Crockpot Pepper Steak is a dump and go hands-off meal that is super flavorful, simple, and comforting. This Chinese inspired pepper steak recipe is a favorite when served over rice, noodles and more!
Crockpot Pepper Steak boasts a huge flavor profile of savory, sweet, and mouth-watering delicious! The slow cooker version of this stir-fried Chinese American favorite is full of sliced beef and sweet bell peppers cooked in an umami beef sauce.
This method really tenderizes the beef, much more than the stovetop does. This flavorful and tender crockpot pepper steak will be a new favorite. The savory richness of the dish and just how simple it is to cook and prepare will make you want it again and again!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's a dump and go recipe- there is no precooking the ingredients!
- The beef turns out super tender and flavorful, think melt-in-your-mouth!
- It's hands off throughout the cooking process- nothing is added at a later time!
- There is minimal prep time- just 5 or 10 minutes of slicing veggies!
- On busy nights with no time to cook slow cooker pepper steak will be a lifesaver.
Ingredients
- Beef sirloin strips: sometimes called sirloin tips or beef for stir fry when precut. You can also use sirloin steaks that you cut into long slices.
- Bell peppers: my preference is a combination of green, yellow, red, and orange.
- Onion: I prefer a sweet onion but a yellow onion works too!
- Garlic cloves: go for fresh garlic but garlic powder in a pinch.
- Beef broth: substitute with water, as the recipe also uses bouillon cubes to make a concentrated beef broth.
- Beef bouillon cubes: or packets.
- Soy sauce
- Worcestershire sauce
- Honey: can replace with agave syrup or pure maple syrup.
- Ginger: I use ground ginger but you can grate fresh ginger root too.
- Cornstarch: added to the broth as a thickener. For a thinner sauce, leave out the cornstarch.
Instructions
This easy crockpot pepper steak is made in 3 simple steps.
STEP 1: Make the sauce. Combine hot beef broth, bouillon cubes, soy sauce, worchestire sauce, honey, ground ginger, black pepper, salt and cornstarch in a mixing glass. Stir well, crushing the bouillon cubes.
STEP 2: Place beef strips into the slow cooker. Pour sauce on top. Add peppers, onions and garlic on top of the beef.
STEP 3: Set to LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours. If possible, stir the ingredients once halfway through.
When finished, stir well and transfer to a serving dish. Serve over rice or noodles or as a side with mashed or baked potatoes.
How To Serve Pepper Steak
While pepper steak is delicious enjoyed as is, especially for a low carb meal, here are a few suggestions for making it a full dinner.
Or serve with these favorite side dishes:
- vegetables, like broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts, or green beans
- mashed or baked potatoes
- mashed cauliflower
Variations
- Change the color of bell peppers: use all green peppers instead of a combination of colorful peppers.
- Make it spicy: add red pepper flakes or even a few jalapeno peppers to make a spicy pepper steak.
How To Store
Storing: keep pepper steak in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can freezer pepper steak before or after cooking. To freeze it before, slice the meat, peppers and onions and place into a freezer safe bag. Pour the sauce into a separate bag. Store in the freezer for up to 6 months. When you're ready to use, cut open both bags and place the ingredients into the slow cooker while frozen. Cook on low for 6 hours. Slow cooker pepper steak can be frozen after cooking by placing the entire meal (even rice!) into freezer safe bags and freezing for up to 3 months (for optimal quality). Defrost overnight in the fridge.
Sirloin is the most traditional and most tender cut of beef to use for this recipe. You can use already sliced meat usually labeled "beef for stir fry" or sirloin tips. If you can't find steak for stir fry that has already been cut, use sirloin steaks and slice them into long strips about 1 inch thick.
On high, this recipe cooks for 3 hours and on low it cooks for 6 hours. I prefer cooking beef recipes on low so the meat gets extra tender and flavorful. But in a pinch, a shorter time on low is fine!
If you find yourself less than pleased with how soft slow cooked peppers turn out, add them to the crockpot during the last hour of cook time. Keep in mind though, that the peppers give the sauce flavor and you won't have as much of it if you don't cook them for the entire 6 hours.
If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to give it a star rating and let me know what you thought in the comments! And follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for more delicious recipes!
Crockpot Pepper Steak Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef sirloin strips or sirloin steak cut into slices
- 3 large colorful bell peppers sliced thick
- 1 large onion sliced
- 3 garlic cloves
- ¾ cup beef broth
- 3 beef bouillon cubes
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Make the sauce. Combine hot beef broth, bouillon cubes, soy sauce, worchestire sauce, honey, ground ginger, black pepper, salt and cornstarch in a mixing glass. Stir well, crushing the bouillon cubes.
- Place beef strips into the slow cooker. Pour sauce on top. Add peppers, onions and garlic on top of the beef.
- Set to LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 3 hours. If possible, stir the ingredients halfway through.
- When finished, stir well and transfer to a serving dish. Serve over rice or noodles or as a side with mashed or baked potatoes.
Roberta
Made this last night - family loved it. Added more garlic then the recipe called for but I do that with most recipes. I did mine in the instant-pot. 30 minutes and it was perfect. Will definitely be making again.
carol
LOVE this recipe 5 stars
PK
I made this today. Followed the recipe exactly. Not thrilled. It was bland. I’m going to try to kick it up with some fresh ginger, more soy sauce, garlic, etc. for tomorrow. 🤷🏻♀️
Anonymous
Followed the recipe to the letter. Came out like a bland soup???
Kristina
Are you making the sauce concentrate as indicated? There is only about 1 cup of liquid in the recipe, so there should not be enough at the end to turn this recipe into a soup. The ingredients are 3/4 cup of beef broth plus 3 extra beef bouillon cubes (not an additional 3 cups of beef broth as some have made this mistake which will turn the recipe bland because there is too much liquid). If you've done the sauce correctly, try adding more ginger, salt, pepper, and garlic til you get the seasonings right for your preference.
Christine
Looks good but the sodium at over 1400 mg is extremely high. Any way to reduce that without sacrificing taste?
Kristina
The only way to reduce the sodium would be to use low sodium soy sauce (I usually do this and don't notice a difference in taste) and low sodium beef broth (this might affect taste). Instead of adding the 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the slow cooker, you could season individual bowls as well.
Jerika
Yum! Can't wait to pair this Crockpot Pepper Steak on my rice.:) What I love about this is it's flavorful, simple and comforting. Thanks!:)
Debbye
The ginger really made this extra special. Thanks for sharing
Leeanne
Loved this recipe! I usually order this in, but homemade was definitely better and cheaper! Thanks.
Nancy
This is yummy and super easy to make