Description
This Slow Cooker Pepper Steak recipe is a hearty and flavorful dish featuring tender beef strips cooked with bell peppers and onions in a savory, slightly sweet sauce. Perfect for an easy and comforting meal, this recipe utilizes a slow cooker to develop rich flavors and melt-in-your-mouth texture with minimal hands-on time.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Vegetables
- 2 lbs. beef strips (top sirloin or round steak, cut into 1/2 inch strips)
- 1 green bell pepper, sliced thick
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced thick
- 1 white onion, sliced thick
Sauce
- ½ cup water
- 2 beef bouillon cubes
- 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ tsp. ground ginger
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. brown sugar (or honey or white sugar)
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Bouillon Mixture: In a small microwavable bowl, combine ½ cup water and 2 beef bouillon cubes. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir until the bouillon cubes have fully dissolved, using the back of a spoon or whisk tip to break up any lumps. Alternatively, boil water on the stove and dissolve the bouillon cubes if a microwave is not available.
- Make the Sauce: To the bowl with the dissolved bouillon, add 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Add ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes if desired for heat. Whisk thoroughly until the sauce is smooth and well combined. Pour this sauce mixture into the slow cooker.
- Combine Ingredients in Slow Cooker: Add the 2 pounds of beef strips, sliced green and red bell peppers, and the thickly sliced white onion on top of the sauce in the slow cooker. Spread them evenly over the sauce.
- Cook Slowly: Cover the slow cooker with its lid and cook on the LOW setting for 5 hours, allowing the beef to become tender and the flavors to meld together.
Notes
- Optional: Add 1 cup of sliced mushrooms, although the sauce will become a bit thinner due to the moisture mushrooms release.
- Cut the onions and bell peppers into thick slices to help them hold their shape during the long cooking time.
- Serve over white or brown rice, spaghetti noodles, or quinoa (these are not included in the nutritional calculations).
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- Beef broth can be used as a substitute for bouillon cubes if preferred; use ½ cup beef broth instead of water and bouillon cubes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
