Pepper Steak Recipe
The pepper steak recipe I’m sharing in this post is family- and budget-friendly, with maximum flavor. It uses inexpensive chuck beef that I simmer slowly until tender. Crisp vegetables, a savory, delicious sauce with a hint of sweetness you’ll love pouring over rice.
What Makes This Recipe Different?
Most pepper steak recipes use flank steak or sirloin, which cook in just a few minutes over high heat. My recipe takes a different approach.
Chuck steak is a flavorful and economical cut that becomes perfectly tender with slow cooking.
It takes a little more time, but in return, you get juicy beef that practically melts in your mouth. Another difference is how I cook the vegetables. Instead of cooking everything together, I cook the onions and bell peppers separately, then add them back at the end. It takes a few extra minutes, but it helps the onions stay sweet while the peppers keep their beautiful color and slight crunch.
What My Readers Say ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Linnie C:
“I made this last night, and it was delicious (love the sauce) and simple to make! I’ll make this often, and it will replace the pepper steak recipe I used to make. Thank you for sharing an incredible recipe!“
Patsy:
“Made this Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022. Followed the recipe, and it turned out very good, except I should’ve doubled the sauce. Other than that, it was sooo good. Thanks for sharing; I will be making it again soon. Wish I could give more than 5 stars; a definite winner.”
What is Pepper Steak?
Pepper steak is a Chinese- American recipe that was developed in the USA.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The full ingredient list is in the recipe card below.
- Chuck Steak: Has excellent beefy flavor, is budget-friendly, and becomes wonderfully tender after simmering.
- Onion: Becomes naturally sweet as it cooks and adds wonderful depth of flavor.
- Bell Peppers: Green and red bell peppers add freshness, sweetness, and beautiful color.
- Soy Sauce: It gives pepper steak its classic umami flavor. I recommend using low-sodium soy sauce.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce until it lightly coats every slice of beef and every piece of pepper.
How to Make Pepper Steak
Detailed step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Brown the chuck steak in two batches, without overcrowding the pan. Transfer the beef to a plate.
- In the same pan, cook the sliced onion until translucent and lightly softened. Remove and set aside.
- Cook the bell peppers for only a few seconds. Remove and set aside.
- Return the beef to the pan and season it with salt and black pepper. Pour in the boiling water, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until the beef is fork-tender.
- Return the onions and peppers to the pan. Stir gently. Mix the soy sauce, warm water, and cornstarch with the remaining spices. Pour the mixture into the pan and stir until the sauce thickens and beautifully coats every piece of beef. Serve immediately.
These Tips Helped Me Make a Good Pepper Steak
- Browning the beef in batches instead of overcrowding the pan; sear it quickly.
- Don’t rush the simmering time when using chuck steak. Increasing the heat won’t speed up the cooking time but will make the beef tough.
- Slice the vegetables into similar-sized strips so they cook evenly.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I have to brown the beef?
Browning the beef sears it and creates deep flavor through the Maillard reaction and leaves delicious browned bits in the pan that become part of the sauce.
Why simmer the beef for 45 minutes?
Chuck steak needs time. A longer simmer lets the connective tissue soften naturally, creating tender beef that’s worth the wait.
Can I use another beef cut?
Of course, you can use flank steak for pepper steak; it’s moderately priced and delicious.
How to Serve Pepper Steak?
- Because this dish has a delicious sauce, serving it over mashed potatoes complements its flavors.
- Serve it on a warm bed of rice.
- I have served it over pasta, and everyone loved it.
How to Store the Leftovers
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. If the sauce has thickened too much, stir in a splash of water or broth while reheating.
This dish can be stored for a longer time by freezing it for up to 3 months.
Pepper Steak Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lbs chuck steak cut into medium slices
- 1 large onion cut into medium strips
- ½ green bell pepper cut into medium strips
- ½ red bell pepper cut into medium strips
- 1 leveled teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 2 cup Boiling water
- 3 tablespoon oil
FOR THE SAUCE
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce I used low sodium
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ cup warm water
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ginger powder you can use fresh
Instructions
- In a pan, add three tablespoon oil and fry the chuck in two batches until brown on both sides. Remove and keep aside. Don't crowd the pan when browning.
- In the same oil fry the onion until translucent. Remove and keep aside.
- In the same pan, fry the bell peppers for few seconds and keep aside.
- Add the fried chuck back to the pan, Season the chuck with salt and black pepper. Add two cups boiling water and let it cook on medium heat for 45 minutes or until the meat is tender. Add water if the meat is still tough and continue cooking.
- When the meat is cooked add the onion and bell pepper.
- Mix the sauce ingredients and pour over the steak, stir until the sauce thickens.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- You can use other cuts of meat, like T-Bone, Rib Eye, and Tenderloin.
- You can add more vegetables to the pepper steak, like mushrooms, carrots, and zucchini.
- This post was originally posted in 2017.
Nutrition
🍽️Complete Your Meal with these delicious side dishes.
That sounds really tasty! I think peppers and onions were made to go with steak.
Although I don’t eat meat I do cook it every night for my husband. I’ve never tried pepper steak before because I thought it was too complicated. I appreciate the recipe and the printable! I’m going to try it.
My husband loves this dish, I guess men need to have their meat 🙂
I know a few meat lovers who would enjoy this. I used to eat steak but have cut out meat now.
You can use the same recipe using your favorite vegetables!
They all look absolutely delicious. I am having some friends over on Sunday and the Pepper Steak is a must! The recipe is quite easy to follow too!
I would like to try this recipe using white meat because beef is so expensive here. It looks so delicious!
Thank you, Ruth 🙂
I am drooling. This looks so delicious. I don’t think I’ve had pepper steak in a long time.
You have me the best idea! I’m going to try this recipe using chicken breast. Thank you so much.
You are most welcome Dona, chicken is a great substitute.
My mom would totally love this recipe. She is a huge fan of peppers in her dishes.
Hope she enjoys my version!
I made this back in august if 2022 I bought to a friends house he was staying with his nephew at the time and he is a picky eater. I made enough for 3 people . But now I wish I made more his nephew ate well that night he had 2 portions and me and my friend had what was left over and it was devious. So I’ve learned my lesion i make enough for 6 people just so my friend and I have enough to eat
Hi Lisa, Thank you so much for sharing this with me, I’m glad that you all enjoyed my Pepper Steak recipe 😊
This looks SO good. I love a hearty dinner recipe like this.
This looks amazing! I bet it would be goon on tortillas as well as rice! I can’t wait to try it out!
Hmmm, I never thought of using on tortillas! Good idea 🙂
Seriously this Pepper Steak with Onions are so mouth watering, would love to have a taste. Will give this recipe to my sister so she makes one for me.:)
This looks lovely, although I am cutting down on eating meat. Is there anyway to make the recipe vegetarian?
Am a great lover of meat this meal will go down well with me. thanks for the recipe.
I don’t eat meat, nonetheless, this looks delicious! I would probably give it a try and make it and probably replace the meat with tofu.
This recipe can turn vegan and vegetarian easy, hope you enjoy it!
Yum! This looks amazing! I wish I had the ingredients so I could make it for dinner – perhaps this weekend instead!
Your dish is undeniably delicious. How I with I could cook well too. Thumbs up!
I’m not a big eater when it comes to steak but my family is. I’m going to try to make this. I know they’re going to like it. Thanks for the recipe!
You are most welcome!
This looks so irresistibly good!
I was drooling while reading this post lol. Am definitely gonna make this one weekend . Thnaks for the recipe
I’m glad you liked this post 🙂
I think red meat is the way to go but I’m sure white meat with this recipe is just as great. You are definitely right we all cook our meals differently but that’s a good thing because it leads us to share.
You are right Sondra! Chicken also go well if used in this recipe instead of the beef.
Oh wow those dishes look super yummy!! I will have to make them!
Thank you 🙂
Pepper Steak Recipe…. Look Soo delicious. Have never eaten before but wish to ……. Thanks for ur recipes
These are all great dishes. Pepper steak with onions is one of our favorite dishes. This recipe I will have to try for sure. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I love this dish! I make the pepper steak with onions for my boys and chicken for myself. Both goes great over a bed of white rice. Quick and hardy meal for my entire family. Love it!!
Pepper steak is an excellent tasty meal that hardly takes time. Glad you and your family enjoyed it 🙂
I’m going to make your Pepper Steak recipe this evening. Sounds delicious & easy. Let you know how we like it. 🙂
Awesome! hope you’ll love it 🙂
Just saw your recipe for pepper steak. Sound’s delish! Is there a conversion to make it in crockpot? I work and don’t usually have 45 minutes or more to cook in evenings. Any suggestions will help!
Hi Tena, Using crockpot you can cook this dish on high from 3 to 4 hours, on low you can cook it up to 8 hours. Hope this helps.
This recipe sounds wonderful. I bought everything to make it for supper tomorrow. I do have a question. When you add the water to the beef to cook for 45 minutes, you don’t cover the pan? Just want to make sure it turns out good.
Hi Jeri, I didn’t cover the pan while cooking this pepper steak.
I haven’t made pepper steak in awhile. My daughter grandmother use to make it until she passed. I love your recipe because it’s similar to the way I made it but the only thing I did different was, I didn’t add water to the meat. I just seasoned the meat (I used ribeye) and cut it myself. I also put a little sauce to marinate in until i was ready to cook it then I cooked it like hibachi style then I took it out & cooked the veggies with fresh garlic. I like a crunch to my veggies so it was more like a quick little char. I made the sauce as instructed but I used a little teriyaki sauce also then I added the meat & veggies back in the pan & then poured the sauce on top & let the meat tenderize & finish cooking after turning the burner off. My friend & daughter LOVED it & my girlfriend who loves pepper steak but don’t like to eat peppers. I know weird lol. I have made this 5 days in a row last week because they keep requesting for it. We like a little juice or sauce, just enough to cover the rice but they can’t get enough of it. I’m tired of making it already lol. Keep posting. If you could do a recipe for black pepper chicken like the Chinese restaurants, I would lose my mind! Thank you for the awesome recipe.
Hi Tee, thank you for sharing your take on this recipe, it sounds delicious 🙂
I made this last night and it was delicious (love the sauce) and simple to make! I’ll make this often and it will replace the recipe for pepper steak I used to make. Thank you for sharing an incredible recipe!
Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
I made this *almost* to the letter~ I used 1 whole red pepper and l whole yellow pepper as the steak I had was just under a pound. Thank you for providing a delicious way to use up a chuck steak 🙂
Hey Deborah, Thanks so much for trying my recipe and sharing your feedback, you made me happy 🙂
Great recipe. We really loved it. However, at the beginning where it has a total cooking time of 35 mins, it really should be at least an hour if you’re cooking the meat in the water for 45 minutes.
Hi Jason, It was a glitch in the recipe card and I have fixed it. Thank you 🙂
How is the total time 35 mins if the steak has to cook for 45 mins ?
Hi Lily, thank you for bringing this to my attention. It was a glitch in the recipe card and I have fixed it.
This looks really good! Glad I found your site.
Thank you 🙂
2 cups of water sounds like a lot.is the gravythick enough? Sounds like a good recipe. I guess it doesn’t need flour? Thanks
Hi Mary, 2 cups of water will evaporate quickly while cooking, but it will give the steak enough time to cook until tender. The gravy will be a little thick but the cornstarch will make it creamy and silky smooth!
I have tried many pepper steak recipes over the years. I grilled chuck steak yesterday and had some leftover. Decided to make pepper steak with it. I searched and found your recipe. Followed it as written. Truly the best.
So sweet of you to say so 🙂 thanks a lot for your kind comment and I’m glad that you’ve enjoyed it.
I made this today and it was freaking delicious. My family loved it!! Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for your feedback and kind words 🙂
The sauce, onions and peppers were delicious. However….I bought a nice piece of chuck steak, cut it up and cooked according to directions and 2 hours later it was still like shoe leather. I had some uncured beef kielbasa that I cut up and used instead and it was really good. Think I would go with a much higher quality of meat next time.
Glad that you gave my recipe a try!
This is my second time making it and it does not take long to make and is absolutely delicious. Thank you for a quick and easy receipe.
Thanks for your kind comment, glad that you have enjoyed it 🙂
I bookmarked this page and will try to cook the recipe tomorrow, Sunday Philippine time. Seems like easy-to-prepare and the ingredients are not hard to find. I hope I could be able to do it.
Thanks for this recipe! Have been looking for ways to cook meat at home other than my usual sauced/souped stuff. This is a beginner-friendly recipe and I have most of these ingredients at home! Now off to buy my favorite cut of meat 😀 😀
What a great recipe! It looks delicious! Perfect for a sunday lunch relaxing at home
ummm yes please, this sounds amazing!
I’ve missed a good pepper steak! One of the things that I would like to work on is getting a house with a full functioning kitchen.
oh wow. this sounds and looks amazing. I just had fajitas (chicken) with bell peppers and onions tonight. might i ask why you need the cornstarch?
Hi, cornstarch thickens the gravy!
Ooh, this looks SO good! I’ve not had streak in ages, so might have to give this a try later on this week 🙂
Louise x
While reading your steak recipe, I couldn’t help thinking how much rice I could eat along with it. Your recipe looks delicious!
Thank you! I like serving pepper steak with rice too 🙂
This looks so good! I love steak, and this is the kind of thing my husband likes to make regularly, so we’ll have to try this.
This is kinda similar to what we have here in the Philippines. This recipe looks so good.
Nnniiiccceeeee….this is what I had yesterday for lunch, but pork! So nice.
I love sautés there’s delicious and healthy. Yours look fabulous.
This is one of my favorite meals, but yet I rarely make it. I think it will go on the menu for this week!
Hi Muna
i really enjoyed reading your post and i really intend to cook it myself1 i love the suggestion of being made with white meat too: chicken breast will be great in it… Thank you so much for the inspiration1
I’m sure you will enjoy it with chicken too 🙂
This looks so delicious and just like a professional cooking. Would try this during the weekends.
I LOVE ordering pepper steak, but I’ve never made it at home!! I can’t wait to try this!
I love Pepper Steak with Onions. It sounds like a nice dish. I hope to make it soon.
Looks delicious! Will definitely try it!
This looks delicious. I will definitely try the recipe.
Yum Yum, delicious dish. You detail out the recipes so well, perfect for anyone wanting to try at home. I need to try it too. I love steaks and my husband too.
Yum to the yum! I haven’t had this dish since I was a child. I need to make it for my kids. Thank you for another amazing recipe!
Thank you! This is a great dinner. What is your favorite side, mashed potato or rice?
This looks like a great recipe for the meat lovers. Simple and easy to do. Awesome post!!!🤗
If I could give this recipe more than 5 stars, I would! It was so yummy when I made it for dinner. I wouldn’t change a thing
Thank you so much for your feedback Ebony! I’m happy that you have enjoyed it 🙂
Yum ! That looks like diner for me tonight !
That looks and sounds yummy. I love stake.
I don’t eat meet but all of the dishes photographed look delicious. I could see lots os meat eaters enjoying this.
Easy and taste great! I made this recipe as a quick meal for dinner. I didn’t add or take away a thing. My family loved it and it will be one of our future favorites.
Interesting! I haven’t heard about that egg white method for tenderizing beef – thanks for sharing! I agree that steak is one of those things where everyone has their own preferences. All I know is I prefer it like this – with plenty of onions and peppers. I’m thinking this piled on top of a sandwich roll would be delicious!
I never thought of having it as a sandiwch! What a great idea David 🙂
This looks great — tons of flavor, and pretty easy to make. My kind of dish! Thanks.
Made this Saturday Feb. 5, 2022 followed recipe and it turned out very good except I should’ve doubled the sauce other than that it was sooo good thanks for sharing will be making again soon wish I could give more than 5 stars a definite winner 👍👍🤗🤗❤️
Thank you so much for your feedback 😊
This is an excellent recipe. Tried it tonight with white rice. Apparently I misread the ingredients, when I started putting it together I realized I had out brown sugar, so that is what I used. Glad for the mistake!!!
Hi Lavonna, thanks a lot for trying my recipe I’m honored 😊. You forgot to add the sugar but still liked the recipe, and that is what counts 👍
This was one of the best recipes I have ever followed. I added freshly minced garlic and it was perfect. Will be making this often now
Thank you so much for your kind words Hannah, I appreciate your feedback 🥰
Tasty and easy. I used 4 colors of peppers, so pretty as well!
I made this using deer fish turned out amazing
Thank you Lisa, I’m sure my readers appreciate your comment 😊. What type of fish did you use?
I made this for supper tonight – was wonderful! My husband liked it too. I followed the recipe except that as the water cooked down while tenderizing the steak, I added more water a couple of times and continued cooking the steak for the full 45 minutes. It was nice and tender. I also doubled the sauce. We loved it and will definitely make it again!
Thank you for trying my recipe, I appreciate and your feedback 😊