Slow Cooker or Instant Pot
Pepper Steak is a classic dish that warms you through and through on a chilly evening. It is often described as “Chinese American” but it feels mostly American to me. I guess soy sauce as an ingredient qualifies it as a little Chinese?
Either way, Pepper Steak is simple and satisfying. I’ve made this many times in a slow cooker and recently adapted the recipe for Instant Pot use, for even faster and more convenient preparation.
How to Make Instant Pot Pepper Steak
To start, cut the beef into strips. The recipe calls for sirloin, but I have used many different cuts of meat, such as chuck or stew meat. When you use an Instant Pot or slow cooker, pretty much any cut of beef becomes tender and delicious. 😃
Sprinkle the beef strips with garlic powder and then brown in a skillet before transferring to the slow cooker (Use the sauté function for the Instant Pot). Cut the green peppers and onion into strips or large chunks as desired. Some people use one green and one red pepper, which sounds lovely and very colorful, but I have always stuck with 2 green bell peppers. Your choice. 😀
Then, dump all the other ingredients into the slow cooker or Instant Pot.
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In my slow cooker I set it on low for 6 to 8 hours. For the Instant Pot I use the meat/stew setting, which is 18 minutes of cooking time (Note: Estimate about an hour’s total cycle time with the pressure/depressurize steps).
Once the cooking cycle is done you have the option of serving as-is or thickening the sauce with a mix of cornstarch with water – totally up to you.
Pepper steak is great with egg noodles or rice, according to preference (And no one needs to know how easy it was!). 😄
For another easy meal idea, check out my Instant Pot French Onion Chicken. Another delicious comfort food straight from your Instant Pot!
📖 Recipe
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Pepper Steak - Instant Pot or Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef sirloin cut into 2-inch strips
- 2 to 3 teaspoons Garlic powder or to taste
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ½ cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 2 large green bell peppers seeded and roughly chopped
- 1 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes, with liquid
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Sprinkle strips of sirloin with 2 to 3 teaspoons garlic powder, or to taste.2 to 3 teaspoons Garlic powder, 2 pounds beef sirloin
Slow Cooker:
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the vegetable oil and brown the seasoned beef strips. Transfer to slow cooker.3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 pounds beef sirloin
- Mix beef broth with cornstarch until dissolved. Pour into slow cooker with meat. Stir in onion, green peppers, stewed tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, and salt.½ cup beef broth, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ½ cup chopped onion, 2 large green bell peppers, 1 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes, with liquid, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon white sugar, 1 teaspoon salt
- Cover and cook on High for 3 to 4 hours, or on Low for 6 to 8 hours.
- Thicken as desired with additional cornstarch/water solution. Suggested: start with 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons water. Repeat as needed until desired consistency is reached. Mixture must be hot for cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
Instant Pot:
- Turn Instant Pot setting to sauté. Add oil and seasoned beef and cook until browned. Turn off the sauté function.2 pounds beef sirloin, 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 to 3 teaspoons Garlic powder
- Mix beef broth with cornstarch until dissolved. Pour into the Instant Pot with meat. Stir in onion, green peppers, stewed tomatoes, soy sauce, sugar, and salt.½ cup beef broth, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, ½ cup chopped onion, 2 large green bell peppers, 1 14.5 ounce can stewed tomatoes, with liquid, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon white sugar, 1 teaspoon salt
- Cover, seal, and set to meat/stew cooking cycle (18 minutes). When cooking cycle is complete, allow IP to vent naturally for at least 20 minutes before removing the lid.
- Thicken as desired with additional cornstarch/water solution. Suggested: start with 2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup water. Repeat as needed until desired consistency is reached. Mixture must be hot for cornstarch to thicken the sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Teri Burdette
This recipe is a favorite of my husband and myself. I made it when my sister visited and she wanted a second helping. It is quick and easy to prepare. The only difference is my husband seasons the meat and we let it marinate for a few hours before I make it
Sula
Yummy! Thanks for sharing the marinade idea, I might try that sometime. 😁
Darla
Made this tonight in my insta-pot and my husband and mother-in-law loved it. Keeping this recipe and will make it again.
Sula
Thanks for trying out one of my favorite recipes Darla! I'm so glad your family enjoyed it like mine does. And thank you so much for the kind review!
Cindy carol
Flavor is good! But I missed having the crunchy veggies. They were almost disintegrated. Meat was tender. I think I will go back to my recipe for stove top.
Sula
Oh yes, it's pretty tough to keep the veggies crunchy in the Instant Pot! You'd probably have to cook everything else first. then add the veggies and cook on the saute mode until they get to your preferred level of "doneness."
Desiree Barnhart
So mine doesn’t have a meat/stew button . My options are pressure cooker, rice/grain, steam, sauté, bake, yogurt, slow cooker and, sous vide
If I do pressure cooker, is that still 18 minutes?
Sula
Yes, high pressure for 18 minutes.
Joan
That seems like an awfully long time in high. I'm guessing that there will be nothing left to the vegetables.
Sula
Yes, the vegetables do get very soft.
Colette Zaharko
I love pepper steak. I always thought it was a Chinese recipe, I always see it in a Chinese restaurant, but it does not matter because I love both the Chinese and American versions. I have not tried cooking it in a slow cooker, though, so I would like to try that.
You always give us the best recipes!
Sula
Thank you - I hope you try it! It has been a family favorite for many years!
Addie
Such an easy, healthy and delicious recipe!
Sula
Thank you!
Gina Abernathy
I'm always looking for a new recipe for the instant pot. This is a great, easy, and delicious looking recipe.
Sula
The Instant Pot makes it a breeze!