Skip the takeout and make this flavorful and budget-friendly Chinese Pepper Steak in under 30 minutes!
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Yesssss! Using everyday simple ingredients, this recipe is a cinch to make. Cook your rice while you’re doing the prep work and dinner is on the table in 30 minutes. A win-win situation here!
My dear friend recently underwent an unexpected quadruple bypass and I’ve been bringing him food from time to time. Thank goodness he’s not on a special cardiac diet, so I can make him food he loves like this! It was actually kind of weird because he had ZERO of the symptoms normally associated with needing that surgery, nor a family history of heart disease. But thank goodness he’s on a healthy road to a quick recovery. Hallelujah!
Helpful Hint for Slicing the Beef:
Place thawed beef in the freezer for about 10 minutes before slicing so it will firm up a bit… this makes it so much easier to slice!
Hooray for 30-minute meals… ENJOY!

Chinese Pepper Steak
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1–1/2 pounds flank steak, sliced thinly across the grain
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (I used low sodium)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2–1/2 tablespoons corn starch
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 medium green pepper, cored, seeded and sliced thinly
- 1 medium red pepper, cored, seeded and sliced thinly
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, sliced thinly
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
- Optional: Sesame seeds, for garnish
- Hot cooked rice, cooked according to package directions
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, corn starch and ground ginger. Add steak slices. Stir with a large spoon to coat steak evenly. Cover and allow to marinate.
- Heat 1-1/2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add peppers and onions and cook for 3-4 minutes, or just until tender (stirring frequently). Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, stirring frequently.
- Transfer to a medium bowl and return skillet to burner.
- Heat remaining vegetable oil in the skillet. Add steak and cook steak for 5-6 minutes, or until browned on all sides and fully cooked (stirring frequently).
- Return peppers, onions and garlic to skillet and stir to combine. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until heated thoroughly.
- Serve over hot cooked rice and garnish with sesame seeds, if desired.
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Saute
- Cuisine: Chinese
Keywords: pepper steak recipe, pepper steak, pepper steak and rice, chinese pepper steak recipe, easy pepper steak recipe
Steve says
easy, delicious recipe. Better than take out
★★★★★
Gary Reich says
How long do I have to marinate the steak?
Amy @ The Blond Cook says
Hi Gary, it marinates while you’re preparing the vegetables. I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Hank says
Thank you so much, my fiancé always orders this from our favorite Chinese restaurant,. I love it also but hate the MSG’s added. Your recipe was easy n great . I had a flat iron steak ( I don’t know if they are the same but was Perfect) , n only changes , probably cause I made a lot , was I added lil more ginger n lil more sauces . Again thank you, we will be making this a lot . Do you have a General Tso recipe?
★★★★★
Amy @ The Blond Cook says
Thank you so much, Hank! So happy to hear you both enjoyed it and will be making it at home more often. General Tso Chicken is actually on my list… be looking for it in the near future! 🙂
Jackie JG says
Do you have an instant pot version for this recipe? Looks delicious!
Amy @ The Blond Cook says
Hi Jackie, thanks so much! I do not have an Instant Pot version of this recipe but plan to in the near future!
Nora Charles says
Sounds divine. Do you add the marinade with the steak when you cook it or just the steak pieces themselves? I’d hate to toss out all that lovely marinade.
Amy @ The Blond Cook says
Hi Nora, Yes I added the marinade when I cooked the steak. You can do it either way. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Trigger says
You never said do you slice the beef before you cook it or after I know you put it in the freezer for 10 minutes but went?
Amy @ The Blond Cook says
Hi Trigger, slice the beef before cooking. Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Elizabeth says
This was so incredibly easy to make and SO much better (and less epensive) than takeout.
★★★★★
Amy @ The Blond Cook says
Thanks so much, Elizabeth! 🙂