Go Back
Beef stir fry recipe with seared beef strips and colorful bell peppers over jasmine rice

20-Minute Beef and Pepper Stir Fry

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and marinade
  • 1 lb flank steak or sirloin, sliced thinly against the grain
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Stir fry sauce
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Stir fry
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
  • 1 red bell pepper sliced into strips
  • 1 green bell pepper sliced into strips
  • 1 yellow bell pepper sliced into strips
  • 1 small onion sliced
  • 2 green onions sliced, for serving
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds for serving
  • Cooked rice for serving

Method
 

  1. Slice beef thinly against the grain. Toss with soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, and black pepper; marinate 10 minutes.
  2. Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey, rice vinegar, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes; set aside.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
  4. Sear half the beef in a single layer, undisturbed, 2 minutes; flip and cook 1 minute more. Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining beef.
  5. Add remaining oil; stir fry peppers and onion 3 minutes until crisp-tender.
  6. Return beef to pan; stir sauce, pour over, and toss 1–2 minutes until glossy and thickened and beef reaches 145°F. Serve over rice with green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

Slice beef against the grain and freeze 20 minutes first for paper-thin strips. Cook beef in batches — a crowded pan steams instead of searing. Sauce thickens in 60–90 seconds; pull off heat as soon as it turns glossy. Store leftovers up to 4 days in the fridge; reheat in a skillet with a splash of water.