Easy Instant Pot Pepper Steak
Asian-inspired Instant Pot Pepper Steak combines tender strips of beef and peppers with a savory sauce that tastes just like your favorite Chinese takeout dish.
Stay in and enjoy Instant Pot pepper steak at home in under 30 minutes, saving you time and money.
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I love Asian food, but going out to eat or grabbing take-out regularly isn’t always an economical choice for our family.
Perhaps you are in the same boat, or you are simply interested in learning how to make some of your favorite Asian-inspired dishes at home.
Thankfully, making take-out favorites, like this Instant Pot pepper steak (sometimes called Mongolian Beef), is so simple and doesn’t take much planning.
Serve it with a batch of Instant Pot Jasmine Rice or Instant Pot long-grain white rice for a quick take-out style dinner without all the hassle!
More Take-out Style Recipes You’ll Love:
Stocking Your Pantry to Make Pressure Cooker Pepper Steak At Home
Having a well-stocked pantry makes it easy to prepare Instant Pot Steak and Peppers (and all of the best Instant Pot Asian Recipes) at home.
The ingredients you’ll need are easy to find in your local grocery store, and keeping them on hand makes it possible to whip up your favorite recipes when craving hits.
Here are a few things I like to keep on hand:
- Soy Sauce – If you are gluten free look for Tamari or Liquid Aminos as a replacement.
- Oil – Any neutral oil will work in most recipes. Sesame oil adds a nutty flavor.
- Garlic – I love fresh garlic in Asian dishes.
- Fresh Ginger – Wrap tightly and store in the fridge for up to two months. You can also freeze it!
- Veggies – Fresh veggies like onions, peppers, broccoli and carrots can really fill out homemade Asian meals.
- Rice – A generous portion of rice can balance your meal and stretch it on a budget.
How to Make Instant Pot Pepper Steak
It’s really easy to make Instant Pot Chinese Beef with Peppers and Onions at home.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Olive Oil
- Stir-fry Beef (thinly sliced)
- Bell Peppers
- Sweet Onion
- Beef Broth
- Soy Sauce
- Brown Sugar
- Fresh Ginger
- Garlic
- Black Pepper
- Cornstarch + Water
How to Make It:
(Full printable recipe is available below)
Saute the veggies. First, you’ll heat oil in the insert of the Instant Pot. Add the peppers and onions and saute for 3-5 minutes and remove to a plate. They should still be slightly firm.
Cook the beef. Next, you’ll prepare the sauce in a small bowl. Add the sauce and the beef to the empty Instant Pot, stirring to coat.
Close and seal and cook for 10 minutes at high pressure, then allow for a natural release of pressure.
Combine and serve. Last, you’ll open the Instant Pot and add the cornstarch slurry. Stir to combine, then add in the peppers and onions. Allow the mixture to thicken for a few minutes before serving.
Notes and Adaptations:
- We like to serve this over a bed of rice, but you could also serve it over low mein noodles.
- If you prefer your peppers and onions to be very soft, you can saute them longer until they reach your desired tenderness. I don’t pressure cook the peppers with the beef, because they would get too soft during the cook time, so I cook them on their own first.
- I purchase pre-sliced stir-fry beef for convenience, but you could also cut it yourself. Flank steak, sirloin steak, skirt steak, and rump steak are commonly used.
Recommended Equipment:
- Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker
Instant Pot Pepper Steak
Asian-inspired Instant Pot pepper steak is a homemade version of the takeout classic!
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1 lb stir-fry beef (thinly sliced)
- 2 bell peppers, seeded, cored, and coarsely chopped into 1"-2" pieces
- 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 TBSP brown sugar
- 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 TBSP cornstarch + 2 TBSP water
Instructions
- Add olive oil to the insert pot of the Instant Pot. Press the Saute button to heat the oil.
- Add chopped bell peppers and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3-5 minutes until tender but not soggy. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Press the Cancel button to turn off the Saute function. In a small bowl, whisk together beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and black pepper.
- Pour sauce into the insert pot, then add the sliced beef, stirring to coat.
- Close lid and set the vent to the sealed position. Select a cook time of 10 minutes at high pressure.
- When the cook time is complete, allow a natural release of pressure. Once the pressure has released and the valve has dropped, carefully open the lid.
- In a small dish, whisk together cornstarch and water to create a slurry. Pour slurry into the beef mixture, stirring to combine. Add the peppers and onions back into the pot and stir to combine.
- Allow the mixture to thicken for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- We like to serve this over a bed of rice, but you could also serve it over low mein noodles.
- If you prefer your peppers and onions to be very soft, you can saute them longer until they reach your desired tenderness.
- I purchase pre-sliced stir-fry beef for convenience, but you could also cut it yourself. Flank steak, sirloin steak, skirt steak, and rump steak are commonly used.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 208Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 931mgCarbohydrates: 13gFiber: 2gSugar: 5gProtein: 12g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.
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