Spicy Beef Pepper Stir Fry (Printer-friendly)

Tender beef and crisp bell peppers tossed in a spicy, savory sauce for a quick, vibrant weeknight dish.

# What You Need:

→ Beef

01 - 1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
02 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
03 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
04 - 1 tsp sesame oil

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
06 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
07 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips
08 - 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

→ Sauce

11 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
12 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
13 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
14 - 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce (adjust to taste)
15 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
16 - 2 tbsp water

→ For Cooking

17 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil (canola or sunflower)

→ Garnish

18 - 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
19 - 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - In a medium bowl, combine flank steak slices with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil. Toss until evenly coated and let marinate for 10 minutes.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce, brown sugar, and water. Set the mixture aside.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add marinated beef and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until browned but not fully cooked. Remove beef and set aside.
04 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the pan. Stir-fry onion, garlic, and ginger for 1 minute until fragrant.
05 - Add red, green, and yellow bell pepper strips to the pan. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until just tender yet still crisp.
06 - Return the beef to the pan. Pour in the prepared sauce and stir to evenly coat all ingredients.
07 - Stir-fry for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and beef to cook through.
08 - Remove from heat. Garnish with sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything happens fast, so dinner is done before you've even thought about takeout.
  • The peppers stay crisp and sweet against all that salty, spicy heat.
  • It tastes like effort but forgives almost every shortcut.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, cold or reheated.
02 -
  • Your pan must be screaming hot or the beef will steam instead of sear.
  • Don't crowd the pan, if your wok is small cook the beef in two batches.
  • Slice the beef against the grain or every bite will be chewy no matter what you do.
  • Mix the sauce before you start cooking because you won't have time once the heat is on.
03 -
  • Freeze the beef for 15 minutes before slicing and it'll cut thin and clean like butter.
  • Taste the sauce before you pour it in and adjust the sugar or heat to your mood.
  • If the sauce isn't thickening, mix half a teaspoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of water and stir it in.
  • Don't skip the spring onions, they add a freshness that makes the whole dish feel less heavy.

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