Sichuan Peppercorn Stir-Fried Beef with Garlic and Chilies

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-13 · Updated 2026-05-13

A fiery stir-fry inspired by Columbus’s popular Sichuan restaurants, combining tender beef slices with bold garlic, red chilies, and numbing Sichuan peppercorns. This Chinese-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs flank steak, vegetable oil, Sichuan peppercorns for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 lb, thinly sliced against the grain flank steak
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 6 whole, halved and seeded dried red chilies
• 5, thinly sliced garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp, finely minced ginger root
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 2, chopped scallions
• 1 tsp, dissolved in 2 tbsp water cornstarch

The wok we’d stir-fry this in → Best Woks for 2026: Carbon Steel, Nonstick & Flat-Bottom Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until shimmering. Add 1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns and 6 dried red chilies, stir-frying for 30 seconds until fragrant but not burnt.
2. Step 2: Add 5 thinly sliced garlic cloves and 1 tbsp minced ginger, stir-fry for another 30 seconds until aromatic.
3. Step 3: Increase heat to very high and add 1 lb thinly sliced flank steak, spreading it out in the wok. Sear without stirring for 1 minute, then stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until beef is browned but still tender.
4. Step 4: Stir in 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, and 1 tsp brown sugar, tossing to coat the beef evenly.
5. Step 5: Pour in the 1 tsp cornstarch slurry and cook for 30 seconds until the sauce thickens and clings to the beef.
6. Step 6: Remove from heat and garnish with 2 chopped scallions before serving immediately with steamed rice.