This black pepper beef stir fry is fast, flavourful, and doesn’t require chef-level skills or a 3-hour nap after. It includes a delicious Chinese-inspired black pepper stir fry sauce with freshly cracked black peppercorns that's drizzled over the peppered steak and seasonal vegetables and served with rice. It takes less than 30 minutes and is perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or meal prep recipe.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Stir Fry. This black pepper stir fry and others like Tofu Pad See Ew and Sweet and Sour Chicken are kitchen saviours—quick, one-pan and full of flavour
Seasonal Ingredients. You can swap with Seasonal Vegetables depending on what season you're in so you can keep this stir fry really affordable.
Meal Prep Friendly. Like Chicken Pepper Stir Fry, the sauce gets even better after a day in the fridge making it perfect for a work week lunch.
30-Minute Dinner. Just like Lemongrass Beef Salad or Kung Pao Chicken, this whole dish comes together fast—great for weeknights when your brain’s at 2% battery.
Ingredients and substitutions
Rump steak. Juicy, affordable, and perfect for fast cooking. You could also use flank steak, sirloin, skirt steak or flat iron steak. The key is to slice against the grain and not overcook to keep the beef tender.
Vegetables. I used brown onion, red pepper and Bok choy based on Seasonality and what was affordable. You can substitute with other vegetables you like such as carrots, zucchinis, even mushrooms.
Soy sauce. Use low sodium if you want more control.
Oyster sauce. Adds depth as it's got a heap of flavour. Substitute with additional soy sauce if you don't have, but the flavour won't be as good.
White wine vinegar and brown sugar. Acidity and sweetness helps to balance out the saltiness from the Asian-style sauces.
Black peppercorns. Freshly crushed gives this dish its signature kick. I do not recommend powdered or pre-ground. Adjust depending on how much heat you want.
Rice. The stir fry’s BFF. Jasmine or basmati works great - Check this post for Rice Recommendations - but honestly, leftover takeout rice does the job too (or you can be cheeky and use a Pineapple Fried Rice)
Please check the recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantity. See below for substitutions and variations.
How to make beef stir fry
Step 1: Thinly slice your rump steak against the grain. Toss it with a pinch of salt, pepper, a splash of soy sauce, and a tablespoon of cornstarch—this “velveting” gives you tender, juicy bites.
Step 2: Roughly crack your black peppercorns with a mortar and pestle or the bottom of a pan. You want a mix of coarse and fine bits.
Step 3: In a bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Step 4: Heat your wok (or large pan) until it’s smoking and hot. Add oil, then sear the beef quickly and remove once browned.
Step 5: Throw in the onions and red peppers, stir-fry until just tender. Toss in the bok choy and give it a minute
Step 6: Return the beef to the wok, pour in your black pepper sauce, and toss everything together until glossy and coated.
Step 7: Serve hot with rice.
Top Tip
Slice against the grain. Whatever beef cut you choose, slice it against the grain as this will help keep the beef tender and a perfect texture when added to the stir fry.
Don’t overcrowd the wok. Stir fries need high heat and space. If the beef steams instead of sears, batch it out.
Crack your own pepper. Pre-ground pepper won’t give you the same bold punch—freshly cracked is worth it.
Recommended Equipment
You’ll get the best results using a good non-stick or carbon-steel https://www.amazon.com.au/B4849417-Tefal-Specialty-Anodised-Non-Stick/dp/B0BG4NWGL7?crid=3HJYRMN9VQYWA&keywords=wok&qid=1704257838&sprefix=wo%2Caps%2C263&sr=8-3-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=athletelunchb-22&linkId=2cb83e6bb34ed5accf0b729b811fb1ff&language=en_AU&ref_=as_li_ss_tl—it gives you that beautiful sear and cooks everything superfast. But a large skillet works in a pinch too!
Meal prepping stir fry
Black pepper beef is great for meal prep. You've got protein from the beef, veggies for colour, and some rice for your carbs. The flavours intensify overnight, and the sauce keeps everything juicy without drying out.
How do you store stir fried beef?
Let the dish cool at room temperature for up to 2 hours, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I recommend keeping the stir fry and rice separate on opposite sides of the container to ensure the rice doesn't go mushy.
Reheating
Microwave works fine—just sprinkle a little water on top before reheating to keep it from drying out. Reheat on 1 minute intervals, stirring each time to ensure even reheating. This should take approx. 3 minutes.
You can also reheat on the wok over hot heat, stirring constantly for approx. 4-5 minutes.
Freezing
Freeze portions in zip-lock bags or containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. (Avoid freezing the rice if it’s already been reheated once.)
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
Only about 2–3 minutes on high heat in the wok. Thin slices of beef steak cook fast—overcooking makes it chewy.
It’s got a noticeable peppery bite but no chili heat. You can scale the black pepper up or down depending on your taste.
Nope. A large frying pan works just fine, though a wok gets better heat distribution for the real stir fry magic.
Other beef recipes you might like
Or, you can have a browse through my Beef Recipe Category for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Beef Black Pepper Stir Fry with Rice
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Equipment
- wok, optional
- Rice Cooker, optional
Ingredients
Sauce
- 3 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce, subs note 1
- 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon black pepper, see note 2
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Stir Fry
- 500 g (1 lb) Rump steak, subs note 3
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, see note 2
- 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil, or other high-heat oil e.g. vegetable
- 200 g (7 oz) (~2 medium) brown onion
- 100 g (3 ½ oz) (~1 medium) red pepper
- 150 g (5 oz) (~2 bunches) bok choy
To Serve
- 1 cup long-grain rice, (makes ~3 cups cooked). Cooked your way or see my tips
Instructions
Preparation
- If serving with rice, prepare as per your preferences, or follow my tips for cooking rice.
- Slice 100 g (~1 medium) red pepper, 150 g (~2 bunches) bok choy, 200 g (~2 medium) brown onion into even slices.
- Add 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil to your wok and put it on high-heat. Allow to heat up for at least 5-10 minutes.
- Thinly slice 500 g Rump steak. Coat in 1 tablespoon Cornstarch, 1 teaspoon black pepper Let it sit while you mix the sauce ingredients together: 3 tablespoon soy sauce2 tablespoon oyster sauce, 2 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 3 tablespoon water, 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Cook
- Sear beef quickly on the pan and remove once browned.
- Add onions and red peppers, stir-fry until just tender (approx. 3 minutes). Toss in the bok choy, stir fry for one minute.
- Return the beef to the wok, pour in your black pepper sauce, and toss everything together until glossy and coated.
- Serve hot with rice.
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