Pepper Steak is one of my all time favorite dishes from my childhood. It is one of those classic dishes that people have been making for years and there are so many variations of it. This Chinese pepper steak recipe is the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal or alternative to takeout.
About this Pepper Steak
My favorite way to make pepper steak is definitely this recipe which has all the classic items (steak, green and red peppers and garlic). It also has fresh tomatoes which to me makes the dish amazing!
I like to omit one classic item, which is onions because I am sensitive to them but you could add those in if you like. I just add extra garlic to make up for not having onions.
Pepper steak is really such an amazing dish. I like to make this dish during the week because it is so easy to prepare and it is ready in 30 minutes.
The ingredients you will need to make this pepper steak recipe are:
- steak
- green and red bell peppers
- garlic
- mushrooms (optional)
- soy sauce
- corn starch
- fresh tomatoes
- salt and pepper
It also makes a great "make your own takeout" at home dish. Trust me, the ingredients and flavors will be better than anything you could order out.
I love recreating restaurant meals at home instead of eating out. Some of my favorites are my Fajitas tacos, Veggie Fried Rice, Chinese Chicken , Weeknight Korean Beef , Thai Chicken and Basil Stir Fry and Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs!
I don't know how authentic pepper steak is in Chinese culture but I do know it was always an option on Chinese restaurant menus and I always ordered it. At the restaurants, it is called Chinese pepper steak because of the red and green peppers added not black peppercorns like some people think.
Tips on how to cook Chinese pepper steak at home
First you want to think about what cut of steak you are using for your Asian pepper steak. If it is a tough cut of meat to start with then you will need to marinate that meat for a few hours to get it nice and tender.
You can use the ingredients from the sauce below to do this.
Next, If you are working with a lean and tender cut of meat (strip steak, filet or sirloin) then you need to make sure you are not over cooking the meat. You only need to cut the meat into strips and sear on a high heat for a couple
minutes.Once the steak is seared on all sides just cook for an additional couple minutes to cook it all the way though.
Best Meat for Pepper Steak
For this pepper steak recipe, I chose steak tips because this is a tender cut of meat. Steal tips are already partially cut and it can stand up to a little more cooking than a strip steak or sirloin.
I use it for so many recipes like my Dijon steak tips , Steak tips with rojo chimichurri. All have the same idea which is quick cooking but taste amazing.
I really love cooking with steak tips since it cuts down on the cooking time by quite a bit. If I cannot find steak tips, my second choice is sirloin steak cut into strips.
I hope these tips on how to cook pepper steak are helpful and give you the confidence to make this at home. Once you give this a try and see just how delicious and easy it is to make, I know you will be hooked!
What to Serve with this Pepper Steak:
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Tried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!
Ingredients
- 1 medium red pepper sliced thin
- 1 medium green pepper sliced thin
- 1 small package of cremini mushrooms sliced about 4 ounces
- 3 cloves of garlic sliced thin
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lb steak tips cut into small pieces about ½ inch
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 small tomatoes cut into quarters
Instructions
- Pre-heat a large saute pan or wok over medium high heat
- carefully add 1 tablespoon of your vegetable oil and let that heat nice and hot
- While your pan is pre-heating, prep your vegetables as listed above
- Once your pan is pre-heated, add your meat to the pan and sear for 3 minutes on first side
- Flip your meat over and sear the other side for another 2-3 minutes until it gets a nice brown color on the outside. If your meat has too much moisture, spoon out any liquid from your pan to ensure the meat sears properly.
- Once the meat is seared, remove from the pan on to a large plate and place the pan back over the heat.
- Now add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- Next, add your peppers and mushrooms to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes flipping them occasionally
- Now add your garlic and cook for another 2 minutes
- While your garlic is cooking, take your cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of your soy sauce and add that to a small bowl and mix well to form a slurry.
- Mix this slurry and the remaining soy sauce, quartered tomatoes and the seared meat into the pan of vegetables.
- Mix well and reduce heat to low.
- Cover your pan with a lid or aluminum foil and let it cook for 2-3 minutes
- Remove lid and give the pepper steak a good stir.
- Add a pinch of salt and a few twists of fresh black pepper and taste for any additional seasoning needed
- Serve immediately along side white rice or your favorite side dish.
Nutrition
Nutrition Values are estimates only.
See full nutrition disclaimer here
Jenna says
The whole family loved it