Pepper Steak with Onion

5 from 1 vote

A quick and easy Chinese pepper steak stir-fry is the perfect weeknight dinner!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword chinese pepper steak, pepper steak recipe, pepper steak with onion, recipe for pepper steak

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Marinating Time 1

Total Time 1 35

Servings people

Calories 262kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

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 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into strips
1 medium yellow onion, cut into strips
1 tablespoon minced, grated, or pressed garlic (or about ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (or about ¼ teaspoon ground ginger)
Optional garnish: sliced green onion, toasted sesame seeds, crushed red pepper flakes
For serving: cooked white rice

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 (you can check out this collection of the best cast iron skillets, too).

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.