Chinese Beef and Peppers in Black Bean Sauce Recipe

Written by
Rhonda Parkinson
Rhonda Parkinson is a freelance writer who has authored many cookbooks, including two Everything guides to Chinese cooking.
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Rhonda Parkinson
Updated 06/26/19
Beef and peppers in the black bean sauce recipe

The Spruce
  • Total: 50 mins
  • Prep: 35 mins
  • Cook: 15 mins
  • Yield: 2 to 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
321 Calories
12g Fat
24g Carbs
29g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 4 servings
Amount per serving
Calories 321
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 16%
Saturated Fat 3g 17%
Cholesterol 72mg 24%
Sodium 284mg 12%
Total Carbohydrate 24g 9%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Protein 29g
Calcium 97mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Use this easy recipe to make Chinese beef and bell peppers with a savory black bean sauce.

This dish will not only make your mouth water, it is a staple of Cantonese home cooking. Chock full of healthful ingredients such as garlic, ginger, and onions, it's a great meal to have if you're watching your weight or trying to make better culinary choices.

Ingredients

  • For the Marinade
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (such as canola)
  • 3/4 pound steak (sirloin or flank is good, thinly sliced across the grain)
  • Prepare the Vegetables
  • 2 bell peppers (1 green and 1 orange or red)
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese fermented black beans (or black bean sauce, or to taste)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 large slices ginger
  • For the Stir-Fry
  • 4 tablespoons oil (for stir frying, or as needed)
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock (or broth or water)
  • Optional: salt (to taste)
  • Optional: pepper (to taste)
  • Optional: soy sauce (to taste)

Steps to Make It

Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this Chinese beef and peppers dish is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for cooking.

Make the Marinade

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for marinade
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  2. In a large bowl, mix together sugar, soy sauce, rice wine, cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon oil.

    Mix together sugar, soy sauce
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  3. Add the beef and marinate for 25 to 30 minutes.

    Add beef
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Prepare the Vegetables

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for vegetables
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  2. While the beef is marinating, remove the stems and seeds from the bell peppers and chop.

    Chopped peppers
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  3. Then, peel the onion and chop.

    Chopped onion
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  4. Finely chop the garlic and ginger.

    Finely chop garlic
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  5. After that, use a cleaver or knife to chop the beans into tiny pieces.

    Chop beans into pieces
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  6. Mix the chopped garlic with the black beans.

    Beans in jar
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Stir-Fry

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for stir fry
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  2. Heat the wok over medium-high to high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil.

    Heat wok
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  3. Wait until the oil is hot and then add the beef. Brown briefly.

    Wait until oil is hot
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  4. Then stir-fry until it changes color and is about 80 percent cooked.

    Stir fry
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  5. Remove the beef from the wok. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the wok.

    Remove from wok
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  6. When the oil is hot, add the ginger and the garlic and bean mixture. Stir-fry briefly until aromatic.

    Add ginger and garlic
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  7. Add the onion and stir-fry for about 3 minutes.

    Add the onion
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  8. Then add the peppers and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes, until crisp tender.

    Add peppers
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  9. Pour in the chicken broth and heat to boiling. (If you don't have chicken broth or stock, just use water.)

    Pour in the chicken broth
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  10. Add the beef back into the pan. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for a few more minutes.

    Add beef back into pan
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  11. Taste and season with salt, pepper, or soy sauce, if desired.

    Taste and season with salt
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  12. Serve hot with rice if desired.

    Serve with rice
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Tip

  • Soy sauce contains sodium, so consider skipping the salt and simply using a low-sodium soy sauce if you suffer from hypertension.

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