Pepper steak with onion is a classic stir-fried Chinese dish full of tender, marinated flank steak and crisp veggies tossed in a sweet and savory sauce.
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A Chinese stir-fry is always a quick dinner winner! Whether we throw together chicken and broccoli stir-fry, “egg roll in a bowl,” or ground beef stir-fry with cabbage, these easy and healthy meals appeal to even the pickiest little eaters. Add a side of fluffy white rice and some frozen egg rolls and you’ve got a simple, affordable weeknight supper in no time. Plus, it saves you a trip to the local Chinese restaurant!
Made this as is tonight… well, with 3 bell peppers and snap peas… we like veggies… marinaded for 3’ish hours, served over jasmine rice… very nice, flavors great… will make again!
– Scott
Pepper Steak and Onion vs. Mongolian Steak
Chinese pepper steak is named for its two primary ingredients: sliced steak and sliced bell peppers. The dish typically includes seasonings such as soy sauce and ginger, and is usually thickened with cornstarch. Sliced onions and/or bean sprouts may also make an appearance.
Like pepper steak, Mongolian beef features stir-fried sliced steak. Unlike pepper steak, however, the Mongolian beef does not typically include bell peppers (or any vegetables for that matter). The sauce that coats Mongolian steak is typically sweeter than pepper steak sauce.
Ingredient Notes and Tips for Success
- Flank steak is our top pick for this pepper steak recipe, but other good options include sirloin, skirt steak, or top round steak. Flank steak is full of intense beef flavor, takes well to marinade, and is best when sliced thin against the grain. When cooked quickly at a high temperature (as in a stir-fry recipe), flank steak stays tender and juicy.
- Place the flank steak in the freezer for up to 30 minutes before slicing. A partially frozen flank steak is much easier to slice into thin strips.
- This savory, umami pepper steak sauce has a hint of sweetness in the background that isn’t overpowering. It’s a flavorful combination of soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, beef broth, and brown sugar, which is thickened with cornstarch. Garlic and ginger also add nice savory flavor to the dish.
- Store fresh ginger root in the freezer so that it’s always available when you need to grate off a little bit for a recipe. You can also substitute with dried ground ginger here.
- Sesame oil is an essential ingredient for that true Asian flavor. Do not substitute with a different oil. The sesame oil has a unique nutty flavor that’s hard to replicate with other ingredients, and it truly makes the dish! You can find sesame oil in the Asian or International foods aisle at just about every grocery store these days, or order it online here.
How to Make Pepper Steak with Onion
This recipe for pepper steak with onion comes together quickly on the stovetop. Just remember to let the steak marinate for at least an hour for the best flavor and texture! I’ve included the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick overview:
- Slice the flank steak against the grain (perpendicular to the natural lines that you see running through the meat). This yields tender, juicy strips of steak.
- Marinate the sliced steak in soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil.
- Whisk together the sauce ingredients.
- Stir-fry the steak, and then transfer it to a plate. If your skillet or wok isn’t big enough to comfortably cook the steak in a single layer, then work in batches and cook half of the meat at a time. I use this 14-inch cast iron skillet. Make sure that your skillet is really hot when you add the steak. You want the meat to cook quickly so that it stays juicy and tender, rather than cooking longer and becoming dry and tough.
- Stir-fry the vegetables.
- Add the steak and sauce to the pan.
- Cook until the sauce thickens. For a thicker sauce, let it cook an extra minute or so, but remember — the sauce will continue to thicken slightly as it cools. If you find that the sauce gets too thick, you can always thin it out again by adding a splash of water or broth.
Serving Suggestions
You can’t beat the classic combination of pepper steak and rice! Garnish each serving with your favorite toppings like sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, red pepper flakes, chopped peanuts, or crunchy chow mein noodles.
To round out the pepper steak stir fry with additional side dishes, try pairing it with pasta, ramen noodles, sesame peanut noodles, sesame ginger snap pea salad, Chinese ramen noodle coleslaw, or baked store-bought egg rolls. Don’t forget fortune cookies for dessert, too!
Storage Tips
- Leftover pepper steak with onions and peppers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- You can also freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 months. It’s important to note, however, that the texture of the veggies will be mushy or soft after thawing.
- Reheat the pepper steak and onion with the sauce in a skillet over low heat, or in the microwave until warmed through, about 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to reheat it for too long or you can dry out the meat.
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Chinese Pepper Steak with Onion
Ingredients
- 1 (1 lb.) flank steak, sliced ¼-inch thick against the grain
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce, divided
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon rice vinegar, divided
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon sesame oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
- 1 medium yellow onion, cut into strips
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (about 3 cloves) (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger)
- Optional garnish: sliced green onion, toasted sesame seeds, crushed red pepper flakes
- For serving: cooked white rice
Instructions
- In a large bowl or in a large Ziploc bag, stir together the steak, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to overnight).
- In a small bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the cornstarch and the remaining 3 tablespoons of soy sauce until smooth. Add the broth, remaining 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar, remaining 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, brown sugar, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Remove the steak from the marinade; set it on a plate. If there’s any extra marinade left in the bag or bowl, add it to the broth mixture.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet (at least 12-14 inches) over medium-high heat. Add the steak in a single layer; cook until browned, about 5-6 minutes. Remove the steak to a clean plate. Wipe out the skillet, discarding the drippings.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add the bell peppers and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned, about 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger; cook, stirring constantly, for 2 more minutes.
- Add the steak and sauce to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Serve with rice and garnish with green onion, sesame seeds, or crushed red pepper flakes.
Notes
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- Place the flank steak in the freezer for up to 30 minutes before slicing. A partially frozen flank steak is much easier to slice into thin strips.
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- Slice the flank steak against the grain (perpendicular to the natural lines that you see running through the meat). This yields tender, juicy strips of steak.
Nutrition
Recipe Variations
- Use other vegetables in lieu of the peppers, such as broccoli, baby corn, snap peas, asparagus, sliced mushrooms, or thinly-sliced carrots. You can also add bamboo shoots or water chestnuts.
- For a sweeter sauce, add 1-2 more tablespoons of brown sugar. You can also stir about 1-2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce into the skillet towards the end for a richer, sweeter flavor.
- Swap out the flank steak and use shrimp or chicken in this easy stir fry recipe.
- I use yellow onion, but any variety will work. Try sweet onions or white onions if that’s what you have on hand.
- Any colors of sweet bell peppers will work. I use red bell peppers and green bell peppers, but orange bell peppers or yellow bell peppers are also great options.
- Make it spicy with the addition of crushed red pepper flakes or a splash of sriracha hot sauce.
More Chinese Stir Fry Recipes to Try
Ground Beef Stir Fry with Cabbage
25 minutes mins
Mu Shu Pork
26 minutes mins
Chicken Bell Pepper Stir Fry
28 minutes mins
Originally published in July 2023, this post was updated in February 2025.
made this as is tonight… well, with 3 bell peppers and snap peas… we like veggies… marinaded for 3’ish hrs, served over jasmine rice… very nice, flavors great… will make again!
Thank you, Scott! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Made this last night, fantastic. It was so flavorful. My husband loved it. I can’t say enough how delicious this is . Thank you
Thank you, Cindy! We’re so glad you enjoyed it.
Very yummy!! I cooked it in a slow cooker as like the Mongolian Beef, added the peppers and water chestnuts the last 5mins. Very simple
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Holly!