Slow-Cooked Pepper Steak

Total Time

Prep: 10 min. Cook: 6-1/2 hours

Makes

6 servings

Updated: May. 11, 2023
After a long day working in our greenhouse raising bedding plants, I enjoy coming in to this hearty slow-cooker pepper steak for supper. It's one of my favorite meals. — Sue Gronholz, Beaver Dam, Wisconsin
Slow-Cooked Pepper Steak Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 pounds beef top round steak
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges or 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 large green pepper, cut into strips
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • Hot cooked noodles or rice

Directions

  1. Cut beef into 3x1-in. strips. In a large skillet, brown beef in oil. Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker. Combine the onion, soy sauce, garlic, sugar, salt, ginger and pepper; pour over beef. Cover and cook on low until meat is tender, for 5-6 hours. Add tomatoes and green pepper; cook on low until vegetables are tender, about 1 hour longer.
  2. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; gradually stir into slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until thickened, 20-30 minutes. Serve with noodles or rice.

Can you freeze Slow-Cooked Pepper Steak?

Freeze cooled beef mixture in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a covered saucepan, stirring gently. Add a little broth or water if necessary.

Slow-Cooker Pepper Steak Tips

How can you thicken the sauce for slow-cooker pepper steak?

Like many slow-cooker beef recipes, this dish is thickened with a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch dissolved in water) at the end of cooking. Stir in the slurry and then cook on high for another 20-30 minutes.

Can you cook the tomatoes and green pepper to crisp-tender?

The tomatoes and green pepper are added during the last hour of cooking so they don't get over-cooked. If you prefer them to be more crisp-tender than soft, add during the last 30 minutes.

What can you serve with slow-cooker pepper steak?

Serve slow-cooker pepper steak with a side dish that takes advantage of all the flavorful sauce. Try it with buttered egg noodles, a rice side dish or mashed potatoes.

How long with leftovers of slow-cooker pepper steak last?

Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 2-3 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw frozen pepper steak overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a saucepan. The sauce might become thinner after freezing and reheating.

—Peggy Woodward, Taste of Home Senior Food Editor

Nutrition Facts

1 cup beef mixture: 232 calories, 8g fat (2g saturated fat), 64mg cholesterol, 639mg sodium, 11g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 2g fiber), 28g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 lean meat, 1 vegetable, 1 fat.