You're looking for glossy, saucy, slightly caramelized edges.
How to Serve Pepper Steak
Spoon it hot over rice, or if you want to switch it up, it’s also great over noodles or cauliflower rice—anything that soaks up that glossy, garlicky sauce.
More Crave-Worthy Dinners
- Za’atar Chicken Thighs with Tahini Garlic Sauce – herby, juicy, and bold.
- Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders – easy and full of flavor.
- Crave-Worthy Tortellini with Roasted Veg & Rustic Marinara – pasta comfort at its best.
- Rigatoni with Italian Sausage and Kale – savory, hearty, and built for cravings.
Pepper Steak with the BEST Stir Fry Sauce
Quick, bold pepper steak with tender beef, peppers, and a garlicky stir-fry sauce. Big takeout flavor, made at home in under 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Beef Recipes, Stir-Fry, Quick Dinners
- Method: Stir-Fry
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
2 tablespoons high-smoke-point oil (light olive oil, avocado oil, or ghee)
1 small onion, cut into chunky wedges
2 bell peppers (orange, yellow, red), deseeded and cut into chunky wedges
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 ½ pounds top sirloin steak, thinly sliced against the grain
¾ cup homemade or store-bought stir-fry sauce
Steamed rice, for serving
Instructions
- Prep everything before you start cooking. Slice the steak thin, cut your onion and bell peppers into chunky wedges, and have your stir-fry sauce ready.
- Heat your pan. Place a large wok or stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Cook the vegetables. Add the onion and bell pepper wedges to the hot oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, just until the onions start to soften and everything picks up a little color.
- Add the steak. Pour in the stir-fry sauce and crank the heat. Let it bubble and reduce, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and coats everything—about 5 minutes.
- Spoon over hot rice, or switch it up with noodles or cauliflower rice—anything that can soak up that garlicky, gingery sauce.
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