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.
Emily Flint
My family absolutely loved this pepper steak made in the Instant Pot!
Sula
It makes a great family meal!
Audrey
My family loved this recipe!
Sula
I'm so glad - it's a favorite here!
Wendy
Threw in a can of unseasoned pinto beans - great dinner!
Sula
Ah what a nice variation - thanks for the idea!
Charlie Sikon
I'm making this right now but me and hubby like are vegetables a little crispy so I'm going to cook it for 15 minutes and instapot do a quick release and then add the peppers and onions that have been seared and cook for another 3 minutes!
Sula
Yes that would definitely give you veggies with more texture! Let me know how you like it!
Soniya
Oh wow! This looks so delicious and inviting 👌 can't wait to try it.
Sula
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Angela
What a delicious and easy dinner! I can't wait to make this for my family. Thanks so much for sharing!
Sula
You are very welcome! 🙂
Nicole Triebe
Love this easy delicious family dinner! So quick to make and my family ate it up!
Sula
So glad your family liked it! I consider it one of my "reliables" to always have in the rotation. 🙂
Katherine
This recipe looks awesome for the whole family!
Sula
Yes, it is!
Pam Greer
We love pepper steak at our house, and now I love that I can make it in the Instant Pot!! So quick and easy!
Sula
The Instant Pot really makes life easy, don't you think?
Emily Liao
This was so hearty and delicious for dinner! The flavors really coated the steak well.
Sula
I'm glad you liked it!
Monica | Nourish and Fete
This steak has so much flavor, and I love that it can be made in either the slow cooker or Instant Pot! So convenient!
Sula
Convenient for sure!
beth sachs
I love making meals in my slow cooker. I'll be giving this pepper steak recipe a go soon.
Sula
Yes, these hands off methods are just the best!
Mindy Fewless
This was the perfect weeknight meal for the whole family!! So good!
Sula
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Jessica Formicola
We had this for dinner last night and it was so delicious! We used the Instant Pot and it turned out perfectly!
Sula
I'm so glad - it's a favorite here!
Jill
Quick and easy in the instant pot and the flavors were great. Thanks for the recipe!
Sula
You're welcome. Isn't it great when easy and good come together?
Andrea Metlika
This looks perfect! I really like that I can make it in the IP.
Sula
Me too - the Instant Pot is like an easy button for this meal!
Sharon
I love how easy this dish is to make. Grab a few ingredients and you have a hearty dinner that the whole family loves.
Sula
Yes, family friendly for sure!
Patty at Spoonabilities
I love pepper steak. It is such delicious and comforting meal. Great recipe!
Sula
Thank you, I so agree!
Sara
I haven't had pepper steak in ages. This looks like pure comfort as it was a regular family meal in childhood!
Sula
In my childhood too. We need to remember these classics!
Amy
This looks like such a great family meal!
Sula
It definitely is!