Description
This Chinese Pepper Steak with Onions recipe is a quick and flavorful stir-fry dish featuring tender strips of steak cooked with crisp onions, bell peppers, and a savory black pepper sauce. Perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner, this dish marries the bold flavors of soy, oyster sauce, and black pepper with aromatic garlic and ginger for an authentic taste experience. Serve it hot over steamed rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles to complete the meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Marinade
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 pound steak, excess fat trimmed & thinly sliced into 1/2 to 1/4-inch strips
Pepper Sauce
- 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth (or chicken broth or 1/2 bouillon cube dissolved in water)
- 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine or mirin (or dry sherry)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 1/4 teaspoons coarsely-ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided (or neutral oil such as canola)
- 1 medium white onion, peeled & medium diced
- 2 small bell peppers, seeded & medium diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons grated ginger
Garnish & Serving
- Sliced scallions
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Steamed rice, cauliflower rice, or cooked noodles
Instructions
- Marinate the steak: In a medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tablespoon mirin, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Pat the steak strips dry with paper towels, add them to the bowl, and stir gently to coat all pieces evenly. Let the steak marinate for 10-15 minutes while preparing other ingredients.
- Mix the pepper sauce: In a separate bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth, 3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, 3 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine or mirin, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 1/4 teaspoons coarsely-ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt until fully combined and dissolved. Set aside.
- Cook the steak: Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the steak in a single layer without crowding. Cook undisturbed for 30 to 45 seconds until lightly browned, then flip and stir-fry for another 30 seconds until nearly cooked through. Remove the steak from the pan and set aside. Repeat in batches if necessary, adding more oil to prevent steaming.
- Cook the vegetables and aromatics: Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil to the pan. Once hot, add the diced onion and bell peppers along with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until vegetables start to soften. Add minced garlic and grated ginger and stir-fry for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the sauce: Re-whisk the pepper sauce mixture to ensure cornstarch is well combined. Pour it into the pan, stir immediately, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens to a syrupy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
- Finish the stir-fry: Return the cooked steak and any accumulated juices to the pan. Toss everything together for 30 seconds to evenly coat the beef with the thickened sauce. Remove the pan from heat promptly to avoid overcooking.
- Serve: Transfer the pepper steak and vegetables to a serving dish. Garnish with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve hot alongside steamed rice, cauliflower rice, or noodles for a complete meal. Enjoy!
Notes
- For tender meat, slice the steak thinly against the grain into 1/4 to 1/2 inch strips.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce and broth to control saltiness in the dish.
- Cook the steak in batches to prevent overcrowding and steaming, which keeps the beef flavorful and crisp.
- Chinese cooking wine can be substituted with dry sherry or additional mirin.
- Adjust black pepper quantity according to your spice preference.
- This dish pairs well with steamed white rice, cauliflower rice for a low-carb option, or your choice of noodles.
