Description
This Chinese Pepper Steak with Onions recipe is a flavorful stir-fry featuring tender strips of steak marinated and cooked with crisp bell peppers, onions, and a savory black pepper sauce. It’s a quick 30-minute dish perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner served over steamed rice or noodles.
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 pound steak, excess fat trimmed & thinly sliced into 1/2 to 1/4-inch strips
Pepper Sauce
- 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth (or chicken broth or 1/2 bouillon cube dissolved in water)
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine or mirin (or dry sherry)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 1/4 teaspoons coarsely-ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Vegetables and Cooking
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided (or neutral oil, such as canola)
- 1 medium white onion, peeled & medium diced
- 2 small bell peppers, seeded & medium diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons grated ginger
Garnish and Serving
- Sliced scallions
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Steamed rice, cauliflower rice, or cooked noodles
Instructions
- Marinate the steak: In a medium bowl, combine the low-sodium soy sauce, mirin, and cornstarch. Pat the steak dry with paper towels, add the steak strips to the bowl, and stir gently to coat all pieces with the marinade. Set aside for 10-15 minutes while preparing other ingredients.
- Mix the pepper sauce: In a separate bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce, honey, oyster sauce, Chinese cooking wine or mirin, cornstarch, coarsely-ground black pepper, and kosher salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Cook the steak: Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of peanut or neutral oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the marinated steak in a single layer without crowding. Cook undisturbed for 30–45 seconds until lightly browned, then flip and stir-fry for another 30 seconds until almost cooked through. Remove the steak from the pan and set aside. Cook in batches if needed, adding more oil to prevent steaming.
- Cook the vegetables and aromatics: Return the pan to medium heat and add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. When hot, add the diced onion and bell peppers along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until starting to soften. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, and stir-fry for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the sauce: Re-whisk the prepared pepper sauce and pour it into the pan. Stir immediately, reduce heat to maintain a simmer, and cook for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens to a syrupy consistency and coats the back of a spoon.
- Finish the stir-fry: Return the cooked steak and any accumulated juices to the pan. Toss for about 30 seconds to coat the beef thoroughly with the thickened sauce. Remove immediately from heat.
- Serve: Transfer the pepper steak to a serving dish. Garnish with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve hot with steamed rice, cauliflower rice, or cooked noodles. Enjoy your flavorful Chinese Pepper Steak!
Notes
- For the steak, flank or sirloin steak works well when thinly sliced against the grain.
- Do not overcrowd the pan when cooking the steak to ensure a good sear and avoid steaming the meat.
- Adjust the amount of black pepper to taste for desired spiciness.
- Mirin can be substituted with Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry in both marinade and sauce.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce and broth to control saltiness in the dish.
