Easy Pepper Steak: the simple and quick recipe for a tasty main dish

Easy Pepper Steak is a quick and simple dinner recipe for any night of the week. Turn round top steak into a healthy and flavorful weeknight meal with paprika, garlic, bell peppers, onions and a Chinese-inspired sauce. This steak dinner gets a Chinese spin thanks to a soy sauce-based flavoring sauce. Serve the steak over steamed rice to complete this dinner that’s even better than your favorite take-out order. Thanks to plenty of seasoning and crunchy peppers, this homemade version does not skimp on taste. Pair your sliced beef with green bell peppers for the most authentic dish. The color pops for a beautiful presentation, and the peppers add the right amount of crunchy and natural sweetness to the dish.

What is Pepper Steak?

Pepper steak is an American-Chinese fusion dish featuring thinly sliced beef flavored with paprika and garlic, smothered in a butter soy sauce and served over rice. The sauce gets body and flavor from beef stock to amp up the beefiness of the dish.

How to make Easy Pepper Steak

This quick and easy recipe is a matter of a few simple steps. First, you’ll season the beef with paprika. Then, in a large skillet, use butter to sear the beef on all sides until brown. Add the beef stock and let this simmer for half an hour to develop intense flavor. Add sliced green bell peppers and onions and cook them in the broth until they soften. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce and cornstarch to make a slurry. Add this to the simmering broth, beef, and vegetables and stir it well. The sauce should thicken up quickly. When it does, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve the pepper steak over rice.

What kind of meat to use for Pepper Steak?

Because the beef will be simmered for at least half an hour, this is a great recipe for an inexpensive, tougher cut of meat. Beef top round steak is perfect. Simply cut it into 1 inch by 2-inch strips. Other tough cuts will also work, including shoulder and rump.

Could I cook Easy Pepper Steak in the oven?

Yes, you can cook this dish in the oven using a covered oven-safe pot, such as a Dutch oven. Use a 350°F oven.

How long to cook Pepper Steak in the oven?

The cooking time should not change in the oven, as the heat should still keep the broth at a simmer.

What to serve with Easy Pepper Steak

Serve homemade easy pepper steak over your favorite steamed grains. Rice is a classic way to pair this dish, but you can also use quinoa, farro, or even cauliflower rice for a low-carb dinner. You can also round-out the Chinese-inspired dinner with fun sides like potstickers, soup dumplings or steamed Asian greens like bok choy.

Instructions

Sprinkle meat with paprika to season.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Brown the beef, stirring to sear all sides. Add the beef broth and garlic. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Add the green peppers and onion. Cover and continue to simmer for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, soy sauce and water.

Stir the cornstarch mixture into the meat mixture. Cook and stir until thickened. Gently stir in tomatoes and heat through.

Serve over rice.

Notes

– Use low-sodium beef broth if you’re buying it from the store. Or make your own and use it unseasoned.

– You can use other colored bell peppers if you prefer the taste, such as red, orange or yellow.

– Don’t use canned tomatoes, which are too watery. You want the tomatoes to hold their shape after they’re added to the dish.

– You can let the dish cool completely and freeze it in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To reheat, let the container defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Transfer to a skillet and heat through, stirring regularly. Rice does not freeze and defrost well, so it’s best to make that fresh before serving.