Spicy Beef and Pepper Stir Fry (Printable)
Quick Asian-inspired stir fry with tender beef, colorful peppers, and savory-spicy sauce. Ready in just 25 minutes.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Beef
01 - 1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
→ Marinade
02 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
03 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
04 - 1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry
05 - 1 teaspoon 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, sliced
10 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
12 - 2 spring onions, sliced for garnish
→ Sauce
13 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
14 - 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
15 - 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
16 - 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce or Sriracha, adjusted to taste
17 - 1 teaspoon sugar
18 - 2 tablespoons water
→ Cooking
19 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
# How to Prepare:
01 - In a bowl, combine beef slices with soy sauce, cornstarch, rice wine, and sesame oil. Toss to coat evenly and allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, sugar, and water. Set aside.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add marinated beef and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes until browned but not fully cooked through. Transfer beef to a plate and set aside.
04 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Stir fry garlic, ginger, and onion for 30 seconds until fragrant and the aromatics begin to release their oils.
05 - Add sliced bell peppers to the pan and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes until tender but still crisp with slight color retention.
06 - Return beef to the pan. Pour sauce mixture over the ingredients and stir well to combine thoroughly. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until beef reaches desired doneness and sauce thickens slightly.
07 - Remove from heat immediately. Garnish with sliced spring onions and serve straight away, preferably accompanied by steamed jasmine or basmati rice.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The marinade takes just seconds to throw together, but creates that authentic restaurant-quality tenderness in the beef that I could never figure out before.
- Everything cooks in one pan, meaning youll spend more time enjoying dinner and less time scrubbing dishes afterward.
02 -
- The sequence matters tremendously, cook meat first then remove it, otherwise youll end up with overcooked beef by the time your vegetables are done.
- Cornstarch in the marinade creates that velvety restaurant-quality texture, not fancy ingredients or equipment.
03 -
- Freeze the beef for about 15 minutes before slicing it will help you get those restaurant-quality thin slices that cook perfectly in seconds.
- Keep everything moving constantly in the wok rather than stirring occasionally, this prevents burning and ensures even cooking in that intense heat.