Slow Cooker Pepper Steak cooks low and slow until tender: saucy, savory, and mostly hands-off for busy weeknights.
Slow-Simmered Pepper Steak for Busy Nights
Browned strips of chuck roast and sweet bell peppers simmered in a savory, slightly sweet sauce—set it in the morning and come home to dinner that tastes like you fussed all afternoon.
This is the kind of slow-cooker dinner that answers two problems at once: you want something comforting and saucy, but you don’t have the evening to stand over a pan. Slicing beef across the grain into half- to one-inch strips turns a budget-friendly chuck roast into fork-tender bites after a long, gentle cook. The peppers and onions keep a little texture instead of turning to mush, so every forkful has a contrast of tender meat and a slight snap from the veg.
Flavor comes from layering: a quick sear on the beef before it goes into the slow cooker builds a deep, meaty caramelization that the broth, soy, Worcestershire and tomato paste can bloom into as they simmer. Brown sugar softens the edges with a touch of sweetness while paprika plays up that toasty background note. Garlic and a modest seasoning of kosher salt and black pepper keep the sauce savory without overwhelming the pepper-and-onion brightness.
Little technique notes that make a big difference: trim excess fat and brown the beef in batches so you get good color without crowding the pan; pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables so everything steeps together; and if you like a thicker glaze, whisk a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch + cold water) into the finished liquid and let it thicken for a few minutes before serving. Cook low for about 7 hours for melt-in-your-mouth results, or shorten the time on high if you need a quicker finish.
Serve this over steamed rice, buttered egg noodles, or even creamy mashed potatoes to soak up the sauce. It’s terrific for leftovers—reheat gently and the flavors deepen overnight—or freeze portions for a future night when you need dinner to feel like a hug with almost no work.
Ingredients
How to Make Slow Cooker Pepper Steak
- Trim excess fat from the beef and slice across the grain into 1/2- to 1-inch strips; season the strips lightly with 1/2 tsp of the kosher salt and 1 tsp of the black pepper.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches just until both sides develop color (about 1–2 minutes per side); transfer browned beef to the slow cooker.
- Core and slice the bell peppers into 1/2-inch strips and slice the onion into similar-width wedges, then add the peppers, onion, and smashed/minced garlic to the slow cooker on top of the beef.
- In a bowl whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, paprika and the remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper until smooth; pour the sauce over the beef and vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours (or on high 3–4 hours) until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are softened.
- About 20 minutes before serving, whisk the cornstarch with the cold water to make a smooth slurry and stir it into the slow cooker, then switch to high and cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt or pepper if needed, stirring to combine and letting the stew sit for a few minutes for the sauce to finish thickening.
- Serve the pepper steak hot over steamed rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes and garnish with extra black pepper if desired.
Recipe Card
Slow Cooker Pepper Steak
Slow Cooker Pepper Steak cooks low and slow until tender: saucy, savory, and mostly hands-off for busy weeknights.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 7 hr
- Servings
- 6
Ingredients
Instructions
- Trim excess fat from the beef and slice across the grain into 1/2- to 1-inch strips; season the strips lightly with 1/2 tsp of the kosher salt and 1 tsp of the black pepper.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches just until both sides develop color (about 1–2 minutes per side); transfer browned beef to the slow cooker.
- Core and slice the bell peppers into 1/2-inch strips and slice the onion into similar-width wedges, then add the peppers, onion, and smashed/minced garlic to the slow cooker on top of the beef.
- In a bowl whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, brown sugar, paprika and the remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper until smooth; pour the sauce over the beef and vegetables in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours (or on high 3–4 hours) until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are softened.
- About 20 minutes before serving, whisk the cornstarch with the cold water to make a smooth slurry and stir it into the slow cooker, then switch to high and cook uncovered for 15–20 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt or pepper if needed, stirring to combine and letting the stew sit for a few minutes for the sauce to finish thickening.
- Serve the pepper steak hot over steamed rice, noodles, or mashed potatoes and garnish with extra black pepper if desired.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 15
- Saturated Fat
- 15
- Sodium
- 1180
- Fiber
- 2
- Unsaturated Fat
- 25
- Protein
- 51
- Fat
- 40
- Cholesterol
- 150
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 570
- Sugar
- 6