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Green Pepper Steak

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A skillet filled with thin strips of steak, peppers, onions and tomatoes

Green Pepper Steak with tomatoes and onions, served over rice for a complete meal.

This vibrant and flavorful pepper steak stir fry is easy enough for a weeknight, and good enough for company!

Pepper steak is very easy to make!

Slice your steak very thin and marinate in a little soy sauce and granulated sugar while the other ingredients are prepped. Once quick fried, the steak is tender and flavorful with little crispy edges that I adore. Next, the peppers and onions are sautéed until crisp-tender before adding garlic and ginger to round out the flavors. Everything is coated in a simple but tasty umami sauce thickened with cornstarch.
Finally, ripe tomatoes are stirred in at the end just until warmed, but not cooked. Served over rice, this complete meal can be on the table in under an hour!
A closeup of a skillet with thin strips of steak with chunks of peppers, onions and tomatoes

Pepper Steak has been popular in the United States since the early 1950’s.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that I’ve eaten this simple pepper steak recipe for at least 50 years. This was a go-to recipe my mom made on a regular basis feeding our little family of seven. I have to admit that as a kid, I used to pick out all the peppers and tomatoes, and just eat the meat. Haha – but not now 🙂
When I started a family of my own, pepper steak was put on our dinner rotation too. I don’t make it as often now, but I should!

I’ve made a few changes to my mom’s recipe over the years.

  • The original recipe called for twice the amount of soy sauce than I use now. I found this pepper steak recipe is better with less, but pass extra soy sauce when serving, for those who want more.
  • Mom’s recipe calls for a slurry made with cornstarch, soy sauce and almost a cup of water. We now use low-sodium beef broth in place of the water for more beefy flavor in the sauce. More umami = yum!
  • Instead of adding garlic and ginger to the skillet before the vegetables, I’ve switched the order. It takes longer for the vegetables to cook so they go in first. Garlic and ginger only need about 1 minute to become fragrant, which is all they really need to bloom. I found that overcooking garlic and ginger can make the sauce bitter.
  • And I added onions, because who doesn’t love crisp-tender onions!

All these little tweaks have made this a much better dish that’s fool-proof and flavorful, every time!

A skillet filled with steak, peppers, onions and tomatoes in a soy based sauce

Can you use red peppers instead of green bell peppers for pepper steak?

My mom always used green peppers so that’s what I’ve always done. But please feel free to use red bell peppers, or a combination of green and red. It’s all good. Adding sweet onions and small tomatoes doesn’t seem to be as common in similar recipes, but I can’t imagine this dish without them!

What are the best kind of tomatoes to use in pepper steak?

For the dish pictured here, I used some beautiful Campari tomatoes found at our local Wegman’s grocery store. Campari are larger than a cherry tomato, and have a nice sweet flavor. Roma tomatoes would also be a great choice here as they hold together well. I love the size and flavor of these smaller tomatoes, especially for pepper steak. In the summertime, I use small garden fresh tomatoes of any kind or variety, and cut them into bite sized pieces that fit on a fork. It’s all good!
I’ve also researched pepper steak recipes that include canned tomatoes added to the sauce at the end. I personally have not tried using canned and think I’d miss the chunks of soft, fresh fleshy tomatoes. The textural contrasts are lovely in this simple, beefy dish!

What’s the best cut of beef to use in pepper steak?

We haven’t tried every cut of beef for this recipe, but find that sirloin is always a great choice. Back in the day, I used round steak more often, like my mom, which is a little less expensive than sirloin. Flank steak is also a very popular cut for pepper steak. You have several great options here, and only need 1 pound of steak to feed a family of six.

A bowl of rice topped with green pepper steak with tomatoes

Tips for making great pepper steak:

  • Have all ingredients prepped and ready to go. Like most stir-fry recipes, it doesn’t take long to get this dish on the table.
  • Make the rice first. Rice takes longer to cook than the beef!
  • Slice the steak very thin. To make this a little easier, put the whole steak in the freezer for 30 minutes before slicing. It firms up enough to slice easily.
  • Be sure to marinate the steak for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. This is the first thing I do, then start the rice, then prep the vegetables.
  • Don’t overcook the vegetables. Crisp-tender is best!
  • Use regular soy sauce, not low sodium, for the best flavor. I’m very sensitive to salty dishes and always use low-sodium soy sauce, except in this dish. The flavor can taste watered down, in my opinion.
  • Finally, don’t really cook the tomatoes. Gently toss them in the warm sauce and serve!

 

A big bowl with rice, pepper steak, onions, peppers and tomatoes garnished with parsley

Can pepper steak be made ahead of time?

Yes, this dish is easily made ahead of time, which is great for entertaining. I recommend undercooking the vegetables just a little so they’ll be perfectly crisp-tender when rewarmed. Don’t add the tomatoes until the dish is hot and you’re ready to serve. Done and done!
Gently reheat leftovers reheat in the microwave, taking care not to overcook. I haven’t tried freezing pepper steak, but believe it will be fine. The tomatoes may not hold up perfectly, so the dish won’t be as pretty and vibrant. But it will still taste great!

Thanks for PINNING!

A bowl of rice topped with green pepper steak with tomatoes

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5 from 9 votes

Green Pepper Steak

Prep Time: 40 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 1 hr
Yield: 6
Course: Main Course
Author: Tricia
PRINT RECIPE
A quick meaty stir fry with steak, peppers and tomatoes, flavored with garlic, soy sauce and ginger

Ingredients

  • 1 pound sirloin or round steak, sliced thin against the grain
  • ¼ cup soy sauce divided
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
  • 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 2 large bell peppers, cubed (red, green, or both)
  • 1 large onion, sliced into wedges
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced or grated
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 2 large tomatoes, cubed (or several small)
  • Cooked rice for serving
  • Soy sauce for serving

Instructions

  • Pour 2 tablespoons soy sauce and sugar over sliced steak. Marinate at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. While the beef is marinating, prep the remaining ingredients.
  • In a small bowl or 2 cup measure, combine the cornstarch, beef broth, the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce. Whisk until blended. Set aside.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in large skillet over medium-high.  Add half the beef and cook until browned around the edges. Turn the beef slices over and continue cooking for about 2 minutes more. Remove to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with another tablespoon of oil and more sliced beef until all meat is browned.
  • Pour the last tablespoon of oil into the pan. Add the bell pepper, onions and black pepper. Sauté until the vegetables are crisp tender and slightly charred, about 5 to 8 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat to medium. Add the in the garlic, ginger and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Sauté, stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Return the cooked beef to the pan, along with any accumulated juices, and the beef broth mixture. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 3 to 5 minutes. Gently fold in the tomatoes and stir to coat. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.
  • Garnish with additional black pepper and parsley.
  • Serve over hot cooked rice. Pass additional soy sauce for serving.

Recipe Notes

Recipe adapted from my Mom

Here are a few more stir fry recipes you might enjoy:

A skillet filled with honey cashew chicken with broccoli and peppers

Honey Cashew Chicken

 

Bowls of stir fried vegetables served over rice

Easy Stir Fry Vegetables

 

 

Spicy Basil Chicken Recipe

Love bell peppers? Try this delicious recipe for Mexican Stuffed Pepper with Cheese for another easy weeknight meal. Finally, for another beefy stir fry check out this Crispy Sticky Mongolian Beef recipe. It look insanely delicious!

Originally published May 2011, updated February 2020

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33 Comments

  1. Sherrell Goggin says

    5 stars
    Great tips above, thanks for taking the time to write the revisions to your mom’s recipe and cooking tips. I didn’t have tomatoes on hand, which I think would have been a nice addition. I wanted a bit more complexity on the flavor, so I added ~10 crimini mushrooms (sliced) and 1 tbsp hoison sauce. I skipped the marinade (and hence, the sugar; really trying to cut out sugar from my diet), but it still turned out great. Thanks for posting!

    reply to this comment >

  8. Pam says

    Woo hoo, Tricia!!! Love pepper steak and with the really beefy taste of sirloin, it’s even better! I need to know where you live so I can live next door and be there to mooch when you cook and bake!!! You’re my kind of cook! ☺

    reply to this comment >

  11. Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says

    5 stars
    I love pepper steak and also grew up eating it, but haven’t made in ages! I love your updates, especially the tomatoes tossed in at the end for a fresh bite. Can’ wait to try this 🙂

    reply to this comment >

  14. Mary says

    Tricia this really sounds delicious. I love the ingredients you've used in this dish and I can't wait to give this a try. This is my first visit to your site. I really like the food and recipes you feature here. I'll definitely be back. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary

    reply to this comment >

  16. Bri says

    Trish..yes it did turn out great. It's one of those recipes that you make and make and then forget about and it falls out of the rotation. My family always accuses me of only trying new recipes and never repeating anything. I just forget which ones everybody likes!

    reply to this comment >
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