Best Slow Cooker Pepper Steak Recipe

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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 in a black bowl served with white rice and chopsticks

Table Of Contents

Ingredients
Instructions
Tip From The Chef
How To Serve Pepper Steak
Variations
How To Store
Recipe FAQs
Recipe
Recipe Reviews

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! It's perfect served over fluffy brown rice, basmati or white rice, noodles and mashed potatoes.

Why You'll Love Crockpot Pepper Steak

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.

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 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.

beef, peppers,onions and garlic in a crockpot

Tip From The Chef

If you like your peppers crispy, add them to the crockpot when there is 1 hour of cooking time left.

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.

Serve crockpot pepper steak over:

white rice
basmati rice
brown rice
wild rice blend
quinoa
Asian-style noodles, like lo mein or ramen
couscous
barley
farro

Or serve with these favorite side dishes:

vegetables, like broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts, or green beans
mashed potatoes or baked potatoes
mashed cauliflower
crockpot mashed sweet potatoes or instant pot sweet potatoes
roasted baby potatoes

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

Keep pepper steak in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Recipe FAQs

Is Crockpot Pepper Steak A Freezer Friendly Meal?

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.

Can I Use A Different Cut Of Beef?

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.

How Long Does Pepper Steak Cook In A Crockpot?

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!

How Can I End Up With Crispier Peppers?

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!

Recipe

slow cooker pepper steak over rice in a black bowl

Slow Cooker Pepper Steak Recipe

Kristina Tipps

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!

4.40 from 524 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 6

Total Time 6 10

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Chinese

Servings

Calories 267 kcal

Equipment

slow cooker

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 or flour

Instructions

Make the sauce. Combine hot beef broth, bouillon cubes, soy sauce, worchestire sauce, honey, ground ginger, black pepper, salt and cornstarch/flour 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.

Notes

While there may not appear to be enough sauce at the beginning, the beef and vegetables will let out a lot of liquid and you will have more than enough at the end of cooking.

Nutrition

Serving: 8ozCalories: 267kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 36gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 92mgSodium: 1229mgPotassium: 931mgFiber: 2gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 2571IUVitamin C: 108mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 4mg

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