Green Pepper Steak

This pepper steak stir-fry starts with a quick soy-garlic-ginger marinade that does double duty as seasoning and tenderizer. Slice the round steak against the grain into thin ⅛-inch strips, toss them in the marinade while you prep the vegetables, and you’re already building flavor before the wok even heats up.

Fresh grated ginger root is what separates this from a bland weeknight stir-fry. It adds a sharp, warm bite that ground ginger from a jar can’t replicate. Combined with soy sauce and garlic, it creates an aromatic base that coats every piece of beef.

Brown the beef over high heat first, then check the texture. If the round steak isn’t tender enough, cover and simmer on low for 30-40 minutes before adding vegetables. Crank the heat back up, add the peppers, scallions, and celery, and toss until crisp-tender. The cornstarch slurry goes in last to glaze everything, then the fresh tomato wedges right at the end so they just warm through.

Pro Tips

• Slice the beef against the grain. This is a must with round steak. With-the-grain slices are tough and chewy no matter how you cook them.
• Get the wok screaming hot before adding the beef. If the oil isn’t shimmering, the meat steams instead of searing.
• Add the tomatoes last. They only need a minute. Overcooking turns them to mush.
• Serve immediately over steamed rice while the vegetables still have their snap.

Variations

• Broccoli beef: Add 2 cups of broccoli florets with the peppers for a more substantial vegetable mix.
• Spicy version: Stir in 1 teaspoon of chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek with the soy marinade.
• Mushroom addition: Toss in ½ pound of sliced mushrooms with the other vegetables.