Slow Cooker Pepper Steak (Printable)

Tender beef strips slow-cooked with bell peppers and onions in a rich savory-sweet sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 1.5 pounds flank steak or sirloin, sliced into 1/4-inch strips

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 bell peppers (1 red, 1 green), cored and sliced into strips
03 - 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into half-moons
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce

05 - 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
06 - 1/3 cup beef broth
07 - 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
08 - 1 can (14.5 ounces) 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, or to taste
13 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

→ For Serving

14 - Cooked white rice
15 - Sliced green onions, for garnish

# Steps:

01 - Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4-inch strips. Core and slice the bell peppers into strips, cut the onion into half-moons, and mince the garlic. Place all of the beef, bell peppers, onion, and garlic into the slow cooker insert.
02 - In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the 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 gently to combine everything, then cover with the lid. 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 let it finish cooking so the sauce thickens.
05 - Taste the sauce and season with salt if needed. Ladle the pepper steak over bowls of cooked white rice and garnish with sliced green onions. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce does all the heavy lifting with pantry staples you probably already have on hand.
  • It turns inexpensive cuts of steak into something fork tender without standing over a stove.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day and somehow taste even better.
02 -
  • Do not skip the cornstarch slurry step because without it the sauce stays thin and watery instead of clinging to the meat.
  • Resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking because every peek adds about fifteen minutes to the total time.
  • Slice the steak while it is still slightly firm from the refrigerator for the most even strips.
03 -
  • Toss the raw steak strips in the cornstarch before adding them to the cooker for an even thicker sauce without the extra step at the end.
  • Use a ladle to skim excess fat from the surface before serving for a cleaner, more polished presentation.

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