Description
Pepper Steak is a flavorful and easy-to-make Chinese-inspired dish featuring tender marinated flank steak sautéed with colorful bell peppers and onions in a savory black pepper sauce. Ready in under an hour, this restaurant-quality main course is perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner served over rice.
Ingredients
Beef and Vegetables
- 1 pound flank steak, sliced thinly against the grain
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch cubes
Marinade
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Black Pepper Sauce
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¾ cup beef stock
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Garnish
- Green onions, sliced
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prepare Marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, olive oil, cornstarch, and baking soda until fully combined.
- Marinate Beef: Add the thinly sliced flank steak into the marinade mixture, stirring to coat evenly. Let it marinate for at least 15 minutes, up to 24 hours for more tenderness.
- Mix Black Pepper Sauce: In another bowl, whisk together low-sodium soy sauce, beef stock, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, black pepper, minced garlic, minced ginger, and cornstarch. Set this sauce aside to be used later.
- Sear Beef: Heat olive oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Sear the marinated beef slices for about 1½ minutes on each side until browned but not fully cooked. Remove beef from skillet and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same skillet, add the cubed onions, red and green bell peppers. Cook for 5-6 minutes until vegetables become tender but still crisp.
- Simmer Sauce with Vegetables: Reduce heat to medium-low and pour the prepared black pepper sauce over the sautéed vegetables. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes, allowing the sauce to start thickening and coat the vegetables.
- Combine Beef and Sauce: Return the seared beef back into the skillet, stirring to coat the meat evenly with the sauce and vegetables. Continue cooking for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glossy consistency and beef is cooked through.
- Serve and Garnish: Serve the pepper steak hot over cooked rice and garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds for added flavor and visual appeal.
Notes
- Slice against the grain: This technique helps make flank steak more tender and easier to chew, as flank steak is a lean but tougher cut of meat.
- Don’t skip the baking soda: Baking soda acts as a tenderizer through ‘velveting,’ softening the meat quickly during the short marinade time.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce: Prevents the dish from becoming overly salty and allows the other flavors like sugar, vinegar, pepper, and ginger to shine through.
