Easy Crockpot Pepper Steak Recipes
Pepper steak is a stir-fried recipe that combines strips of beef with strips of bell peppers and onions. The dish is flavorful and can be an affordable dinner to make. We don’t even have to use a wok; we can use easy crockpot pepper steak recipes instead.
Easy crockpot pepper steak recipes give us different ways to ditch the large skillet and turn this stir fry into a meal for busy weeknights. A stir fry usually requires a wok or large skillet. The ingredients can be customized in many different ways.
We can change the sauce or pick a different cut of meat and get an entirely different dish. For example, fajitas could be considered a type of pepper steak. After all, pepper steak is a recipe that combines thinly sliced steak strips with bell peppers.
The difference is the seasoning and sauce used to make the traditional pepper steak dish. The traditional Chinese recipe uses beef, bell peppers, bamboo shoots, soy sauce, ginger, and a sauce thickened with cornstarch.
People often add onions and bean sprouts to get a little more flavor. But the two main ingredients are just the beef strips and the bell peppers. Meaning we can completely change the cuisine by changing the seasonings.
We don’t even need the large skillet to make a good stir fry. Instead, we can use a crockpot to get the same delicious flavor. In fact, some might say that allowing the meat to really soak in the flavor from the seasonings and sauces could make for an even better-tasting dish.
Then, there is the added benefit of easy crockpot pepper steak recipes, which save time. We can start the dish in the crockpot and then go about our days and return to a dish that can be served over rice for a complete meal.
One of the first decisions we must make is which beef we want to use for our dish. The goal is to get tender beef that is filled with flavor and can really absorb those other flavors well.
Easy Crockpot Pepper Steak Recipes
What cut of steak is best for pepper steak? The answer is not so simple. We want to use a cut of steak that is marbled with fat and filled with flavor. One of the common problems people run into when making a beef stir fry is getting tender beef.
However, we also want to be able to slice the steak into thin strips fairly easily. The clear choice is flank steak and peppers. Flank steak meets the above criteria and is very easy to work with. We can find plenty of pepper steak recipes with flank steak.
However, flank steak is not the only beef we can use. There are some skirt steak pepper steak recipes as well. One of the most common cuts you will find in online pepper steak recipes is sirloin.
Sirloin is not any better or worse than flank steak. However, sirloin pepper steak will be slightly more affordable as sirloin is cheaper than flank. The meat is definitely the show’s star; people even add beef bouillon cubes to add as much flavor as possible.
However, slow cooker recipes allow the meat to really absorb the flavors, so no need to worry too much about adding more flavor. Just be sure to pick either flank, skirt, sirloin, or even round cuts for your pepper steak.
Most agree that flank steak is the best cut of meat for pepper steak recipes.
What is Pepper Steak Sauce Made of?
Pepper steak isn’t a sauce-heavy dish, so cornstarch is used in traditional pepper steak recipes. Of course, there are some versions of saucy pepper steak out there. However, we want to thicken the sauce up as much as possible so it sticks to the meat and peppers.
Still, we will work with a sauce throughout most of the cooking process. It is also important to note that cornstarch slurry won’t be added to any of these recipes until most of the cooking is done.
Easy crockpot pepper steak recipes pretty much align with this. We want the sauce to be thick, not nonexistent. That thickness will help the flavor stick to the green peppers, round steak, and white onion.
The sauce is going to determine which cuisine we’re eating. For example, we can find some Italian pepper steak recipes. We can also go with a more traditional pepper steak recipe.
There are even recipes for pepper steak from Montreal. It all comes down to the seasonings used on the steak. Of course, another variable would be the produce we add to the pepper steak.
Slow Cooker Pepper Steak Recipe Ingredients
No matter which of the easy crockpot pepper steak recipes you make, peppers are a staple. Chinese pepper steak uses primarily green bell peppers, but any sweet bell peppers will do.
You will find these types of peppers in every single one of the pepper steak recipes. The rest of the ingredients are up to us. The best things to add are white onions, green beans, and snap peas. There is also a pepper steak recipe with tomatoes.
The goal is to enjoy the dish, but time could be a factor. Most people want to use a crockpot on busy nights so that the cook time is increased enough to use it elsewhere. An easy crockpot pepper steak recipe might not require much slicing and dicing.
Still, most of the ingredients should be fresh to get the best results from an easy recipe. The dish itself has two parts of an entire meal already built-in: the meat and the produce. However, a complete slow cooker meal also needs a side dish.
Even if we just want an easy weeknight meal, it requires more than just the main dish. We can add bell peppers, but we will need a more delicious recipe.
What to Serve with Pepper Steak
A lot of what we serve with these easy crockpot pepper steak recipes will depend on which type of pepper steak we make. For example, we will want white rice or even egg noodles if we go with a classic Asian pepper steak recipe.
Asian pepper steak is also garnished with sesame seeds and is considered to be the original recipe when people talk about pepper steak. However, we know there are versions like fajitas, which are far less Asian and far more Mexican.
You could still serve white rice with crockpot fajitas. However, Mexican rice, tortillas, beans, and salsa would be better options. First, pick out the pepper steak recipe you want to go with and then build on it.
Either way, a delicious meal is just around the corner with the help of these easy dinner recipes that you can make at home—no need to order takeout from the nearest Chinese restaurant. Instead, you can now make an easy crock pot pepper steak recipe at home.
More Crockpot Recipes
Slow Cooker Chicken and Spinach Rice Bowl Recipe | Chicken and spinach come together beautifully in this crockpot recipe.
Clean and Healthy Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala Recipe | Tikka Masala is so delicious and can be made more often with a crockpot.
Crockpot Corn on the Cob with Coconut Milk Recipe | You can’t forget to cook side dishes and the crockpot can help.
Crockpot Little Smokies with Grape Jelly and BBQ Sauce | Little smokies belong at every party across the country. But you can enjoy them anytime with an easy recipe.
Easy Crockpot Hashbrown Casserole Recipe | Wake up in the morning to a delicious breakfast dish that is ready to go.