By Wendy Stoltz / Last Modified On January 15, 2023

Make this savory, Instant Pot Pepper Steak using only a handful of ingredients and a few simple steps.

The combination of seasonings, peppers, and steak in this instant pot pepper steak recipe is delicious and incredibly filling.

If you love using the Instant Pot you'll want to try Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice next.

INSTANT POT PEPPER STEAK RECIPE

I love using my Instant Pot to make simple dinner recipes, and this pressure cooker pepper steak recipe is one of my family's new favorites.

We've also really been enjoying Gluten Free Orange Chicken. It's also flavorful and filling.

One of the best parts of this recipe is that the only dishes you'll have to do will be the instant pot itself and the knife and cutting board you'll use to prep the ingredients.

In total, you'll need about 25 minutes to make this entire meal from start to finish.

Flavors like ginger, soy, and rice vinegar make this dish reminiscent of takeout food, but with fresh ingredients and a homemade twist.

INGREDIENTS IN INSTANT POT PEPPER STEAK

Oil - Olive oil or avocado oil work well for sautéing, but for extra flavor, use sesame oil. 

Bell Peppers - I use a combination of red and green peppers for fun visual interest. 

Flank Steak - You'll slice your steak thinly against the grain of the muscle fibers to keep it tender.

Water - Liquid allows the instant pot to do it's thing. Without liquid the pot won't pressurize.

Rice Vinegar - A common ingredient in Asian inspired sauces, rice vinegar has a special tang. 

Gluten Free Soy Sauce or Tamari - Whichever you prefer or have on hand works well to season the pepper steak. 

Grated Ginger - Fresh ginger is a special buy at the grocery store for most, but it's so worth it for the flavor it gives to this dish. 

Brown Sugar - Add sweetness and depth to the sauce. 

Black Pepper - A good amount of pepper goes into this dish to add a bit of heat. 

Onion Powder - Gives the flavor of onion without needing to add onion to the mix.

Garlic Powder - This spice is my favorite to add to meat dishes. 

Cornstarch - Cornstarch is our thickener to make the sauce nice and silky. 

If you have any questions, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you.

HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT PEPPER STEAK

1. Add oil to Instant Pot and set Instant Pot to “sauté”. When the oil is hot, add in peppers and cook for until they start to brown. Remove peppers; set aside.
2. Add ¾ cup water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, brown sugar, black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine.
3. Add in the beef and stir to combine. Place the lid on, lock to seal, and set to cook at high pressure as directed in recipe.
4. While beef is cooking, add cornstarch and 3 Tbsp of water to a small bowl. Whisk until cornstarch is completely dissolved in the water.
5. When beef is done cooking, quick release the pressure to prevent the beef from overcooking. Stir the instant pot pepper steak to ensure everything is combined.
6. Add the cornstarch slurry and stir quickly. Stir until sauce is thickened.
7. Add bell peppers back to the instant pot and stir until combined.
8. Serve warm over rice.

These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the recipe below.

CAN I DOUBLE THE RECIPE FOR INSTANT POT PEPPER STEAK?

If you're feeding a larger family, this recipe can be doubled or even tripled, as long as your careful not to go above the recommended volume of your instant pot.

I never have any leftovers when I make this, everyone likes it so much - so keep that in mind when deciding how much pepper steak to cook.

SIDE DISHES TO GO WITH INSTANT POT PEPPER STEAK

One thing I really like about this recipe, and most stir fry style recipes, is that it has meat and veggies in it already, so a side dish might not even be necessary.

I do like to serve it over rice to soak up all the flavors of the sauce, and often will serve another vegetable on the side, such as steamed broccoli or green beans.

WHAT CUT OF BEEF TO USE FOR PEPPER STEAK

I've tested and created this recipe using flank steak. This is an inexpensive cut of beef due to the amount of connective tissue it has.

Cooking in the instant pot breaks down that toughness and gives you tender, delicious slices of steak. This is why it's also important to slice across the muscle grain of the meat.

I've seen pepper steak made with other cuts of beef, such as top round steaks or London broil. These may also work well, but I have not tested them.

Did you make this Instant Pot Pepper Steak? Please leave a comment below letting me know what you thought.