Instant Pot Pepper Steak
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
like olive oil or canola oil
- 2 bell peppers)
seeds removed and thinly sliced (about 1/3 inch thick
- 1 lb flank steak)
thinly sliced against the grain (about 1/8 inch thick
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp regular soy sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 ½ tsp grated ginger
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 ½ tbsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp water
Directions
- 1
Add oil to Instant Pot and set Instant Pot on saute function.
- 2
When the oil is hot, add in peppers. Stir and cook peppers until tender but still very crisp. Remove peppers and set aside.
- 3
Add 3/4 cup water, soy sauces, rice vinegar, ginger, brown sugar and black pepper to Instant Pot. Stir to evenly mix. Add in beef and stir a few times to separate the beef slices and mix the beef with the sauce.
- 4
Seal the Instant Pot and set to cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. While beef is cooking, add cornstarch and 3 tbsp of water to a small bowl. Whisk until cornstarch is completely dissolved in the water.
- 5
When beef is done cooking, do a quick release. Do not allow it to do a natural release because it will overcook the beef.
- 6
Once it is safe to open the Instant Pot, lift the lid and stir a few times, allowing some of the trapped liquid to evaporate from the beef sauce. Pour in the cornstarch water and stir in quickly so that it does not clump up. Stir until sauce is thickened.
- 7
Add bell peppers and stir into sauce. Set Instant Pot to saute function and cook peppers and beef for about 1 minute. Turn off Instant Pot. Serve warm over rice or your favorite rice substitute.
Instant Pot Pepper Steak
Similar Recipes
Ratings & Reviews
Be the First to Rate
Your rating helps others discover amazing recipes. Share your experience and let others know what you think!
About this Recipe
Craving a quick, flavorful dinner that rivals your favorite takeout? This Instant Pot Pepper Steak brings restaurant-quality taste and incredibly tender beef to your table in under 30 minutes, all with minimal effort.
The magic of the Instant Pot truly shines here, transforming tough-leaning flank steak into succulent, tender bites while infusing it with a rich, savory sauce. This recipe masterfully balances the salty depth of low sodium and regular soy sauces with the bright tang of rice vinegar, the aromatic warmth of fresh grated ginger, and a hint of sweetness from brown sugar, rounded out by a touch of ground black pepper. The cornstarch ensures that classic perfectly thickened, glossy, and silky sauce you crave, adhering beautifully to every piece of steak and pepper.
Prepare your senses for a delightful combination of textures and flavors. You'll find succulent, thinly sliced flank steak, wonderfully tender from its time under pressure, offering a melt-in-your-mouth experience. This is beautifully contrasted by crisp-tender bell peppers that retain a satisfying bite, adding freshness and a subtle sweetness. Every element is coated in a glossy, umami-rich sauce that is both savory and subtly sweet, with a gentle aromatic warmth from the ginger and a subtle kick from the black pepper. This is a comforting yet vibrant dish that makes weeknight cooking feel effortlessly gourmet, proving that fast can still mean incredibly flavorful.
Customization & Variations
While flank steak is excellent here, you can easily adapt this dish. Consider swapping the beef for thinly sliced chicken breast or firm tofu for a different protein. Feel free to use a mix of bell pepper colors—red, yellow, or orange—to add even more visual appeal and varied sweetness. If you're out of rice vinegar, a similar amount of apple cider vinegar can work as a suitable substitute in a pinch, though the flavor will be slightly different.
This Instant Pot Pepper Steak is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner or a relaxed weekend meal. Serve it over a bed of steamed white or brown rice to soak up every drop of that delicious sauce, creating a complete and satisfying meal.