Yield: 6 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 390 minutes

When a busy schedule leaves little time to tend a skillet, turning to the slow cooker brings deep satisfaction without standing over the stove. Tender strips of beef slowly braise alongside onions, garlic, and diced tomatoes, absorbing a savory sauce spiked with soy sauce, Worcestershire, ginger, and a touch of brown sugar.

The result is a tender beef dinner coated in a glossy, tomato-rich gravy that tastes like it spent all day developing on the counter. Placed over warm bowls of rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes, it makes a practical, hearty meal that demands very little hands-on effort.

Why This Method Works

The slow cooker takes care of the long braise so the beef strips soften without constant monitoring. Cooking the meat low and slow allows the everyday pantry liquids to reduce into a cohesive, deeply seasoned sauce.

Staggering the cooking times makes a noticeable difference in texture. Adding the bell peppers during the final 45 minutes lets them soften gently without breaking down entirely, ensuring they still hold their color and crisp-tender bite when served.

Stirring in a quick cornstarch and cold water slurry during the last 20 to 30 minutes tightens the cooking juices into a rich gravy that clings neatly to each piece of beef.

Key Ingredients & Texture Cues

Beef sirloin, round steak, or flank steak can all be used, provided the meat is sliced into thin strips across the grain. These leaner cuts become tender over several hours of gentle simmering in the cooker.

Bell peppers provide sweet, fresh contrast to the savory sauce. Using a mix of green, red, and optional yellow bell peppers adds vibrant color to the finished dish without overpowering the meat.

Low-sodium soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and undrained canned diced tomatoes establish the savory and slightly sweet base of the sauce, which thickens as the cornstarch slurry cooks into it.

Cook's Notes for Success

For extra depth of flavor, sear the sliced beef in a hot skillet with olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes per side before transferring it to the slow cooker insert. This quick browning step adds savory color to the beef strips.

Keep an eye on the cooking schedule depending on your settings. The beef requires 6 to 7 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high to reach complete tenderness before the peppers and slurry are added.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which cuts of beef work best for this recipe? You can use beef sirloin, round steak, or flank steak, as long as it is sliced into thin strips.

When should the sliced peppers be added to the pot? Stir the sliced bell peppers in during the final 45 minutes of cooking so they soften without losing their distinct texture.

How do you thicken the cooking liquid into a gravy? Whisk together equal parts cornstarch and cold water until smooth, then stir the slurry into the slow cooker for the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking.

What should I serve alongside pepper steak? Dish the hot beef and peppers over warm cooked rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes, spooning plenty of the sauce over top.

Crockpot Pepper Steak

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef sirloin (round steak, or flank steak, sliced thin)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (optional)
• 1 green bell pepper (sliced)
• 1 red bell pepper (sliced)
• 1 yellow bell pepper (sliced, optional)
• 1 large onion (sliced)
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces, undrained)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• Cooked rice or noodles (for serving)

Instructions

1. Slice the beef into thin strips. For extra flavor, brown the beef in a skillet with olive oil for 2 to 3 minutes per side.
2. Add the beef to the crockpot.
3. Add onion, garlic, beef broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, ginger, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and diced tomatoes. Stir gently.
4. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours, until the beef is tender.
5. Add the sliced bell peppers during the last 45 minutes of cooking.
6. Mix cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl until smooth. Stir into the crockpot during the last 20 to 30 minutes to thicken the sauce.
7. Serve hot over rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes. Garnish if desired.

Recipe notes

• Serve it over rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes and spoon plenty of that tomato-rich gravy over the top.
• I also like that the peppers are added later instead of cooking for the full six hours. They soften, but they still look and taste like peppers when the dish reaches the table.