Pepper steak is a Chinese-inspired meal with plenty of sauce, bell peppers, and onions. This is a stir-fry-style meal but made in the slow cooker! Wonderful served over rice and has plenty of sauce (or gravy) to go around.
Why this recipe works:
This recipe is easy but has so much flavor, tastes like a restaurant-style meal but is easily made at home.
The sauce has quite a few ingredients, but all are pantry staples and easy to assemble.
The slow cooking tenderizes the beef way more than cooking on the stovetop, and the sauce marries together during the long cooking time.
How to Make Slow Cooker Pepper Steak
Ingredients
- Beef – cut top sirloin or round steaks into 1/2 inch strips (some stores carry this already done for you and call it stir fry beef). Flank steak works but the beef will have a more stringy texture.
- Bell peppers – one red and one green
- White onion – sliced, though you can mince it if you have guest who don’t like big chunks of onions.
- Water and beef bouillon cubes – mix hot water and bouillon cubes to start the base of the sauce.
- Brown sugar – honey or white sugar work too.
- Soy sauce – I use standard soy sauce in this recipe, not low sodium. Note that there is no table salt in this recipe so using regular soy sauce is important.
- Worcestershire sauce – adds a touch of tang and layer of flavor to the sauce.
- Cornstarch – this helps make the sauce thick and velvety.
- Seasonings – ground ginger, garlic powder, black pepper and brown sugar
- Red pepper flakes – This is optional if you like a spicy dish.
Step by Step Directions
Step 1 – In a small bowl, add the water and beef bouillon cubes. Microwave until hot, about 30 seconds.
Step 2 – Dissolve the beef bouillon into the water, do this by squishing the cubes with the back of a spoon.
Step 3 – Add the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, seasonings, and cornstarch. (Add red pepper flakes if you want your sauce spicy).
Step 4 – Whisk these ingredients until smooth. This may not seem like a lot of sauce, but the beef, onion, and peppers will create more sauce while cooking.
Step 5 – Add the sauce mixture to the slow cooker.
Step 6 – Add the beef strips on top of the sauce.
Step 7 – Next, add the onions.
Step 8 – Then add the bell pepper strips.
How to serve and store Pepper Steak:
Serving ideas
So many different ways to serve this pepper steak over. Choose what your family enjoys most.
- White rice
- Brown rice
- Spaghetti noodles
- Steamed veggies
- Quinoa
Storage tips
- To store pepper steak, add to tupperware and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- To freeze, add to freezer ziplocks bags and squeeze out any exesss air. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, add the raw beef, onion, and peppers to a freezer ziplock bag. Mix up the sauce mixture, though let it cool before adding to the bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge when ready to use, then add contents to the slow cooker and cook.
You can add 1 cup of sliced mushrooms to pepper steak. Though the sauce may be a little watery due to how much moisture mushrooms have.
You can if you are in a pinch. Though I use bouillon cubes and a small amount of water, so the sauce is potent. The meat and vegetables will let off their own moisture and dilute the concentrated sauce.
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Slow Cooker Pepper Steak
Equipment Needed:
- Slow Cooker Size: 4 quart or larger
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs. beef strips Look for beef cut into strips already or buy top sirloin and cut into 1/2 inch strips (round steak works well too).
- 1 green bell pepper sliced thick
- 1 red bell pepper sliced thick
- 1 white onion sliced
For the sauce:
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. brown sugar honey or white sugar work too
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions:
- In a small microwavable bowl add the water and the beef bouillon cubes. Place in the microwave for 30 seconds, mix until dissolved. I use the back of a spoon or the tip of a whisk to break up the bouillon cubes. (If you don't have a microwave, boil your water on the stove-top).
- Add the soy sauce, Worchestershire sauce, ginger, garlic powder, pepper, brown sugar and cornstarch to the bowl with the water and bouillon. Whisk until smooth. (Add the red pepper flakes if you desire). Pour this mixture into the slow cooker.
- Add the beef, bell peppers and onions onto the sauce in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours.
Can you cook this on high? What do you expect the time to pay for that?
Definitely going to try this one. Possibly including a few carrots. What do you think?
I think carrots would be great, though you may need to cook a little longer for them to soften.
This looks delicious, can’t wait to try it out thanks for posting the size of slow cooker used. Big help
My Mom made Pepper steak all the time growing up – have never been able to duplicate it – am going to give this a try! makes my mouth water just thinking about it!
My mom use to use beef consume. Has anyone tried it with that instead of beef c
Bouliion.
Thats what I always use. So much flavor!
Convenient and fool-proof.
I made this exactly as is but used cube steak. My whole family, 3 generations, loved it. (Including my Asian husband and picky kids.)
I have made pepper steak quite a few times and they have always said its just ok or its gross.
I saved this recipe.
For those who don’t cook, just putting the ingredients together is a crock! Measurements usually help. It helps especially when the recipe needs additional help .
The exact recipe with measurements is there 🙂 For every recipe on this site there are measurements.
My husband and I LOVE this recipe. I have to substitute coco aminos for the soy sauce/brown sugar and tapioca flour for the cornstarch to make it compliant with my diet, but otherwise I follow the recipe exactly. I portion it over cauli rice and freeze it for grab and go meals for work. I love that it is so versatile and have had great success in the crockpot in addition to the pressure cooker. I am beyond grateful that I stumbled across this, because it is a keeper!
I made my pepper steak with mushrooms celery onions and fresh garlic minced plus added Worcestershire sauce with soy sauce and cornstarch and ginger. Marinated the beef in this mixture over night. I only used green bell peppers though. It was absolutely amazing. Please try it like this. Also for the broth, I used better than bouillon roast beef flavor omg it made a big difference rather then just bouillon cubes. Thank you so much for my base ingredients. This was sooooo good
My family LOVES this. I have to make it at least once a week!
Made this for dinner last night. Used a red pepper and mushrooms we needed to use up. Also added red pepper flakes because we like a little heat. It was delicious!
If I’m using liquid beef boullian cubes do I have to use water or broth? 2tsp = 2 beef cubes.
Yes, you’ll need some water.
how much beef broth is 2 bouillon cubes ide rather use that
Use the amount of beef broth I use in water.