Crockpot Pepper Steak
A takeout inspired dinner, made super easy in the slow cooker! This crockpot pepper steak is loaded with tender strips of beef, colorful peppers, onions, and a rich savory sauce that pairs wonderfully with rice or noodles.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- All the cozy takeout-at-home flavor, but made with simple ingredients you control yourself
- Basically a dump-and-go slow cooker dinner once the beef is sliced up and your veggies are chopped
- The sauce turns rich, savory, slightly sweet, and perfect for spooning over rice
- Great for busy weeknights or lazy weekends
- Makes a big batch, so it’s perfect for feeding a hungry family
- Easy to customize with extra veggies, more spice, or thicker sauce
- The leftovers taste even better the next day, which makes meal prep really easy!
What You’ll Need
Note: The printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post! Don’t skip the coming section for more details about the ingredients, process, and extra tips and advice.
- Flank steak – Sliced thin so it becomes tender and flavorful in the slow cooker while still holding its texture.
- Cornstarch – Helps create that rich, glossy sauce that coats the beef and peppers perfectly.
- Green & red bell peppers – The classic pepper steak combo. The green peppers add a little bitterness while the red peppers bring sweetness and color.
- Onion – Softens as it cooks and adds savory flavor to the sauce.
- Petite diced tomatoes – Add a little acidity and extra flavor to the sauce while keeping everything nice and saucy.
- Beef broth – Creates the base of the sauce and keeps the beef tender while it cooks.
- Soy sauce – Brings that savory, takeout-style flavor pepper steak is known for.
- Brown sugar – Balances the salty soy sauce and gives the sauce a subtle sweetness.
- Worcestershire sauce – Adds extra depth and richness to the sauce.
- Garlic & fresh ginger – The flavor duo that gives the dish its bold, savory flavor.
- Salt & black pepper – Simple seasonings that help bring everything together.
How To Make Crockpot Pepper Steak
- Add the sliced flank steak to the slow cooker, then sprinkle the cornstarch over the top. Toss everything together so the beef gets evenly coated.
- Layer the bell peppers, onions, and diced tomatoes over the steak. If you prefer your peppers with a little more bite, wait and add them during the last 1–2 hours of cooking instead.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper. Pour the sauce over everything in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours or high for 3 hours, until the beef is tender and packed with flavor.
- Serve it over rice with plenty of extra sauce spooned on top.
Storage
Let the pepper steak cool slightly before transferring it to an airtight container. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes
Choosing & Prepping the Beef
Flank steak works well because it becomes tender while still holding its texture, but you can also use sirloin, top sirloin, sirloin strips, or round steak.
For the most tender bites, slice the beef against the grain. This shortens the muscle fibers and makes the meat much easier to chew after cooking.
Adjusting the Vegetables
Feel free to add extra veggies like mushrooms or zucchini if you want to bulk things up a bit.
If you prefer your peppers and onions less soft, wait and add them during the last 1–2 hours of cooking so they keep a little more texture.
Adjusting the Sauce
The cornstarch helps create that thick, glossy takeout-style sauce. For a thinner sauce, use a little less cornstarch or add extra beef broth. If you want it extra thick and sticky, use up to 4 tablespoons.
I like using about 3 tablespoons of brown sugar because it gives the sauce a slightly sweet, sticky glaze, but you can reduce it or leave it out completely if you prefer a more savory flavor.
The diced tomatoes add extra richness and help create more sauce, but you can leave them out if preferred. If you do, add a little extra beef broth so the slow cooker doesn’t dry out.
If your sauce still ends up thinner than you’d like, spoon some of it into a saucepan and simmer it on the stove for a few minutes until reduced and thickened, then stir it back into the slow cooker.
Serving Ideas
The classic way to serve pepper steak is over rice.
If you want more of a takeout-at-home vibe, serve it with chow mein noodles, lo mein, or alongside egg rolls and steamed broccoli.
It’s also really good spooned over mashed potatoes or cauliflower rice if you want to switch things up a bit!
For an easy meal prep option, portion the pepper steak into containers with rice and veggies for grab-and-go lunches during the week. The flavors get even better overnight.
Crockpot Pepper Steak
Ingredients
- 2 pounds flank steak sliced into 1/4-inch strips
- 3-4 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 large green bell pepper sliced thick
- 1 large red bell pepper sliced thick
- 1 medium onion sliced thick
- 14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes with liquid
- ½ cup beef broth or water
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar to desired sweetness
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3-4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger peeled and minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add the sliced flank steak to the slow cooker, then sprinkle the cornstarch over the top. Toss everything together so the beef gets evenly coated.
- Layer the bell peppers, onions, and diced tomatoes over the steak. If you prefer your peppers with a little more bite, wait and add them during the last 1–2 hours of cooking instead.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper. Pour the sauce over everything in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for about 6 hours or high for 3 hours, until the beef is tender and packed with flavor.
- Serve it over rice with plenty of extra sauce spooned on top.
Got a question? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll get back to you ASAP! If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback too.