Spicy Beef and Pepper Stir-Fry (Printable)
A vibrant, quick-cooking dish featuring tender beef slices, colorful bell peppers, and a bold, spicy Asian-inspired sauce.
# What You Need:
→ Beef
01 - 1 lb flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain
→ Marinade
02 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
03 - 1 tbsp cornstarch
04 - 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
→ 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 small red onion, thinly sliced
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
→ Sauce
11 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
12 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
13 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
14 - 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
15 - 1 tsp sesame oil
16 - 1 tsp sugar
→ For Cooking
17 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
→ Garnish
18 - Sliced green onions
19 - Toasted sesame seeds
# Steps:
01 - In a bowl, toss the beef with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and black pepper. Let marinate for 10 minutes while you prepare the vegetables and sauce.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredients: soy sauce, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. Set aside.
03 - Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add beef and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until just browned. Remove beef from the pan and set aside.
04 - Add remaining 1 tbsp oil to the wok. Add garlic, ginger, and onion; stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Add the bell peppers and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until just tender-crisp.
06 - Return beef to the pan. Pour in the sauce and stir-fry everything together for another 1–2 minutes, until the sauce thickens and coats the ingredients.
07 - Remove from heat. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired. Serve immediately with steamed rice or noodles.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The marinade creates this gorgeous caramelized crust on the beef that manages to stay tender inside even if youre not a confident cook.
- Everything comes together in under 25 minutes, meaning you can be absolutely knackered and still pull off something that looks and tastes like you put in ten times the effort.
02 -
- Overcrowding the pan is the enemy of a good stir fry, cook in batches if necessary or youll end up with soggy, steamed meat instead of beautifully caramelized pieces.
- Let the wok regain its heat between additions, patience here pays off with deeper flavor and better texture in the final dish.
03 -
- Freeze the beef for about 15 minutes before slicing, that slight firmness makes it infinitely easier to cut those paper-thin slices that cook to perfection.
- Keep all ingredients prepped and within arms reach before heating the wok, as the cooking process happens lightning-fast and theres no time to hunt for the sesame oil once youve started.