Wok-Seared Beef with Black Bean Sauce and Bell Peppers

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-27 · Updated 2026-04-27

Tender beef slices wok-seared with savory fermented black bean sauce and colorful bell peppers, delivering a rich umami-packed stir-fry. This Chinese recipe, ready in about 27 minutes, pairs flank steak, fermented black beans, red bell pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 3, 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

• 10 oz, thinly sliced against the grain flank steak
• 1 tbsp, rinsed and roughly mashed fermented black beans
• 1 medium, sliced into thin strips red bell pepper
• 1 medium, sliced into thin strips green bell pepper
• 3 cloves, minced garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp, minced ginger
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp cornstarch
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• 2, sliced diagonally for garnish scallions

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

Instructions

1. Step 1: Toss 10 oz thinly sliced flank steak with 1 tsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, and 1/2 tsp salt. Set aside for 10 minutes.
2. Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until smoking slightly. Add the marinated beef and sear for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly until browned but still tender. Remove beef from wok and set aside.
3. Step 3: In the same wok, add 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp minced ginger, and 1 tbsp fermented black beans. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until aromatic.
4. Step 4: Add 1 sliced red bell pepper and 1 sliced green bell pepper. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the peppers are crisp-tender.
5. Step 5: Return the beef to the wok. Add 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, and 3 tbsp water. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the beef and peppers.
6. Step 6: Garnish with 2 diagonally sliced scallions and serve immediately with steamed rice.