Crock Pot Pepper Steak

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Crock Pot Pepper Steak is an easy, flavorful dinner made with tender strips of beef, colorful bell peppers, onions, and a savory Asian-inspired sauce. Everything cooks low and slow until the beef is tender and the sauce is rich and delicious.

Serve it over hot cooked rice for an easy family dinner that feels like takeout—but is made right in your crock pot!

And when I say tender beef- I mean melt in your mouth delicious! This is one of my family’s favorite dinners and after you try it, you’ll know why! It’s so easy to make and I’m using top round roast, which is little less expensive than a chuck roast.

It’s easy enough for a casual weeknight, but also fancy enough to serve to company. I know you’ll love it too!

Why You’ll Love Crock Pot Pepper Steak

• Easy crock pot dinner – Let the crock pot do most of the work!
• Tender beef – Slow cooking turns beef round steak into tender, flavorful bites.
• Lots of flavor – Hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic, and toasted sesame oil make an incredibly tasty sauce.
• Colorful and family-friendly – Bell peppers and onions add plenty of flavor and color.
• Perfect over rice – The flavorful sauce is delicious spooned over a bed of hot rice.

The Best Tip for Slicing Beef

Before slicing your beef round steak, place it in the freezer for about 10 minutes.

You don’t want to freeze the meat solid—you just want it to get slightly firm. This makes it much easier to slice into thin, even strips, especially when you’re working with a larger piece of beef.

For the most tender bites, slice the beef against the grain.

Ingredients

Toasted Sesame Oil

Toasted sesame oil adds a delicious nutty, savory flavor to the beef when searing it. A little goes a long way, so you don’t need much. If you only have regular sesame oil, you can use that, but toasted sesame oil gives the dish a deeper flavor.

Beef Top Round Steak

I use beef top round steak for this Crock Pot Pepper Steak because it’s an affordable cut that becomes tender with slow cooking. Slice the steak into thin strips against the grain for the most tender bites.

Tip: Place the steak in the freezer for about 10 minutes before slicing. It firms up slightly, making it much easier to cut into thin, even strips.

Red, Yellow and Orange Bell Peppers

A combination of red, yellow, and orange bell peppers gives this dish beautiful color and a little sweetness. You can absolutely use whatever combination of bell peppers you have available. Green bell peppers work, too, if that’s what you have in the fridge.

Onion

Sliced onion adds savory flavor and cooks down in the crock pot, becoming tender and sweet. A yellow or white onion works well here.

Tomato Paste

Tomato paste adds richness and depth to the sauce. It also gives the finished pepper steak a beautiful color without making the dish taste strongly like tomato.

Hoisin Sauce

Hoisin sauce is a thick, slightly sweet and savory sauce that adds tons of flavor to the crock pot sauce. It helps give the pepper steak that delicious takeout-inspired flavor.

Oyster Sauce

Oyster sauce adds a deep, savory umami flavor to the sauce. You only need a tablespoon to give the dish an extra boost of flavor.

Water

A little water helps thin the sauce so it can coat the beef, peppers, and onions while everything cooks. The vegetables and beef will also release some of their own juices as they cook.

All-Purpose Flour

The flour helps thicken the sauce as the pepper steak cooks. Whisking it into the sauce ingredients before adding everything to the crock pot helps prevent lumps.

Low-Sodium Soy Sauce

Soy sauce adds salty, savory flavor and helps bring all of the other ingredients together. I use low-sodium soy sauce so the finished dish doesn’t become overly salty, especially since hoisin and oyster sauces also contain sodium.

Seasonings

A simple combination of garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika, and crushed red pepper adds plenty of flavor to the beef and sauce.

• Garlic adds classic savory flavor.
• Cumin gives the dish a warm, earthy note.
• Oregano adds a little herbal flavor.
• Paprika adds mild spice and color.
• Crushed red pepper is optional and gives the pepper steak a little heat. Add more or less depending on how spicy you like your dinner.

Hot Cooked Rice

Serve the Crock Pot Pepper Steak over hot cooked rice so it can soak up all of that flavorful sauce. White rice, brown rice, jasmine rice, or cauliflower rice all work well.

How to Make Crock Pot Pepper Steak

1. Slice the beef

For easier slicing, place the beef round steak in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Remove and slice into thin strips, cutting against the grain.

2. Sear the beef

Heat the toasted sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Working in batches so you don’t overcrowd the skillet, add the beef and sear for about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the seared beef to a plate.

You don’t need to cook the beef all the way through at this point. The crock pot will finish cooking it.

3. Add the vegetables

Add the sliced red, orange, and yellow bell peppers, onion, and tomato paste to a 6-quart crock pot.

4. Make the sauce

In a medium bowl, whisk together the hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, water, flour, soy sauce, minced garlic, cumin, oregano, paprika, and crushed red pepper.

Pour the sauce mixture over the vegetables in the crock pot.

5. Add the beef

Place the seared beef strips on top of the vegetables and sauce.

Cover and cook on:

• LOW for 7 to 8 hours
• HIGH for 4 hours

The beef should be tender and cooked through.

6. Serve

Give everything a good stir and spoon the pepper steak over hot cooked rice.

Spoon plenty of the flavorful sauce over the top and serve!

Tips for the Best Crock Pot Pepper Steak

Don’t skip the quick sear. While you can technically put the beef directly into the crock pot, searing it first adds another layer of flavor to the finished dish.

Don’t overcrowd the skillet. Sear the beef in batches so it browns instead of steaming.

Slice against the grain. This is especially important when using beef round steak because it helps make each bite more tender.

Use the freezer trick. Ten minutes in the freezer makes the beef firmer and much easier to slice.

Adjust the spice. The crushed red pepper is completely optional. Add more if your family likes a little heat or leave it out for a milder dinner.

Use different peppers. Don’t have all three colors? No problem! Use whatever bell peppers you have on hand.

What to Serve with Pepper Steak

Crock Pot Pepper Steak is delicious served over:

• White rice
• Brown rice
• Jasmine rice
• Basmati rice
• Cauliflower rice
• Fried rice

For an easy vegetable side, try steamed broccoli, green beans, or snap peas.

Can I Make Pepper Steak Ahead of Time?

Yes! You can prepare the beef and sauce ingredients ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook.

For the best texture, I recommend slicing the peppers and onions ahead of time and keeping them refrigerated separately until you’re ready to assemble the crock pot.

How to Store Leftover Pepper Steak

Store leftover pepper steak in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days.

Keep the rice separate if possible. Reheat the beef and vegetables in the microwave or in a skillet until heated through.

Can I Freeze Crock Pot Pepper Steak?

Yes! Pepper steak can be frozen after cooking.

Let the beef and vegetables cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat until hot. I recommend making fresh rice when you’re ready to serve it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different cut of beef?

Yes. Sirloin steak, chuck steak, or flank steak can work as substitutes. If using flank steak, be sure to slice it thinly against the grain.

Do I have to sear the beef first?

I recommend it because it adds flavor, but if you’re short on time, you can skip the searing step and add the sliced beef directly to the crock pot.

Can I leave out the oyster sauce?

Yes. If you don’t have oyster sauce, you can omit it. The flavor will be slightly different, but the recipe will still be delicious.

Can I make this less spicy?

Absolutely. Simply leave out the crushed red pepper.

What size crock pot should I use?

A 6-quart crock pot works well for this recipe.

More Easy Crock Pot Dinners

If you love easy dinners where the crock pot does the work, try:

• Crock Pot Nashville Chicken
• Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin
• Crock Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls
• Crock Pot French Onion Meatballs
• Crock Pot London Broil
• Crock Pot Beef Barley Soup
• Crock Pot Sausage and Pepper Sandwiches