Chinese
Black Pepper Beef and Peppers
Sliced steak and bell peppers hit a hot pan with a lot of black pepper and a short soy sauce. It is a fast stir-fry that is not the broccoli version.
- Prep
- 12 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 22 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Steak is sliced thin so it stays tender.
- The pepper is the point, not an afterthought.
- Dinner is done in about 20 minutes.
- It is high protein without a heavy sauce.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Toss the steak with salt and 1 tsp of the pepper.
- 2
Stir the soy sauce, water, and cornstarch together in a cup.
- 3
Heat the oil in a large skillet over high. Sear the steak in a single layer until browned, about 1 minute per side. It should still be a little pink in the center. Move it out.
- 4
Cook the peppers and onion 3 minutes, until crisp-tender. Add the garlic and the remaining pepper for 20 seconds.
- 5
Return the steak. Pour in the cornstarch mixture and toss 30 seconds, until the sauce glosses the meat.
- 6
Finish with scallions. Serve right away.
Pro tips
- High heat and a single layer. Crowding boils the steak.
- Slice the steak across the grain so the pieces are not chewy.
- Cornstarch needs a brief boil to thicken. Thirty seconds is enough.
Easy substitutions
- Sirloin
- Flank steak, sliced thin.
- Soy sauce
- Tamari for a gluten-free version.
- Bell peppers
- One pepper and a handful of snap peas.
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days. The peppers soften.
Reheating
Warm quickly in a hot skillet. A long simmer will toughen the steak.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 290
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Moderate · Stovetop · Dairy-Free
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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