Spicy Beef Pepper Stir Fry (Printable)
Tender beef and vibrant bell peppers tossed in a spicy, savory sauce with steamed rice.
# What You Need:
→ Stir Fry
01 - 1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
02 - 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
03 - 1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
04 - 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips
05 - 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
06 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil (canola or sunflower)
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
→ Sauce
09 - 3 tbsp soy sauce (low-sodium preferred)
10 - 1 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce
11 - 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce (adjust to taste)
12 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
13 - 1 tsp sugar
14 - 1 tsp sesame oil
15 - 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
→ For Serving
16 - 1 1/2 cups jasmine or long-grain white rice
17 - 2 spring onions, sliced
18 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Cook jasmine or long-grain rice according to package instructions; keep warm.
02 - In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, oyster sauce, chili garlic sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch slurry; whisk until smooth and set aside.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Lay beef strips in a single layer and sear for 1 to 2 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 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add bell peppers; stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes until tender-crisp.
06 - Return beef to the pan. Pour sauce over ingredients, tossing to coat evenly. Stir fry for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until sauce thickens and beef is fully cooked.
07 - Plate stir fry over steamed rice. Garnish with sliced spring onions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The whole meal comes together in under 40 minutes, leaving actual time to enjoy dinner instead of being chained to the stove.
- Those charred edges on the beef and the snap still left in the peppers keep everything feeling alive rather than limp and exhausted.
- One pan means one cleanup, which is genuinely the best kind of magic.
02 -
- Don't crowd the beef in the pan when you're searing it; give it space or it'll steam instead of browning, which is the difference between restaurant food and regrettable dinner.
- The sauce thickens quickly once the cornstarch heats up, so have everything else ready before you pour it in—there's no time to catch up.
- High heat is your friend here; a timid flame makes everything taste dull and tired instead of alive.
03 -
- Prepare everything before you start cooking—once you turn on the heat, the whole thing moves fast, and there's no time to chop peppers once the wok is screaming.
- If your sauce seems too thin when you add it, let it bubble for an extra minute and the cornstarch will catch up; if it's too thick, a splash of water or broth loosens it back up.