Pepper Steak with Onions
Pepper Steak with onions is tender and juicy steak slices mixed with peppers and lots of onion in a flavorful sauce. Please watch the video tutorial to help you make this amazing dinner.
We often have pepper steak and onions for dinner, and I’ll show you how to make it unforgettable. You will surely enjoy this pepper steak recipe more than the takeout you order from your local Chinese restaurant.
Steak peppers and onions are often served with noodles, but you’ll enjoy them more when they’re served with rice; therefore, at some restaurants, it is called pepper steak and rice.
❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE PEPPER STEAK
Easy to make: It’s perfect for busy weeknights or when you’re short on time. It requires only a few basic ingredients and takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.
Versatile: Steak and onions can be customized to suit your taste preferences. You can adjust the amount of pepper, soy sauce, and other seasonings to make it spicier or milder. You can also add vegetables like broccoli or carrots to make it a more wholesome meal.
Delicious: This Pepper Steak recipe is packed with flavor and tastes delicious. The tender beef strips are infused with the bold flavors of garlic, ginger, and soy sauce, and the black pepper adds a spicy kick that is simply irresistible.
Healthy: Beef pepper steak is a healthier alternative to takeout Pepper Steak, using lean beef and fresh ingredients. It is also low in calories and high in protein.
📝 INGREDIENTS FOR PEPPER STEAK
Chuck steak: You’ll be needing some chuck steak to make this recipe. It will provide a rich, beefy flavor and a tender texture.
Onion: We’ll also need a large onion to add some sweetness and depth of flavor to the dish. It will caramelize and add a savory element.
Green and red bell pepper: Bell pepper will add a fresh, slightly sweet flavor. It will also add some crunch and color.
Black pepper: Black pepper adds some heat and depth of flavor to the dish.
Boiling Water: Boiling water will help cook the steak and vegetables. It will help to create a flavorful broth and cook the ingredients evenly.
Oil: Oil will help cook the steak and vegetables and prevent them from sticking to the pan. It will also add some richness and depth of flavor to the dish.
Soy sauce: Soy sauce will add some umami flavor to the dish. It will also provide some saltiness and depth of flavor.
Cornstarch: Cornstarch thickens the sauce and makes it more velvety and rich.
Sugar: Sugar is to balance the saltiness and add some sweetness to the sauce. It will also help to caramelize the sauce.
Onion, garlic, and ginger powder: These spices will add savory flavor to the sauce.
🥄 HOW TO MAKE PEPPER STEAK WITH ONIONS
Everyone looks for tender meat, peppers with a slight crunch, and flavorful sauce in a pepper steak stir fry. The beef pepper steak recipe I’m sharing today might take a little longer to cook, but the outcome is a fantastic dinner. It is also safer to store because the meat is thoroughly cooked.
Step 1
In a frying pan, add the oil, and when hot, fry the steaks in batches. Make sure to brown both sides of the steak slices, and cook on high heat.
Step 2
Remove the meat after browning and cover it with foil properly; this step will allow it to rest and continue cooking using the heat in the juices captured inside it.
Step 3
In the same pan, add the onion and fry on high until translucent. Remove from the pan and keep aside.
Step 4
Fry the bell peppers for a few seconds and remove from the pan and keep aside.
Step 5
Return the meat to the pan and season with salt and black pepper. Stir for a minute and then add the boiling water and cook for 45 minutes until the meat is tender.
Step 6
Now add the onion and bell pepper and stir for a minute.
Step 7
Mix the sauce ingredients and pour over the Steak. Stir the mixture until the sauce thickens.
I cook the steak for 45 minutes to make sure f two things:
- The meat is tender and thoroughly cooked.
- If I store it in the fridge or freezer, I know it’s safe to reheat it.
If you want a faster version of cooking the meat, then do the following:
- In a frying pan, add oil, keep the heat on high.
- Add the meat, don’t crowd the pan with the meat.
- Do not touch the meat at all for 1 minute. Flip the meat and cook for another minute on the other side. Remove from heat and cover for 10 minutes, and then follow the recipe skipping the step where you add water to cook the meat for 45 minutes.
👩🏽🍳 PRO TIPS
Sear the steak: To create a flavorful crust on the steak, sear it in a hot pan for a few minutes on each side before cooking it through. This will also help to lock in the juices and keep the meat tender.
Cut the vegetables evenly: To ensure they cook evenly, cut them into similar sizes and shapes. Steak and peppers are an amazing combo and make for a visually appealing dish.
Rest the steak: After cooking it, let it rest for a few minutes before cutting it. This will allow the juices to redistribute, making for juicier and more tender meat.
Serve with rice or noodles: This dish is traditionally served with steamed rice or noodles, which will soak up the flavorful sauce and complement the savory flavors of the steak and vegetables.
Garnish with green onions: For a pop of color and freshness, sprinkle chopped green onions over the top of the dish before serving. This will also add a subtle onion flavor to the dish.
💬 FAQ
Pepper Steak is a Chinese American dish that was adapted along the way.
Pepper Steak has a little salty flavor from the soy sauce, a slightly sweet flavor from the sugar, and an incredible blend of flavors from the garlic, ginger, and onion powder.
I love using Chuck Steak for Pepper Steak, but there are many other options you can go with. Another great option is flank steak.
You can also use tenderloin, top sirloin steak, skirt steak, top round steak, or ribeye steak.
The beef pepper steak recipe isn’t too spicy. When you hear about Pepper Steak, the obvious assumption is that the ‘pepper’ part refers to black pepper, but that’s not the case! It actually refers to the green and red bell peppers that give this dish incredible color and flavor.
🍽️ HOW TO SERVE IT
- Serve the pepper steak over a bed of fluffy white rice for a classic and satisfying meal.
- For a healthy and colorful plate, pair the dish with some stir-fried vegetables, such as broccoli, bell peppers, and snap peas.
- For a heartier option, serve the pepper steak on mashed potatoes or roasted sweet potatoes.
- Add some Asian-inspired flair by serving the pepper steak with steamed dumplings or egg rolls.
- For a lighter option, serve the pepper steak over a fresh arugula or spinach salad with a light vinaigrette dressing.
👪 SERVING SIZE
You can serve this dish to three people, with some mashed potatoes or steamed vegetables on the side.
📋 VARIATIONS
This Pepper Steak recipe is all you can dream of, but here are a few ways you can change up the flavor and make this recipe your own:
- Add sweet heat to this dish by adding some sweet chili sauce.
- Make it hot and spicy by adding some homemade Schezwan Sauce or red pepper flakes.
- Make it sweeter by adding more sugar to the recipe.
- Add herbs such as Thai basil or cilantro to make it refreshing.
- Add a crunch by adding nuts such as peanuts or water chestnuts.
- Make it tropical by adding mangoes, pineapple, or Mandarin oranges.
Related Beef Recipes
- Easy Old Fashioned Beef Stew.
- Ground Beef Quesadilla Easy Recipe.
- Egyptian Kofta Recipe.
- Jamaican Beef Patties Detailed Recipe.
- Instant Pot Chilli Easy Recipe.
🌡️ STORING
The pepper steak leftover can last up to 4 days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. Reheat by microwaving or heating it on the stovetop in a pan.
You can freeze the leftover after putting it in an airtight container for 3 months. Thaw the pepper steak in the fridge for 6 to 7 hours and then heat it in the microwave or stovetop.
Note: Although you can freeze the pepper steak, remember that the bell peppers will come out a little mushy!
Pepper Steak with Onions
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.
Video
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, updated in November 2020, and again in March 2022.
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 😊