Cooking Tips
Garlic Butter Pepper Steak Stir-Fry
Tender beef strips seared with colorful peppers and sweet onions in a rich, glossy garlic butter sauce.
By Steak House Diaries Editorial Desk | Published | Updated | 2 min read
A busy-weeknight stir-fry with steakhouse flavor: thin beef strips seared fast so they stay tender, tossed with peppers and onions that keep their bite, and coated in a glossy garlic butter sauce with soy, Worcestershire and oyster sauce. The cornstarch slurry is what turns the pan juices into a sauce that actually clings. Serve over rice and dinner is done in half an hour.
Ingredients
700 g beef sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
2 medium onions, cut into wedges
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
½ cup beef broth
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp water
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp salt
½ tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Method
Slice the beef thinly across the grain and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika and thyme.
Mix the cornstarch with the water to make a slurry and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan or wok over high heat until just smoking. Sear the beef in a single layer for 1–2 minutes per side until browned; remove and set aside.
Lower the heat to medium-high, add the butter, then the peppers and onions. Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until just tender with a little bite left.
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then pour in the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce and beef broth.
Stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer for 1–2 minutes until the sauce turns glossy and thick, then return the beef and toss to coat. Check the beef reaches 145°F (63°C). Scatter with parsley and serve over rice.
Cooking Tips
Slice across the grain and keep the strips thin — that is what keeps stir-fry beef tender instead of chewy.
Sear in batches if the pan is crowded; a single layer builds the crust.
Keep the peppers slightly crisp — they soften fast and the contrast is the point.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from the crispy Mongolian beef stir-fry article?
That one uses a sweet Mongolian-style sauce with crispy-coated beef; this one is a garlic butter stir-fry with peppers and onions and no sweet glaze or crispy coating.
Sirloin or flank?
Both work sliced thin across the grain; flank has more flavor but must be sliced extra thin, while sirloin is more forgiving.