Tender beef stir fried with a tasty black pepper sauce with green peppers, red peppers and onion. This easy black pepper beef is the perfect weeknight main takes less than 30 minutes to make and it beats takeout! Great for the family!
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What is Black Pepper Beef?
Black Pepper Beef features thin slices of marinated beef stir fried with a rich sauce with an ample amount of black pepper and vegetables! It's a popular Chinese dish from Hong Kong and served at many Chinese restaurants.
The stir fry sauce is packed with big flavors and the beef is ultra tender thanks to the velveting marinade used at many Chinese takeout places.
In Chinese cuisine, this dish can be served on an very hot plate that has been heated over a fiery flame. The waitor will light the dish with a flame so it looks like it's caught on fire but the flame quickly fades. It's spectacle to see! This is called sizzling black pepper steak.
I love serving black pepper beef serves with white rice or brown rice for a satisfying meal! But I also share other pairing ideas below.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below full recipe card for exact measurements.
Note: The Asian market will carry these ingredients. You may find them at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon
- Flank steak or substitute with skirt steak, sirloin steak, or flat iron steak. Since this is the main ingredient, I strongly recommend using flank steak.
- Flank steak does come at an additional cost but it's worth it as it's tender and contains less muscle fibers versus a more affordable cut. The fibers can make the beef tough and chewy which is not ideal for stir fries.
- Red bell pepper and green bell pepper: or substitute with crunchy vegetables like broccoli, broccoli, snap peas, snow peas, and carrots
- Onion
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.
Beef Marinade
- Garlic
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice.
- Dark soy sauce: this is thicker and darker than regular soy sauce. But if you don’t have this, substitute with regular soy sauce.
- Shaoxing wine: this is a Chinese rice cooking wine. You may also substitute with Dry Sherry. For a non-alcoholic version, substitute with any broth. If you're gluten-free, substitute with rice vinegar or any broth.
- Corn starch or sub with potato starch: this helps the beef retain moisture.
- Black pepper
- White sugar or brown sugar
- Baking soda: baking soda is a special ingredient used in many Chinese style meat marinades to help tenderize the meat. This technique is called "velveting".
- Neutral oil
Sauce ingredients
- Oyster sauce: for that umami flavor! If you don't like oyster, substitute with vegetarian stir fry sauce. If you're gluten-free: substitute with a gluten-free version.
- Dark soy sauce
- Regular soy sauce
- Black pepper: avoid using white pepper as it has a more floral taste.
- Shoaxing wine
- Cornstarch or potato starch: to thicken the sauce
- Chicken stock, or beef stock or vegetable stock
Expert Tips
- To thinly slice beef, freeze it for 45-60 minutes until the outside is hard. Then unwrap it and slice it. When you marinate it, let it thaw to room temperature.
- Prepare your ingredients in advance as the cooking process is quick!
- Don't skip the baking soda in the marinade! The baking soda increases the acidity on the beef preventing protein bonding making for tender beef.
- Allow the beef to marinate for at least 15 minutes or even overnight for ultra tender beef.
- 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
Slice flank steak against the grain on an angle. Tip: To easily slice the beef into thin strips, freeze the steak fully exposed for 45-60 minutes until it's hard on the outside.
Marinate Flank Steak
In a large bowl, marinate thinly sliced flank steak in Marinade ingredients (as listed above) for 15 minutes.
Make Sauce
In a small bowl, combine Sauce ingredients (as listed above). Set aside.
Fry Beef
In a hot wok or large pan on medium-high heat, add vegetable oil. Fry beef until cooked, about 1-2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Fry Vegetables
Fry onions and red bell peppers for a little bit, about 30 seconds. Cook until tender but crisp. Do not over cook them.
Simmer Sauce
Pour in sauce. Allow sauce to simmer and thicken, about 1-2 minutes.
Toss in Beef
Once sauce is thickened, toss back in cooked beef. Serve and enjoy!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? This can be stored in a freezer friendly bag and frozen up to 3 months or until you see freezer burn. To reheat, defrost it and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan.
Pairing Ideas
This beef dish serves well with:
- starters like crab rangoons, hot and sour soup or egg drop soup,
- white or brown rice, cauliflower rice, fried rice, chow mein, lo mein, plain noodles
- cooked vegetables like bok choy, gai lan, garlic green beans
FAQ
If you cannot find flank steak, other cuts you can use are: skirt steak, sirloin steak, ribeye, New York strip, top loin, tenderloin, tri-tip, shoulder center aka Ranch steak or shoulder top blade (Flat Iron).
Yes, you can substitute with sliced chicken breast, marbled pork, shrimp, or extra-firm tofu.
Yes, this can be made in advance then stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. When ready to enjoy, reheat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.
Other recipes you may enjoy
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Black Pepper Beef
Ingredients
- ½ lb flank steak thinly sliced (or sub with any beef steak of choice)
- ½ large red bell pepper diced
- ½ large green bell pepper diced
- ½ medium onion julienned
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Marinade:
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoon regular soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine or Dry Sherry wine
- 1.5 teaspoon cornstarch or potato starch or tapioca starch
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon white sugar or brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine or Dry Sherry wine
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch or tapioca starch
- ½ cup chicken stock or beef stock/vegetable stock
Instructions
- In a large bowl, marinate thinly sliced flank steak in Marinade ingredients (as listed above) for 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine Sauce ingredients (as listed above).
- In a hot wok or large skillet on medium-high heat, add vegetable oil. Fry beef until cooked. Remove and set aside.
- Fry onions and red bell peppers for a little bit, about 30 seconds. Cook until tender but crisp. Do not over cook them.
- Pour in sauce. Allow sauce to simmer and thicken, about 1-2 minutes.
- Once sauce is thickened, toss back in cooked beef. Serve and enjoy!
Sandy Creek Ranch
Absolutely beautiful.just like the chinese retaurants
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe and so glad you enjoyed it!
Steven Carleton
Affordable beef roast cuts also work well. So does pork tenderloin.
Slice both very thin.
Stir-fry keeps well for a healthy, next-day lunch at work!
ALWAYS have everything ready before you cook!
Asian stir-fry is all about hot and fast (3 min max)!
For large amounts, fry in batches and combine at the end when you sauce.
Steaming is for wontons.
Marsha
Absolutely amazing!!! I've always cooked caribbean food.
I tried this recipe I wasn't hopeful but it came out Absolutely amazing, mouthwateringly good. Thanks for this.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for sharing a positive review here, Marsha! So glad that you found it to be amazing! Have a lovely day 🙂
Mary
Loved this recipe! It was a little on the saucy side for me, but the flavors were in point. We used top sirloin.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Mary! Glad you enjoyed it and happy the flavors were on point!
Mary Saelee
My partner LOVES this recipe! We're making it for the 3rd/4th time in two months. Thank you!!!
Christie Lai
Awww that is amazing and I'm so happy to read this!!!! Thank you for making it so many times and for the continued support, Mary!
Robert Townsend
Wow!! I’ve made this twice and it’s SO delicious! Perfect as written ! Peppery flavorful sauce w/seared beef and crisp vegetables -10 out of 10!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for this kind review, Robert! Super happy that you enjoyed it and glad it was a 10/10 for you. Happy New Year!
Mary
We make this all the time. Love it
christieathome
Thank you so much for making it so regularly, Mary! Appreciate the kind support 🙂
Kat
I added a little extra pepper because we both love it, but my husband said it was "delicious" and he doesn't give a lot of praise. I used a spoon to snag the sauce that was left in the pan. 🙂
christieathome
Aww haha thank you so much for making my recipe, Kat! Your comment means a lot to me and happy your husband found it delicious 🙂 Have a wonderful day!
Mary
We love this. Make it a least once a month.☺️
christieathome
Awww this is music to my ears! Thank you so much for making it monthly, Mary! Very happy that it's in your regular rotation 🙂 Have a lovely day!
Jolanda
Super makkelijk en oh wat was dat lekker zeg. Zeker een aanrader
christieathome
Awesome! Thanks for making my recipe, Jolanda!
Kathy
This was very good and easy to make! Thank you for the wonderful recipe!
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Kathy! Very happy to hear that you enjoyed it!
Khadija
My family doesn't cook with wine, is there something I can substitute it for?
christieathome
Rice vinegar will work as a substitute or feel free to omit the wine.
Petra
Oh my gosh… this is so delicious!!!! Very easy to make. I will share this with my friends again. Your food is becoming famous in The Netherlands. Thanks again.
christieathome
I'm so happy to read this, Petra! Glad it was easy and thank you for sharing my recipe and for making them 🙂