Spicy Beef and Pepper Stir Fry (Printable)

Tender beef and crisp peppers in a spicy Asian-inspired sauce, ready in 25 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 1 lb flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain

→ Marinade

02 - 1 tbsp soy sauce
03 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
04 - 1 tsp cornstarch
05 - 1 tsp sesame oil

→ Vegetables

06 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
07 - 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
08 - 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
09 - 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

→ Sauce

12 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
13 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
14 - 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
15 - 1–2 tsp chili garlic sauce
16 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
17 - 1 tsp sugar

→ Stir Fry

18 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
19 - 2 green onions, sliced
20 - 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine beef with soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and sesame oil in a bowl. Marinate for at least 10 minutes to tenderize and infuse flavor.
02 - Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar in a separate bowl until sugar dissolves completely.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add marinated beef and stir fry for 2–3 minutes until browned but still slightly pink in center. Remove beef and set aside.
04 - Add remaining oil to the pan. Stir fry onion, garlic, and ginger for 1 minute until fragrant and onions begin to soften.
05 - Add all bell peppers to the pan. Stir fry for 2–3 minutes until just tender but still crisp, maintaining their vibrant color.
06 - Return beef to the pan. Pour in prepared sauce and toss everything together. Stir fry for 2–3 minutes until beef cooks through and everything is evenly coated in glossy sauce.
07 - Remove from heat immediately. Sprinkle with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot over steamed rice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce hits every flavor note spicy, savory, slightly sweet, and deeply umami in under 30 minutes
  • Velveting the beef with a quick cornstarch marinade makes restaurant tender results at home
  • Colorful bell peppers turn this into the kind of dinner that looks like you tried much harder than you actually did
02 -
  • Crowding the pan steams the meat instead of searing it, work in batches if your wok isnt big enough
  • Have all ingredients prepped and measured before you turn on the heat, stir fry moves too fast for chopping mid cook
  • The beef will continue cooking in the residual heat, so removing it slightly underdone prevents it from turning into shoe leather
03 -
  • Freeze the beef for 20 minutes before slicing, it makes cutting those thin strips so much easier and more precise
  • Preheat your pan until a drop of water sizzles and evaporates instantly, that smoke point is where stir fry magic happens

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