Chinese Beef and Peppers in Black Bean Sauce

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 10/05/20
Beef and peppers in the black bean sauce recipe

The Spruce
Prep: 35 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 50 mins
Servings: 2 to 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
321 Calories
12g Fat
24g Carbs
29g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2 to 4
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
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 large slices ginger
  • 1 tablespoon Chinese fermented black beans (or black bean sauce, or to taste)
  • For the Stir-Fry:
  • 4 tablespoons oil (divided, 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.

    Beef added to bowl.
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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 on a cutting board.
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  3. Then, peel the onion and chop.

    Chopped onion on cutting board.
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  4. Finely chop the garlic and ginger.

    Finely chopped garlic and ginger.
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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 and ginger with the black beans.

    Garlic and black beans in a bowl.
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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.

    Wok heating up with oil.
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  3. Wait until the oil is hot and then add the beef. Brown briefly.

    Beef added to wok.
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  4. Then stir-fry until it changes color and is about 80 percent cooked.

    Beef cooking in a wok.
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  5. Remove the beef from the wok. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the wok.

    Wok with beef removed and oil added.
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  6. When the oil is hot, add the ginger, garlic, and bean mixture. Stir-fry briefly until aromatic.

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

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

    Add peppers to the wok.
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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 to wok mixture.
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  10. Add the beef back into the wok. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for a few more minutes.

    Add beef back into wok.
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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.

    Completed stir-fry dish 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.