Sichuan-Style Stir-Fried Beef with Peppers and Garlic

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-29 · Updated 2026-07-29

A bold Chinese stir-fry featuring tender strips of beef cooked with colorful bell peppers, garlic, and a spicy Sichuan pepper sauce. This Chinese-inspired stir-fry recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs flank steak, red bell pepper, green bell pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 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
• 1 large, sliced into strips red bell pepper
• 1 large, sliced into strips green bell pepper
• 4, finely chopped garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp, minced ginger
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp, toasted and ground Sichuan peppercorns
• 6, whole dried red chilies
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 stalks, chopped for garnish green onions

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a medium bowl, toss 1 lb thinly sliced flank steak with 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine. Set aside for 10 minutes to marinate.
2. Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the marinated beef in a single layer and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until browned but not fully cooked. Remove from wok and set aside.
3. Step 3: Add remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil to the wok. Toss in 1 tsp ground toasted Sichuan peppercorns, 6 dried red chilies, 4 finely chopped garlic cloves, and 1 tbsp minced ginger, stir-frying for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Step 4: Add 1 large sliced red bell pepper and 1 large sliced green bell pepper, stir-frying for 3-4 minutes until peppers are tender-crisp.
5. Step 5: Return beef to the wok and add 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, and 1 tsp sugar. Stir-fry for another 2 minutes until beef is cooked through and sauce coats all ingredients.
6. Step 6: Remove from heat and garnish with 2 chopped green onions before serving with steamed rice.