Thinly sliced flank steak in a garlicky ginger sauce makes for a delicious weeknight steak and pepper stir fry.
Steak with Peppers and Onions
Stir fry is one of those dishes that tends to come together from whatever is tucked in the fridge. The perfect sauce can pull just about any ingredients together into a savory, flavor-filled meal. Served with rice or noodles, dinner is ready.
One of the many things I love about stir fry is that you can make a little bit of steak or chicken go a long way. For steak I use flank or skirt steak in the stir fry. Look for a well-marbled piece and you will slice it against the grain.
Slicing thinner cuts like this can be tricky as they often tend to shred. Two things will help that not happen. First, place your steak in the freezer for just 30 minutes prior to slicing it to firm it up and get a slight crust on it.
Steak with Peppers
Slice it across the grain into even, ¼ inch thick pieces. The key is a sharp knife so that you can slice it easily. Sharp kitchen knives are also safer to use believe it or not.
Once your oil is hot, cook the steak in batches being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding will steam the steak instead of allowing caramelized edges to happen.
As your steak rests sautee the peppers and onions scraping the bottom of the skillet to get all the pieces of steak and flavor incorporated. (This Misen skillet is hands down my favorite stir fry skillet. It will be yours too!)
For the best stir fry results, I always make sure to cut my vegetables into even-sized pieces. This ensures things will cook or sautee at the same rate.
Pepper Steak Stir Fry
Sauce Ingredients
- low-sodium soy sauce
- cornstarch
- beef broth
- light brown sugar
- red pepper flakes
- garlic
- ginger paste or finely minced fresh ginger
Stir Fry Ingredients
- olive oil
- pounds flank or skirt steak thinly sliced
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- bell peppers
- yellow onion
- sesame seeds
Pepper Steak with Onions
- In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce and the cornstarch. Add the beef broth, brown sugar, pepper flakes, garlic, and ginger. Whisk again to combine and set aside.
- Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the beef in a single layer and cook just until browned, about 1 minute. Turn the strips of beef over and continue cooking for just a minute more. Transfer the cooked beef and any liquids to a bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet and repeat with the remaining beef.
- Add the remaining oil to the skillet along with the peppers and onions. Cook until lightly browned and beginning to soften. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the beef.
- Lower the heat to medium and pour the sauce into the skillet. Stir and scrape up any browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Return the meat and vegetables to the skillet and toss to coat. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Warm for a minute or two and serve on its own or over rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving, if desired.
Quick and Easy Stir Fry Recipes
Stir fries are a one-pan dinner solution. Packed with meat and vegetables and serve with rice or noodles, dinner is ready.
With about 20 minutes of effort, you can have this garlicky beef and broccoli stir fry sizzling on the stove and ready to eat.
This sweet and spicy chicken stir fry is a favorite for my ever-hungry crew. This stir fry uses seasonal fresh vegetables for a quick to prepare meal.
This smoked sausage vegetable stir fry is a complete meal, in one pan, on the table in less than 20 minutes. The best part is the amazing flavors that are created with just a few ingredients!
This Steak Stir Fry with Mushrooms is everything you love about steak smothered in mushrooms and onions but quick and easy.
Shrimp, bell peppers, and pineapple simmered with your favorite barbecue sauce add up to a sweet and spicy shrimp bell pepper stir fry.
Sauteed ginger and garlic are an aromatic start to this crave-worthy green bean stir fry.
Steak and Pepper Stir Fry
Ingredients
Sauce Ingredients
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste or finely minced fresh ginger
Stir Fry Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1½ pounds flank or skirt steak thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste
- 2 bell peppers, any color sliced into ½-inch wide strips
- 1 yellow onion sliced into ½-inch wide strips
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds OPTIONAL
Instructions
- In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce and the cornstarch. Add the beef broth, brown sugar, pepper flakes, garlic, and ginger. Whisk again to combine and set aside.
- Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the beef in a single layer and cook just until browned, about 1 minute. Turn the strips of beef over and continue cooking for just a minute more. Transfer the cooked beef and any liquids to a bowl. Add 2 teaspoons of oil to the skillet and repeat with the remaining beef.
- Add the remaining oil to the skillet along with the peppers and onions. Cook until lightly browned and beginning to soften. Transfer the vegetables to the bowl with the beef.
- Lower the heat to medium and pour the sauce into the skillet. Stir and scrape up any browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens, about 1-2 minutes. Return the meat and vegetables to the skillet and toss to coat. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Warm for a minute or two and serve on its own or over rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving, if desired.
Nutrition
Larry says
Made this Friday for our weekly get together and it was a major hit.
Mary says
I’m so happy to hear it was a hit, Larry!
Susan says
just something to think about – you can BUY strips of meat that are MEANT for stir fry ! save time and energy trying to find the right piece of meat to cut up !!