Slow Cooker Pepper Steak (Printable Version)
Beef strips slow-cooked with bell peppers and onions in a rich savory-sweet sauce for an effortless dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Beef & Protein
01 - 1.5 lbs flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced into strips
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 bell peppers (1 red, 1 green), cored and sliced into strips
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into half-rings
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Sauce
05 - 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
06 - 1/3 cup beef broth
07 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
08 - 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
09 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
10 - 2 tablespoons cold water
→ Seasonings
11 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (optional, adjust to taste)
13 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
→ Serving & Garnish
14 - Cooked white rice, for serving
15 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
# Directions:
01 - Slice the flank steak or sirloin across the grain into thin strips, about 1/4 inch thick. Core and slice the bell peppers into strips. Cut the onion into half-rings and mince the garlic cloves. Transfer all ingredients to the slow cooker insert.
02 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together the low-sodium soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, diced tomatoes with their juice, black pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Pour the sauce evenly over the beef and vegetables in the slow cooker.
03 - Stir the contents gently to combine and ensure the beef and vegetables are well coated. Cover with the lid and cook on the LOW setting for 6 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender and the peppers have softened.
04 - About 30 minutes before the cooking time finishes, whisk the cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl to form a smooth slurry. Stir the slurry into the slow cooker, replace the lid, and allow the sauce to thicken during the remaining cook time.
05 - Taste the finished dish and adjust the seasoning with salt if needed. Ladle the pepper steak over bowls of hot cooked white rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and serve immediately.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce does all the heavy lifting while you go about your day, and the beef comes out so tender it practically falls apart.
- It reheats beautifully, which means lunch the next day is somehow even better than dinner was.
02 -
- Do not skip the cornstarch slurry, without it the sauce stays watery and never clings to the beef the way it should.
- Resist the urge to lift the lid and stir halfway through, every peek adds cooking time and lets precious heat escape.
03 -
- If you want a gluten free version, swap the soy sauce for tamari and verify your beef broth is certified gluten free.
- The beef continues to cook in the residual heat after you turn off the slow cooker, so pull it right at the six hour mark for the most tender result.