Spicy Szechuan-Style Beef Stir Fry with Bell Peppers and Peanuts

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-28 · Updated 2026-06-28

A fiery stir fry featuring tender strips of beef tossed with crunchy bell peppers, aromatic garlic, and toasted peanuts in a bold Szechuan sauce. This Chinese-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 30 minutes, pairs garlic cloves, minced, ginger, minced, dried red chili flakes for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 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 flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain
• 1 large red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 1 large green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns, toasted and ground
• 1 tsp dried red chili flakes
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
• 2 stalks scallions, sliced

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Toss 1 lb thinly sliced flank steak with 1 tbsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp soy sauce; set aside for 10 minutes to marinate.
2. Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the marinated beef and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until browned but still tender; remove beef and set aside.
3. Step 3: In the same wok, add 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp minced ginger, 1 tsp toasted ground Szechuan peppercorns, and 1 tsp dried red chili flakes; stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Step 4: Add 1 large sliced red bell pepper and 1 large sliced green bell pepper; stir-fry for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened but still crisp.
5. Step 5: Return the beef to the wok and stir in 2 tbsp hoisin sauce, 2 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tbsp rice vinegar. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the beef and vegetables.
6. Step 6: Remove from heat and garnish with 1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts and 2 sliced scallions before serving.