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.
If you like Chinese-flavored meals, try my Slow Cooker Chicken and Broccoli and Slow Cooker Sweet and Sour Chicken.
Why this pepper steak recipe works
This recipe is easy but has so much flavor and tastes like a restaurant-style meal but made in your own kitchen. 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. We also like to make slow cooker swiss steak.
Recipe 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 guests 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 works, 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. (Find the full recipe in the recipe card below the photos).
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – In a small bowl, add the water and beef bouillon cubes. Microwave until hot, about 30 seconds.
Step Two – Dissolve the beef bouillon into the water, do this by squishing the cubes with the back of a spoon.
Step Three – Add the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, seasonings, and cornstarch. (Add red pepper flakes if you want your sauce spicy).
Step Four – 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 Five – Add the sauce mixture to the slow cooker.
Step Six – Add the beef strips on top of the sauce.
Step Seven – Next, add the onions.
Step Eight – Then add the bell pepper strips.
How to Serve
So many different ways to serve pepper steak. Choose what your family enjoys most.
- White rice is the perfect side dish. It soaks up the flavors of the sauce and fills the entire family. You can also use brown rice.
- Spaghetti noodles or egg noodles
- Steamed veggies such as broccoli or green beans.
- Quinoa is a healthy option!
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 the mushrooms’ moisture content.
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.
To store pepper steak, add to Tupperware and refrigerate for up to 3 days. To freeze this crockpot pepper steak recipe, add to freezer Ziplock bags and squeeze out any excess air. Freeze for up to 3 months.
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Slow Cooker Pepper Steak
Equipment Needed:
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:
- ½ cup water
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ tsp. ground ginger
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. brown sugar honey or white sugar work too
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
- ¼ 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.
How to Video:
Sarah’s Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
James says
Cooked for 5 hours on low heat like it said but it turned out to be to spicy but it also has a great flovor
James says
This is james again i also doubled the recipe
debw says
Love this recipe. Instant household favorite. I added a can of drained diced tomatoes for some extra veggie. Delicious over rice
Art says
Excellent and easy to prepare. Also easy to freeze.
Shauna says
This recipe is sooooo good and super easy to make, I played around with the cooking time and temp a bit and when to add in the peppers, my moms makes the same one but on the stovetop and they love it like that also! I’d highly recommend this recipe
Cat says
Can you cook this on high? What do you expect the time to pay for that?
Shauna says
I cook mine on high for about the same amount of time but I don’t add the peppers till the last 30-45 mins I like my beef super tender tho which is why I cook it on high! Hope that helps
Michelle says
can you double the sauce
Sarah Olson says
Yes!
Mike Purcell says
Definitely going to try this one. Possibly including a few carrots. What do you think?
Sarah Olson says
I think carrots would be great, though you may need to cook a little longer for them to soften.
Brenda Clough says
This looks delicious, can’t wait to try it out thanks for posting the size of slow cooker used. Big help
Sue Plantenberg says
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!
Anonymous says
My mom use to use beef consume. Has anyone tried it with that instead of beef c
Bouliion.
Elaine says
Thats what I always use. So much flavor!
Angelica Mula Cruz Adia says
Convenient and fool-proof.
Mom22 says
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.
Anonymous says
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 .
Sarah Olson says
The exact recipe with measurements is there 🙂 For every recipe on this site there are measurements.