Quick & Easy Garlic Lover’s Pepper Steak Stir Fry: Your New Favorite Weeknight Meal

Prepare to be amazed by an ultra-flavorful pepper steak stir fry that genuinely tastes even better than your go-to takeout! This incredible recipe is not only perfect for a quick and satisfying dinner tonight but also an excellent choice for meal prepping healthy, delicious meals for the entire week.

Garlic enthusiasts, rejoice! This recipe is tailor-made for you.

This pepper steak stir fry recipe has been a labor of love, perfected over time to bring you what might just be the most delicious stir fry I’ve ever shared. Beyond its incredible taste, it’s a million times healthier than most restaurant versions, giving you all the flavor without the excess sodium or unknown ingredients. You’ll be able to whip up a dish that easily surpasses your favorite takeout in mere minutes, making it an ideal choice for busy weeknights.

There are countless reasons why this particular pepper steak recipe stands out. It’s a healthy, protein-packed dish bursting with vibrant colors from fresh bell peppers and onions. The process is remarkably simple, designed for home cooks who want maximum flavor with minimal fuss. You can choose to marinate the beef just before cooking for a quick flavor infusion or prepare it on Sunday to streamline your Monday night dinner. The best part? The leftovers are even more delicious, as the garlicky flavors deepen and meld beautifully in the fridge.

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Pepper Steak Stir Fry

Forget the greasy, overly salty takeout versions. This homemade pepper steak stir fry offers a superior culinary experience with several distinct advantages:

• Unbeatable Flavor: The combination of tender marinated beef, crisp-tender bell peppers, and a savory, garlicky sauce creates an explosion of taste that will have you reaching for seconds. The marinade truly infuses the beef with deep, umami-rich flavors that are hard to resist.
• Healthier Alternative: By making it yourself, you control the ingredients, allowing for low-sodium options and fresh vegetables, making it a much healthier choice compared to many restaurant stir fries that often come loaded with excessive oils and preservatives.
• Quick & Easy Preparation: Despite its gourmet taste, this dish comes together surprisingly fast. With a quick marinade and even quicker stir-frying, you can have a restaurant-quality meal on your table in under an hour, making it perfect for those busy evenings.
• Perfect for Meal Prep: This recipe is a meal prep dream! Its flavors only improve with time, making it an excellent option to prepare on the weekend and enjoy throughout the week. Store it in airtight containers for convenient, healthy lunches or dinners.
• Customizable Veggies: While bell peppers and onions are classic, this recipe is incredibly versatile. Feel free to add your favorite stir-fry friendly vegetables to boost nutrition and customize the texture to your liking.

How to Make Flavorful Pepper Steak Stir Fry

Watch this helpful video tutorial to see each step of making this delicious garlic lover’s pepper steak stir fry in action. From slicing the beef to perfecting the sauce, this guide will ensure your dish turns out perfectly every time.

Essential Ingredients for the Best Pepper Steak Stir Fry:

Creating an outstanding pepper steak stir fry starts with high-quality ingredients. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why each component is vital for achieving that incredible takeout-style flavor and tender texture:

• Beef: The cut of beef makes a significant difference. For this stir fry, you’ll want something that cooks quickly and remains tender. Excellent choices include thinly sliced top sirloin steak, flank steak, top round steak, or skirt steak. The key is to slice the meat against the grain and on the bias into thin strips. This technique helps break down the muscle fibers, ensuring the beef is incredibly tender and cooks up super quick without becoming dry or tough. For an extra boost of tenderness, consider adding a pinch of baking soda to your marinade, a secret trick used in many Asian restaurants.
• Veggies: Fresh, vibrant vegetables are essential. We’re using a couple of red bell peppers or green bell peppers, cut into uniform cubes, and one medium onion, sliced into thick pieces. Bell peppers not only add a beautiful pop of color but also a natural sweetness that beautifully complements the savory sauce. Onions provide a pungent, aromatic base that enhances the overall flavor profile. Don’t be afraid to experiment with other stir-fry friendly vegetables like snap peas, asparagus, or even broccoli for added variety and nutrition.
• Aromatics: These are the heart of our “Garlic Lovers” stir fry! You’ll need fresh grated ginger (or ginger paste for convenience) and a generous handful of minced garlic cloves – 6 to 8 cloves for a truly potent garlic flavor. If you’re not a huge garlic fan, you can certainly scale back to 1-3 cloves. These aromatics provide a deep, warming, and pungent base that defines the character of this Asian-inspired dish.
• Sauces + Stock: The signature flavor of this pepper steak comes from its well-balanced sauce. You’ll need low-sodium soy sauce for savory depth, oyster sauce for its unique umami richness and slight sweetness, sesame oil for its distinctive nutty aroma, and low-sodium chicken or beef broth (or stock) to form the liquid base. It’s crucial to opt for low-sodium versions of the soy sauce and broth, as using regular can make the final dish excessively salty given the combination of these ingredients. You can find all these sauces readily available in most mainstream grocery stores.
• Seasonings: Beyond the liquid sauces, a few simple seasonings tie everything together. Granulated sugar balances the savory and salty elements, cornstarch acts as a thickening agent to create that luscious, glossy sauce, and red pepper flakes add a touch of heat and a subtle kick, which you can adjust to your preference.
• Rice for Serving: This pepper steak stir fry pairs perfectly with a bed of fluffy white rice, which soaks up all that delicious sauce. If you prefer, brown rice is an excellent whole-grain alternative, or you can serve it with wok-fried noodles for a heartier meal. For a low-carb option, consider serving it with cauliflower rice or simply on its own with a light salad.

How to Make This Easy Pepper Steak Recipe: A Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these detailed steps to create a mouthwatering pepper steak stir fry that’s full of flavor and perfectly cooked.

1. Prepare the Flavorful Sauce and Marinade: This is where the magic begins! In a small bowl or a liquid measuring cup, combine the low-sodium soy sauce, low-sodium chicken or beef broth, oyster sauce, water, brown sugar, sesame oil, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes. Whisk all the ingredients together thoroughly until the cornstarch is completely dissolved and the mixture is well combined. This is your base sauce and marinade.
2. Marinate the Beef for Tenderness: Take a few tablespoons of the prepared sauce mixture and drizzle it over your thinly sliced beef strips in a medium bowl. Mix well to ensure every piece of beef is coated. Set this aside to marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or for an even deeper flavor, cover and refrigerate it overnight. The longer the beef marinates, the more tender and flavorful it will become. Stir the grated ginger and minced garlic into the remaining sauce mixture. If marinating overnight, cover and refrigerate this sauce separately.
3. Sear the Beef to Perfection: When you’re ready to cook, heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high to high heat until shimmering. Add about half of the marinated beef to the hot pan, ensuring not to overcrowd it. This allows the beef to sear quickly rather than steam. Sear on both sides for about 1 minute per side, aiming for a beautiful browned crust. The beef should be mostly cooked but still slightly pink in the center as it will finish cooking with the sauce. Remove the seared beef to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining beef, adding a little more oil if needed.
4. Sauté the Vegetables: After searing the beef, add the sliced onions to the same skillet (add another teaspoon or two of oil if the pan is dry). Sauté the onions for about 1 minute, allowing them to soften slightly and absorb the residual flavors from the beef. Then, add the bell peppers and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes. The goal is for the peppers to remain crisp-tender with a slight blistered char on the outside, which adds fantastic texture and flavor.
5. Combine and Thicken the Sauce: Return all the seared beef to the skillet with the sautéed vegetables. Give the remaining marinade/sauce mixture a quick stir, as the cornstarch tends to settle at the bottom. Pour the sauce directly into the pan with the beef and vegetables. Stir continuously and quickly to combine everything. The cornstarch will cause the sauce to thicken almost instantly, creating a glossy, rich coating for your pepper steak. This process should only take about 30-45 seconds.
6. Serve Immediately: As soon as the sauce has thickened and coated all the ingredients, remove the skillet from the heat. Top your freshly made pepper steak with a sprinkle of sesame seeds for added crunch and visual appeal. Serve it warm over a bed of fluffy rice or your preferred accompaniment. Enjoy this incredibly flavorful and satisfying homemade meal!

If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy these Asian-inspired favorites:

• Hibachi Fried Rice
• Best Broccoli Beef Stir Fry
• 20 Minute Teriyaki Chicken
• Garlic Lovers Thai Basil Chicken
• Light Orange Chicken
• Super Saucy Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry

This Garlic Lover’s Pepper Steak Stir Fry is a testament to how simple, home-cooked meals can rival—and often surpass—your favorite restaurant dishes. With its tender beef, crisp vegetables, and a rich, garlicky sauce, it’s destined to become a staple in your meal rotation. Give it a try tonight and taste the difference!