Crockpot Pepper Steak

This easy crockpot pepper steak takes about 10 minutes to prep, and the beef goes in raw with no browning. Tender sirloin strips, thick mushrooms, and colorful bell peppers simmer in a savory soy sauce gravy that is made for spooning over rice.

My Father’s Pepper Steak TV Dinner

I have always loved pepper steak over rice. When I was a kid, my father used to buy pepper steak TV dinners that came in a little tray with rice and another vegetable, though I could not tell you which one now. I loved those trays.

When Stouffer’s started making TV dinners, my father switched to their green pepper steak. It came with rice, and it used green and red peppers. Just thinking about it takes me right back to being a kid.

These days we are making everything a little healthier, with less processed food. So this crockpot pepper steak is my version of the TV dinner my father used to make when I was a child.

No tray needed, just one slow cooker and a pot of rice.

I used sirloin strips from Butcher Box that I thawed first, and I did not brown them at all. They still came out juicy, tender, and delicious.

Why You’ll Love This Crockpot Pepper Steak

• Only about 10 minutes of prep, then the crockpot does the work.
• No browning, so there is no extra pan to wash.
• Juicy, tender sirloin strips in a savory soy sauce gravy.
• Made from scratch, with less processed food than a boxed TV dinner.
• Serves 6, and the leftovers keep for 3 days in the fridge.

What Is Pepper Steak?

Pepper steak is a classic dish of beef strips cooked with bell peppers and onion in a savory sauce. It is usually served over rice so you can soak up every bit of the gravy.

This slow cooker pepper steak has a soy sauce base with a little honey and ginger. The peppers go in last so they do not cook down to mush.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Crockpot

• 2 pounds beef sirloin strips, thawed
• 16 ounces white mushrooms, sliced thick
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, rough chopped
• 4 large green bell peppers, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 orange bell pepper, sliced

For the Sauce

• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Optional Cornstarch Slurry

• 1/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch

For Serving

• Cooked rice

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Sirloin strips: Mine came from Butcher Box. Thaw them completely before they go in the crockpot.
• Mushrooms: I used one 16-ounce package of white mushrooms and cut each one into thirds. They add a rich, earthy tone to the sauce.
• Bell peppers: Green peppers are the star here. The red and orange peppers add color.
• Soy sauce: Low sodium soy sauce works too if you want to watch the salt.
• Cornstarch slurry: This part is optional. Stir it in at the end if you like a thicker sauce.
• Rice: Plain rice works great. Our family favorite is jasmine rice.

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Equipment Needed

• 6-quart slow cooker (crockpot)
• Set of 2 Pyrex measuring cups. I use the large microwave-safe one to warm the broth and mix the sauce.

How to Make Crockpot Pepper Steak

1. Prep Everything: Thaw the sirloin strips. Slice the mushrooms thick, cutting each one in thirds, and slice all of the peppers. Slice the onion and roughly chop the garlic.
2. Layer the Crockpot: Put the onion, garlic, and sirloin strips in the bottom of the crockpot. Lay the sliced mushrooms on top of the meat.
3. Mix the Sauce: Warm the beef broth in your large Pyrex measuring cup for about 1 minute. Stir in the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, honey, ginger, black pepper, salt, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Pour the sauce over the top of the mushrooms and beef.
   Pro tip: Warm broth helps everything start cooking faster.
4. Cook on Low: Cook on low for 3 hours.
5. Add the Peppers: Add all of the sliced peppers and cook on low for 1 more hour. That makes 4 hours in total.
6. Thicken the Sauce if You Like: If your sauce looks thin, whisk 1/4 cup of water with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Stir it into the crockpot and let it simmer for 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
7. Serve: Spoon it over hot rice and enjoy.

Tips and Tricks

• Wait on the peppers. Add them for the last hour only. They go in after 3 hours, so the total cook time is 4 hours.
• Slice the mushrooms thick. Cut each one in thirds so they hold up under the long cooking.
• Warm the broth first. A minute in the microwave gets the sauce going faster.
• Thaw the beef. Make sure the sirloin strips are fully thawed before they go in.
• Skip the browning. The beef goes in raw and still comes out juicy and tender.

Want More Crockpot Dinners?

I know your family is going to love this crockpot pepper steak. If you make it, come back and leave a star rating and a comment.

What to Serve with Crockpot Pepper Steak

Pepper steak is made to go over rice, so start there. Then finish with something sweet from one of my other recipes.

• Easy Box Cake Mix Lemon Poke Cake with Lemon Curd Filling
• Easy Apple Crisp Recipe with Oats
• Orange Fluff Jello Salad Recipe with Cool Whip

Troubleshooting

• Sauce too thin: Stir in the cornstarch slurry from Step 6.
• Peppers too soft: Wait to add them until the last hour.
• Mushrooms falling apart: Slice them thick, and cut each one in thirds.

Frequently Asked Questions

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