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This easy Pepper Steak Stir Fry recipe has everything you could possibly want in an Asian beef stir fry! It's loaded with lean beef and fresh, healthy vegetables like bell peppers and green beans. Plus, it's ready in just 30 minutes! 🍜
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Best Steak Stir Fry Recipe
We are obsessed with this healthy beef stir fry recipe!
Asian beef stir fry recipes (like our Keto Beef and Broccoli) are always a treat. This one really knocks it out of the park! Lean flank steak stir-fried with garlic, ginger, soy, and chili paste has so much flavor.
Top it off with green beans, teriyaki sauce, and bell peppers, and you have yourself the perfect pepper steak recipe!
What is pepper steak?
Pepper steak is a stir fry recipe popular in Chinese-American restaurants. The original Chinese dish it takes its inspiration from is black pepper beef, which has a much stronger taste of black pepper in the stir fry sauce.
Recipes for pepper steak include bell peppers, a flavorful beef stir fry sauce, and onions. It's a truly delicious way to make a steak stir fry!
For our Asian beef stir fry recipe we use a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and chili paste to stir fry the beef, then top it off with teriyaki and vegetables.
⭐ Best Beef Recipes Tips
- You can use garlic and ginger paste instead of fresh garlic and ginger to save on prep time making your pepper steak stir fry.
- If you prefer not to slice the beef yourself, look for stir-fry cut beef, or ask your butcher at the grocery store to put your flank steak through a wide mincer for nice, thin strips.
- You can buy pre-trimmed green beans or even use thawed frozen green beans if you prefer.
Follow this guide to make the perfect rice at home: How to Cook Perfect Rice.
What is a wok?
A wok is a large, round-bottomed pan originating from China. They are widely used in Asian cooking and are very versatile pans.
Woks are perfect for stir-frying as they distribute heat very well. And, because of its bowl-like shape, woks make it easy to toss your stir fry when cooking!
Do I need a wok to make this recipe?
No, not at all! If you don't have a wok, you can just use your favorite large skillet to make your pepper steak stir fry.
We recommend a cast-iron skillet as it will give the beef the most beautiful sear. However, any large skillet will do.
How to Cut Flank Steak for Stir Fry
If you want to cut your own flank steak to use in this recipe or other flank steak recipes, follow these tips:
- Identify the grain of the steak. The grain is the alignment of the muscle fiber in a cut of beef. It's easy to spot - it looks like lines running through the steak!
- Always slice against the grain. Slicing against the grain will give you the most tender cuts of beef, so find the grain and slice in the opposite direction it's running.
- Cut at an angle instead of straight down, and cut thin slices. For stir-fry beef you want thin, minced slices. For best results cut it to ¼ of an inch, and no larger than ½ of an inch.
- Freezing the beef for approximately and hour will make it easier to cut.
Is this pepper steak recipe gluten-free?
No, this beef stir fry recipe is not naturally gluten-free. It uses soy sauce and teriyaki sauce, which tend to have gluten. The chili paste may also have gluten unless you purchase a gluten-free version.
The good news is, these are all easy ingredients to find gluten-free! You can easily make this stir-fry recipe gluten-free by buying gluten-free soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and chili paste.
Is steak stir fry keto-friendly?
Because this pepper steak stir fry recipe uses soy and teriyaki sauce, it is not keto-friendly. However, you can easily make it keto-friendly by using soy sauce substitutes, just like we do in our Instant Pot Keto Beef and Broccoli.
What to Serve with Steak Stir Fry
Serve this healthy beef stir fry recipe over rice or noodles. Lo mein egg noodles are perfect for serving a steak stir fry! For a low-carb alternative, serve this easy stir-fry recipe over cauliflower rice.
Try more Steak Dinner Ideas!
Did you try this recipe? Let us know what you think in the comments below and with a rating! We love to hear from you. What are your favorite stir fry toppings?
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Pepper Steak Stir Fry Recipe
Equipment
- Skillet/wok
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 pound flank steak or sirloin steak sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced, or garlic paste
- 1 tablespoon ginger minced, or ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon chili paste
- 1 pound green beans trimmed
- ½ cup teriyaki sauce
- 2 cups bell peppers mixed, sliced (approx. 2 bell peppers)
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup green onions thinly sliced
- ¼ cup basil leaves thinly sliced
- 4 cups cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until sizzling hot. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and swirl the pan to coat the bottom.
- Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons minced garlic, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, and 1 tablespoon chili paste to the pan. Immediately add 1 pound sliced flank steak and sear for 1 minute, then stir-fry for another 1 to 2 minutes until the pink is mostly gone.
- Add 1 pound trimmed green beans and ½ cup teriyaki sauce, then cover the wok or pan.
- Allow the green beans to steam for 3 to 4 minutes or until they are slightly tender but still crisp. Mix in 2 cups sliced bell peppers and stir fry for another minute.
- Season with ¼ teaspoon each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, or to taste. Top with ¼ cup sliced green onions and ¼ cup sliced basil leaves. Serve over rice, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Photo credit: Caroline Williams
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