This sweet and spicy beef with peppers is incredible, it is everything you want when you are craving those good, comforting Asian flavors. The beef is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and the sweet peppers and onions are caramelized and tossed in this sticky deliciously sweet and spicy, salty and tangy sauce. I can’t say enough about this dish. I am totally obsessed with how this recipe has developed and cannot wait for you to try it for yourself.
Let’s get it started…
To begin, you will need 1 1/2 pounds of thinly sliced top sirloin, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup of cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper, 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1/2 cup of canola oil, 1 large yellow onion, 1 large red sweet bell pepper and 4 cloves of garlic.
Thinly slice the beef into long thin ribbons and place them in a large bowl. Whisk 2 eggs and add them in with the beef. Mix until all of the beef is coated in egg. Be sure to separate the pieces as much as possible, so the eggs can coat each piece.
Next, add the seasoning. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper over the beef and mix until the seasoning is evenly distributed.
Now, add 1/2 cup of cornstarch into the bowl and start mixing. The mixture will be sticky, but try to mix it enough to get as many pieces of beef coated, as possible.
Add 1/2 cup of canola oil into a wide skillet or wok and place it over medium to medium high heat. Let the oil get nice and warm before you start adding the beef. You will know the oil is ready when a bit of the coating starts bubbling within seconds of being dropped into the oil. At this point, begin adding the beef, one strand at a time. This is not as tedious as it sounds, but it is definitely worth the extra time. If you add the beef in clumps, the outside will get crispy, but the inside will be gummy and possibly raw. When you separate the beef as you drop it into the oil, each piece will be crispy and cook quickly.
Cook the beef in several batches to avoid over crowded the skillet. Once the first batch is crispy, transfer it onto a paper towel lined plate using a spider or large slotted spoon and add the next batch. The beef will be reheated in the sauce before serving, so don’t worry about keeping it warm for now.
Once all of the beef is nice and crispy, pour the excess oil out of the skillet and return it to medium to medium high heat. Add 1 thinly sliced large yellow onion and 1 thinly sliced large red sweet bell pepper into the skillet. Cook the onions and peppers for about 5 minutes, stirring them occasionally.
While the peppers and onions are cooking, gather 1 tablespoon of crushed or pasted ginger, 1/4 cup of rice vinegar, 1/3 cup of soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2/3 cup of granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons of ketsup, 2 tablespoons of sambal oelek and 1 tablespoon of honey.
As soon as the peppers and onions are softened and beginning to caramelize a bit, add 4 minced garlic cloves and mix to combine. Cook the garlic, stirring consistently for about 30 seconds and then add 1 tablespoon of crushed or pasted ginger, 1/4 cup of rice vinegar, 1/3 cup of soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2/3 cup of granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons of ketsup, 2 tablespoons of sambal oelek and 1 tablespoon of honey into the skillet and stir to combine.
Keep the heat set to somewhere between medium and medium high and bring the sauce to a simmer. Once it begins simmering, stir it consistently for 60-90 seconds or until it begins to thicken slightly and take on a sticky texture.
Add the crispy beef back into the skillet and toss until the crispy beef and the caramelized peppers and onions are all coated in that thick, sticky sauce.
Take a look at that beef. The sauce has a wonderfully sticky texture, so it does a great job of holding on to the beef ensuring that each bite is absolutely perfect. The beef is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside with great flavor. Seasoning the beef before coating it in cornstarch, helps to make sure that even the inside of the beef is delicious.
I love serving this sweet and spicy beef with some fluffy rice or delicate rice noodles. Both soak up any excess sauce beautifully and you definitely do not want to leave any of that sauce behind!
The next time you are craving a sweet, salty, spicy, tangy Asian inspired dish make this sweet and spicy beef with peppers, make some rice noodles and get ready to be totally obsessed with these flavors and textures.
Make this! You will be so glad that you did…
Sweet & Spicy Beef with Peppers
Ingredients
Crispy Beef & Peppers
- 1 1/2 pounds of thin cut top sirloin, thinly sliced
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup of cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup of canola oil
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 large red sweet bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
Sweet & Spicy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon of ginger, crushed or pasted
- 1/4 cup of rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup of soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 2/3 cup of granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons of ketsup
- 2 tablespoons of sambal oelek (chili paste)
- 1 tablespoon of honey
- rice of rice noodles, prepared (optional)
Instructions
- Thinly slice 1 1/2 pounds of thin top sirloin and place into a large bowl
- Add 2 whisked eggs into the bowl and mix to combine
- Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of white pepper and 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and mix to combine
- Add 1/2 cup of cornstarch and mix until all of the beef is coated in the sticky seasoned mixture
- Add 1/2 cup of canola oil into a wide skillet or wok and place over medium to medium high heat
- Once the oil is very warm, fry the beef in several batches, transferring it onto a paper towel lined plate once crisp
- Once all of the beef is crisp, discard most of the oil from the skillet and return it to medium to medium high heat
- Add 1 thinly sliced large yellow onion and 1 thinly sliced large red sweet bell pepper into the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Add 4 minced cloves of garlic and cook, stirring consistently for about 30 seconds
- Add 1 tablespoon of crushed or pasted ginger, 1/4 cup of rice vinegar, 1/3 cup of soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2/3 cup of granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons of ketsup, 2 tablespoons of sambal oelek and 1 tablespoon of honey into the skillet and stir to combine
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 60-90 seconds or until the sauce begins to thicken slightly and become sticky in texture
- Add the crispy beef back into the skillet and toss the beef, peppers, onions and sauce until everything is fully incorporated
- Reduce the heat to medium low and allow the beef to heat back up in the sauce
- Serve with rice or rice noodles (optional)
