Szechuan Beef Stir-Fry with Crispy Garlic

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-08 · Updated 2026-04-08

Tangy-sweet marinated flank steak stir-fried with bell peppers and crisp garlic, finished with a glossy chili-ginger sauce. This Chinese-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs flank steak, bell peppers, carrots for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 2, 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

• 8 oz flank steak
• 1 cup thinly sliced bell peppers
• 1/2 cup julienned carrots
• 6 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp sichuan peppercorns
• 2 thinly sliced green onions

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Slice flank steak against the grain into 1/4-inch strips, then toss with 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp sesame oil. Let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add 6 minced garlic cloves and stir-fry for 30 seconds until golden—do not burn—then remove and set aside.
3. Step 3: Add remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil to the same skillet. Add marinated steak in a single layer and cook for 2 minutes per side until browned, then push to edges.
4. Step 4: Add bell peppers and carrots to the skillet, stir-frying for 3 minutes until crisp-tender. Whisk together 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns in a bowl, then pour into skillet.
5. Step 5: Return garlic to skillet and toss everything together until sauce thickens and coats the meat and vegetables, about 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in 1 tbsp grated ginger, and garnish with 2 sliced green onions.