Chinese
Pepper Steak
Sirloin strips are seared to medium, then tossed with softened bell peppers and onion in a soy and beef gravy. It tastes savory and peppery, with the vegetables still a little firm.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Searing the strips first, then saucing them, keeps a browned edge.
- Peppers are cooked just until tender so they stay bright.
- A small amount of cornstarch gives the gravy a light cling.
- Pulling the steak at medium and resting it keeps it from going gray.
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.
Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.
Instructions
- 1
Pat the sirloin strips dry and season them with the salt and black pepper.
- 2
Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. If the oil smokes, turn the heat off and let the pan cool slightly before continuing.
- 3
Sear the steak until it reaches medium, pulling the thickest strip at 140°F. Rest it 3 minutes.
- 4
Add the remaining oil, the bell peppers, and the onion. Cook until just tender, about 4 minutes.
- 5
Add the garlic and ginger and stir 30 seconds. Stir in the beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, and cornstarch.
- 6
Simmer 1 minute, until the sauce thickens, then return the steak and any juices and toss to coat.
Pro tips
- Slice the steak across the grain so the strips stay tender.
- Do not cook the peppers until they collapse; they should still have bite.
- Rest the steak on a plate, not in the peppers, so it does not keep cooking in the sauce.
Easy substitutions
- sirloin steak
- flank steak, still pulled at 140°F for medium
- beef broth
- water plus a pinch of salt
- brown sugar
- a teaspoon of honey
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a skillet until hot, and take it off the heat as soon as the steak is warmed so it does not overshoot medium.
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
- 336
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
Moderate · Stovetop · Dairy-Free, High Protein
You might also like
Carne Asada Tacos
Skirt steak is grilled to medium-rare, rested, and sliced against the grain for corn tortillas. The tacos taste charred, citrusy, and beefy, with onion and cilantro on top.
32 min · Medium
View recipe
Garlic Butter Ribeye
Ribeye steaks sear in a hot cast-iron skillet and baste with garlic butter until they are medium-rare. The crust tastes browned and salty, and the center stays warm and juicy with thyme.
25 min · Medium
View recipe
Garlic Butter Steak Bites
Cubes of steak seared in a very hot pan, then finished with garlic butter and rosemary. A weeknight steak that does not require a whole roast.
20 min · Medium
View recipe
Grill Chimichurri Flank Steak
Flank steak gets a simple salt rub, grills hot, and is sliced thin under a bright parsley-garlic chimichurri. The sauce goes on after cooking so the herbs stay fresh.
32 min · Easy
View recipeStill hungry?
More in the same lane, not a random mix.
Steak Fajitas
Skirt or flank steak sliced and seared with peppers and onions. Cook it in a skillet, or on a grill if you already have it hot.
30 min · Medium
View recipe
Beef and Broccoli
Thin slices of flank steak and broccoli in a salty-sweet brown sauce. A weeknight version that still gets a sear on the beef.
30 min · Medium
View recipe
Beef Lo Mein
Steak strips and vegetables are stir-fried with boiled lo mein noodles in a soy and oyster sauce. The noodles taste savory and slightly sweet, with a light ginger bite.
38 min · Easy
View recipe
Beef Stroganoff
Strips of beef and mushrooms in a sour cream sauce over egg noodles. The sauce should be tangy and loose, not a thick gravy.
40 min · Advanced
View recipeFind something else
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.
Read the affiliate disclosure.