Quick & Easy Black Pepper Beef

Name: Quick & Easy Black Pepper Beef
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1/2 lb flank steak (or skirt steak / flat iron steak / hanger steak); 1/2 large red bell pepper (diced); 1/2 large green bell pepper (diced); 1/2 medium onion (julienned); 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil); 4 garlic cloves (minced); 2 tsp regular soy sauce (or light soy sauce); 2 tsp dark soy sauce; 2 tsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry wine / dry white wine / broth); 1.5 tsp cornstarch (or potato starch / tapioca starch); 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tsp white granulated sugar (or brown sugar); 1/4 tsp baking soda; 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or any neutral oil); 1 tbsp oyster sauce (or vegetarian stir-fry sauce); 1 tbsp dark soy sauce; 1 tbsp regular soy sauce (or light soy sauce); 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry wine / dry white wine / broth); 1 tbsp cornstarch (or potato starch / tapioca starch); 1/2 cup chicken stock (or beef stock, low-sodium)

Jump to Recipe Video

Tender beef stir fried with a savory black pepper sauce with bell peppers and onion! This quick and easy black pepper beef is ready in 30 minutes! A delicious main that is better-than-takeout and family-friendly.

Jump to:

Ingredients & Substitutes
Expert Tips
Instructions
Storage & Reheating
Pairing Suggestions
FAQ
More like this
📖 Recipe
💬 Reviews

Black Pepper Beef features thin strips of marinated beef tossed in a rich peppery sauce with crisp vegetables! A popular Chinese dish from Hong Kong.

You'll find this dish served at Chinese restaurants on a hot cast iron plate and the waiter will light the dish with a flame, so it looks like it's on fire!

It's quite a spectacle to see. Eventually, the flame quickly fades and you can still hear the beef sizzle, making your mouth water even more!

The sauce is packed with bold flavors and the beef is ultra-tender, thanks to the key ingredient in the velveting marinade - baking soda!

I love serving black pepper beef with white rice for a satisfying meal!

Why you'll love this recipe:

Ready in 30-minutes!
Easy to make.
Family-friendly!
Restaurant quality.
Great for meal preparation.

Ingredients & Substitutes

Please scroll down to below full recipe card for exact measurements:

Flank Steak: or substitute with skirt steak, flat iron steak, hanger steak, tri-tip steak, or flap steak. Not a fan of beef? Substitute with chicken breast or pork shoulder.
Bell Peppers: feel free to use red, green, yellow, or orange bell peppers. Or swap with broccoli, carrots, celery, or chopped green beans.
Onion
Neutral Oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil. Avoid olive oil or any low-smoke point oil.

Beef Marinade

Garlic
Regular Soy Sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce, light soy sauce, tamari sauce, or coconut aminos.
Dark Soy Sauce: or substitute with dark mushroom soy sauce.
Shaoxing Wine: or substitute with dry sherry wine, dry white wine, or chicken broth.
Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch, tapioca starch or arrowroot starch.
Black Pepper
White Granulated Sugar: or substitute with cane sugar or brown sugar.
Baking Soda: do not skip this ingredient as it tenderizes the beef.
Neutral Oil

Sauce

Oyster Sauce: or substitute with vegetarian stir-fry sauce.
Dark Soy Sauce: or substitute with dark mushroom soy sauce.
Regular Soy Sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce, light soy sauce, tamari sauce, or coconut aminos.
Black Pepper
Shaoxing Wine: or substitute with dry sherry wine, dry white wine, or chicken broth.
Cornstarch: or substitute with potato starch, tapioca starch or arrowroot starch.
Chicken stock: or substitute with beef stock or cold water.

Note: Asian ingredients are typically available at most Asian grocery stores or check online.

Expert Tips

To easily slice flank steak thinly, freeze it for 45-60 minutes in advance.
Slice the beef against the grain at a 45-degree angle for a tender texture.
Don't skip the any ingredients in the beef marinade, especially the baking soda or cornstarch or it won't be tender.
Let the beef marinate for 15-20 minutes for ultra tender beef.
Prepare your ingredients in advance as the cooking process is quick!
Don't overcook the veggies! They should be crisp.

Instructions

Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make black pepper beef:

Slice flank steak on a bias into thin strips.

Slice beef: Slice flank steak against the grain at a 45-degree angle into ¼-inch thick pieces. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. (Tip: To thinly slice beef easily, freeze it for 45-60 minute fully exposed and when the exterior is hardened, slice with a sharp knife).

Marinate the beef with marinade ingredients for 15 minutes.

Marinate beef: Marinate sliced flank steak with the marinade ingredients as listed above for 15 minutes and set aside.

Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients as listed above and set aside.

Fry beef until cooked and slightly browned.

Cook beef: Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Fry beef until cooked and slightly browned on the edges, about 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Fry onions and bell peppers for 30 seconds.

Fry onions and bell peppers: Fry onions and red bell peppers until crisp and slightly tender, about 30 seconds. Do not overcook.

Simmer the sauce and toss in the cooked beef.

Simmer sauce and add beef: Add the sauce and simmer to thicken, about 1 minute. Once thickened, add cooked beef and toss everything together. Enjoy!

Storage & Reheating

Black pepper beef will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge, once cooled. To enjoy, reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot throughout.
Black pepper beef can be frozen for up to 2-3 months in a freezer-safe bag, once cooled. To enjoy, defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot throughout.

Pairing Suggestions

This beef dish serves well with:

starters like egg rolls, crab rangoons, egg drop soup, or hot and sour soup.
white or brown rice, cauliflower rice, or fried rice.
chow mein, lo mein, plain noodles, soup noodles
cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans or stir fried snow pea leaves.
protein dishes like String Bean Chicken, Honey Walnut Shrimp, Egg Foo Young, Soy Garlic Tofu, and more!

FAQ

Can I cook this in advance?

Black pepper beef can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge, once cooled. To reheat, microwave or reheat on the stovetop until hot throughout.

📖 Recipe