Chinese Pepper Steak Recipe | Modernmealmakeover (2024)

Chinese Pepper Steak with Onions – juicy, delicious ribeye steak, flavorful bell peppers, and spicy onions tossed in a sweet and spicy broth-based sauce with ginger, garlic, brown sugar, and soy sauce for a dinner that will put any takeout Chinese Pepper Steak to shame.

This easy Asian Pepper Steak Recipe is sure to become part of your dinner recipe rotations. You can have this classic Asian dish made and on the table in just about the same amount of time that it would take you to order takeout, and this homemade version is even more delicious. Cook your steak to perfection, saute your peppers and onions, toss the mixture in your homemade sauce, then serve over rice for a filling and delicious dinner for the whole family.

One of my favorite things about this pepper steak recipe versus takeout pepper steak: all of the ingredients are guaranteed fresh! You know exactly what is going into not only the steak mixture but also into the sauce. You can adjust the spice based on personal preference, and serve it with your favorite kind of rice. Your family will love this new go-to weeknight dinner recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Chinese Pepper Steak Recipe

• This Pepper Steak recipe calls for a delicious mixture of flavors.
• It doesn’t take long to make. You can have dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less!
• The sauce is made from scratch and is sure to be better than even your favorite takeout restaurant.
• It can be prepped ahead of time.
• This pepper steak recipe doesn’t require many dishes, meaning easy cleanup!
• The steak and pepper mixture is yummy served over rice (the rice soaks up all of the flavors from the sauce – it doesn’t get any better than that!)
• If you’re a leftovers-for-lunch kind of person, this steak recipe still tastes good when reheated.

Equipment For your Asian Pepper Steak with Onions

• Large skillet
• Plate
• Medium bowl

How to Make Chinese Pepper Steak

Step 1: In a large skillet heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the steak to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from skillet and place on a plate. If your looking for tips on different levels of cooked steak, click here for a step by step guide.

Step 2: Add 1 tbsp vegetable to skillet. Add the peppers and onions and cook for 3-4 minutes or until tender.

Step 3: Meanwhile add garlic, black pepper, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, beef broth, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and corn starch to a medium bowl. Stir until well combined and add to the skillet.

Step 4: Bring to a simmer and cook for 4-5 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken.

Step 5: Serve hot over rice and garnish with sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Storing & Reheating Asian Pepper Steak with Onions

This Asian Pepper Steak is still delicious served leftover. Just store it in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat it in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until warm. This pepper steak recipe can also be frozen (although we recommend enjoying it fresh). To freeze, divide into portion sizes and place them in sealed containers. Make sure that they are fully cooled before freezing. To reheat frozen pepper steak, thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat on the stovetop in a pan. I’ve found that adding a little water to the pan helps the mixture reheat better (no one wants dry pepper steak!).

Tips For Making the Perfect Chinese Pepper Steak

• Wanting to save time? Have your peppers and onions chopped ahead of time.
• Make sure that your sauce thickens enough in the pan before mixing it with the meat/pepper/onion mixture.

Substitutions and Variations

• If you want to add more spice to your mixture, add a few chopped jalapenos into the pan with your bell peppers
• If you want to add more flavor into the mix, add a few chopped tomatoes to the steak and pepper mix before cooking.
• On a low sodium diet? Use a low sodium soy sauce – this can be found at most grocery stores.

What To Serve/Pair With Your Asian Pepper Steak Recipe

• While this dish is very filling, especially served on rice, I like to pair mine with spring rolls or egg rolls just for something extra.
• For dessert, this recipe pairs well with chocolate lasagna, copycat Crumbl cookies, or lemon bars. Top it off with a fortune cookie, and you’ll never miss takeout again!

Pepper Steak with Onions FAQs

Do I have to use ribeye steak or can I use a different kind of steak?

For this recipe, I’ve found that ribeye has the best flavor and texture, especially being cooked in the skillet. You can use sirloin or stew meat, but keep in mind that these get a little tough.

Can I use olive oil instead of vegetable oil?

Sure, for this recipe, you can use olive oil instead of the vegetable oil. You won’t want to substitute the sesame oil in the sauce, though.

Do I have to serve it with rice?

No, you don’t have to serve this pepper steak with rice. It’s just my favorite! I love how the rice soaks up the flavors. You can also serve it with noodles or, if you want to keep it low carb, eat it by itself.

Be sure to come back and tell me how your Chinese Pepper Steak with Onions recipe turned out!

Some More Chinese Food Dishes You May Like

• Sesame Chicken
• Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken
• Homemade Cream Cheese Crab Rangoon (Crispy Fried Wontons!)
• Sheet Pan Cashew Chicken {Better Than Take Out}
• The Best Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowl

HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?

RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear about your experience. Getting feedback from you helps me and other readers too!

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39 Comments

1. Brittany

   February 17, 2022 at 11:19 am ·Reply

   I accidentally bought ground ginger instead of minced. Will this work? If so how much should I use?

   • April King

     February 17, 2022 at 11:32 am ·Reply

     Hi Brittany, 1/8 tsp ground ginger is equal to 1/2 tsp fresh minced ginger.

2. Mary

   February 22, 2022 at 5:55 pm ·Reply

   
   I made this tonight and while it tasted ok , I may have done things a bit differently. The beef broth made it too pungent, almost bitter. I think next time I’ll use chicken broth as it’s a tad milder . . Also I think I may take the vegetables out and let the meat cook in the sauce before adding them back in. I like my vegetables on the crunchy side .
   Thanks for sharing this recipe ! 👍

   • April King

     See Also

     Italian Braciole Recipe with Tender Strips of Steak & SauceBest Garlic Herb Butter Recipe - Evolving TableGarlic Butter Steak Bites Recipe - Savory Nothings18 Easy Asparagus Recipes Perfect or Dinner

     February 23, 2022 at 2:00 pm ·Reply

     Thank you for sharing your substitutions.

3. Stella

   May 5, 2022 at 7:18 am ·Reply

   
   I followed the recipe as written and throughly enjoyed it. The sauce was good, because it wasn’t salty like a lot of Asian sauces.

   • April King

     May 5, 2022 at 9:07 am ·Reply

     So glad you enjoyed it.

4. Lisa

   May 23, 2022 at 8:37 am ·Reply

   
   Great recipe, easy, fast, delicious flavor.
   I used one ribeye and it had good texture and flavor.

   • April King

     May 24, 2022 at 4:21 pm ·Reply

     I’m so glad you loved the recipe.

5. Patricia

   August 7, 2022 at 1:44 pm ·Reply

   I this recipe today. It was wonderful. I used a roast and ot required a longer cook time but it was very tender and favorable. I’ll desires make it again.

   • April King

     August 16, 2022 at 3:01 pm ·Reply

     Thank you for sharing.

6. Natalie

   September 23, 2022 at 10:17 pm ·Reply

   
   OMG!! This was so good!! I salt and peppered my meat while it was cooking for a little more flavor but that was it. My husband loved it! Definitely making this again!

   • April King

     October 2, 2022 at 1:52 pm ·Reply

     So glad you loved it.

7. Jo

   October 1, 2022 at 5:43 pm ·Reply

   
   Every easy to make and tasty.

   • April King

     October 2, 2022 at 1:48 pm ·Reply

     So glad you loved it.

   • Percilla

     February 27, 2023 at 6:29 pm ·Reply

     
     Very easy and very good. A must try. I did add a little salt and pepper to my steak before cooking

     • April King

       March 1, 2023 at 11:26 am ·Reply

       See Also

       Melt In Your Mouth (MIYM) Roast Beef Tenderloin | BEST Recipe!

       Glad you loved it.

8. Shana

   November 2, 2022 at 8:25 pm ·Reply

   
   I loved this recipe. I have been making Chinese Pepper Stk forever, but have to admit,,this is better than mine! Thank you

   • April King

     November 3, 2022 at 8:56 am ·Reply

     I’m so glad you loved it. Thank you for sharing.

9. Norm Strickland

   November 28, 2022 at 12:02 pm ·Reply

   love those great recipes, looking forward to new recipes

10. Norm Strickland

    November 28, 2022 at 12:03 pm ·Reply

    love those recipes, looking forward to other great recipes

    • April King

      November 28, 2022 at 6:06 pm ·Reply

      Thank you so much!

11. Charlotte Buker

    November 30, 2022 at 12:13 pm ·Reply

    Can I use sirloin steak instead ?

    • April King

      December 1, 2022 at 1:00 pm ·Reply

      Yes you can.

12. Barbara

    December 12, 2022 at 2:21 pm ·Reply

    
    I LOVE this recipe.!
    I have made several times and will make again. I added broccoli at the end this time and let it steam. Excellent!
    The sauce is the BEST!
    Thank you!

    • April King

      December 14, 2022 at 4:41 pm ·Reply

      I’m so glad you liked it. I love the addition of broccoli.

13. Charlotte

    December 14, 2022 at 6:13 pm ·Reply

    
    I cooked meat as recipe called for and it was a little tough so I put in instapot for 15 mins and it was good. Also we used stir fry beef that was already sliced so that might have made a difference. It was good with broccoli added too

    • April King

      December 15, 2022 at 12:28 pm ·Reply

      So glad you loved it.

14. Sharon J

    February 10, 2023 at 11:03 pm ·Reply

    
    We have to incorporate more chicken into our diet so today I made it with chicken breast and low sodium chicken broth. It was absolutely fantastic!

    • April King

      February 14, 2023 at 12:59 pm ·Reply

      I’m so glad you loved it.

15. Carolyn

    March 5, 2023 at 1:16 pm ·Reply

    Hi!
    I made this with chicken – 2 good sized breasts. My husband and I love it! So delicious!! Enough for a few nights 😊
    Thank you!

16. Michelle

    March 23, 2023 at 9:56 pm ·Reply

    
    This was great. Only I changed was I used beef bone broth and London broil. I added some cashews and green onions on top when done.

17. Mark

    April 3, 2023 at 8:14 pm ·Reply

    
    Nice EZ recipe.
    I made it with top serloin that I tenderized with baking soda.

18. Sue

    May 4, 2023 at 4:58 pm ·Reply

    
    Loved it! I discovered at the last minute I was out of garlic (how could that be??!) so I added a tsp of garlic powder and it was great. Love the sauce.

19. Gigi Turner

    June 3, 2023 at 6:48 pm ·Reply

    
    I made it exactly like the recipe. It was fabulous! I will definitely make it again.
    I wish I could find more recipes that taste this good and is on the table in thirty minutes.

    • April King

      June 9, 2023 at 11:39 am ·Reply

      So glad you loved it. I like to gear all my recipes to be around 30 n minutes, I hope you can check them out.

20. Anna W

    July 30, 2023 at 2:57 pm ·Reply

    
    Made this last night and it was fabulous. If u knew how unfabulous I am in the kitchen, then you’d know this was a big deal for me to even attempt…..and I have a family of 6 so I dbl’d the recipe. Everyone has a 2nd helping and 2 of 4 kids expressed how amazingly delish it was. I literally almost cried at the dinner table bc it truly turned out so well. And I used beef broth and it was great!

21. Michele

    August 25, 2023 at 5:10 pm ·Reply

    
    My husband said he wanted Pepper Steak from the restaurant and I said I could make it. Used this recipe and he LOVED it. Definitely will be put in the dinner rotation.

22. Lynn

    September 7, 2023 at 2:31 pm ·Reply

    
    Absolutely delicious

23. Linda

    November 7, 2023 at 5:26 pm ·Reply

    
    Made this for dinner, it was delicious! I added mushrooms to the vegetable mix.