Description
Crock Pot Pepper Steak features tender beef strips, colorful bell peppers, and onions slow-cooked in a savory-sweet Asian-inspired sauce. This easy slow cooker recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavor with minimal effort – perfect for busy weeknights! Serve over rice for a complete meal the whole family will love.
Ingredients
For the Steak and Vegetables:
- 1½ pounds flank steak (or sirloin steak, thinly sliced)
- 1 onion, sliced thinly
- 2 bell peppers, sliced (preferably one red and one green)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (optional, for searing the steak)
For the Sauce:
- ¼ cup soy sauce (low-sodium preferred)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)
- ½ cup beef broth
Additional for Thickening (Optional):
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
This step takes an extra 5 minutes, but OH is it worth it! Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s shimmering (not smoking!), add your sliced flank steak in a single layer. Let it sear for 2-3 minutes per side until you get that beautiful golden-brown crust. This creates SO much flavor through something called the Maillard reaction – fancy cooking science that basically means “delicious browning.” Once seared, transfer the beef to your slow cooker. Don’t worry about cooking it through; that’s what the slow cooker is for!
Slice your bell peppers and onion into thin strips – about ¼-inch thick works perfectly. They’ll soften beautifully in the slow cooker, so don’t worry about them being too thick. Mince your garlic cloves (or use a garlic press if you have one – less mess, same flavor!). Toss everything into the slow cooker with the seared beef.
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, garlic powder, and beef broth. Whisk it vigorously until the cornstarch is completely dissolved – you don’t want any lumps! The sauce will look thin now, but it’ll thicken up beautifully as it cooks.
Pour that gorgeous sauce right over the steak and vegetables in the slow cooker. Use a spoon or your hands (get in there!) to stir everything together, making sure every piece of beef and every veggie strip is coated in that sauce. It might look like a lot of liquid, but remember – magic is about to happen!
Cover your slow cooker with the lid and set it to LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. I usually do the low setting when I’m gone all day, and the high setting when I’m home and eager to eat! The beef will become fork-tender, the vegetables will be perfectly soft, and your whole house will smell absolutely incredible.
If you want an even thicker, more restaurant-style sauce (and honestly, who doesn’t?), mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water to create a slurry. About 30 minutes before you’re ready to eat, stir this into the slow cooker. Keep the lid on and let it work its magic. The sauce will transform into this glossy, clingy goodness that makes everything taste even better!
Spoon that gorgeous pepper steak over steamed white rice, fluffy jasmine rice, noodles, or even creamy mashed potatoes. I love garnishing with sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds for extra flair.
Notes
- Make it ahead: You can slice everything and mix the sauce the night before. In the morning, just dump and go!
- Freezer-friendly prep: Prep this entire recipe in a freezer bag (raw meat, veggies, and sauce). Freeze flat for easy storage. When ready to cook, thaw overnight and dump into the slow cooker!
- Common mistake to avoid: Don’t lift the lid to check on it every hour! Every peek adds 15-20 minutes to your cook time. Trust the process!
- Smart shortcut: Use pre-sliced stir-fry beef from the grocery store. It costs a bit more, but it saves you precious prep time.
- Level up the flavor: Add a teaspoon of sesame oil in the last 30 minutes for that authentic Asian restaurant taste!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 3-7 hours (depending on heat setting)
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: American-Chinese