Thin Sliced Top Round Steak: Easy Pepper Steak Stir-Fry

This thin sliced top round steak recipe is a quick pepper steak stir-fry: paper-thin strips of beef, crisp bell peppers and onion, tossed in a glossy soy, garlic and ginger sauce in a hot skillet or wok. Top round is lean and can be tough, but sliced very thin across the grain and quickly marinated, it turns tender in just a couple of minutes of cooking. Dinner is ready in about 30 minutes, served over steamed rice.

Below you’ll find how to slice top round thinly, the ingredients, step-by-step instructions, the trick that keeps lean beef tender, variations and storage. The printable recipe card is at the bottom.

How to Slice Top Round Thinly

1. Freeze it briefly. Wrap the steak and freeze it for 20 to 30 minutes, until firm but not frozen solid. Firm meat is much easier to slice thin.
2. Find the grain. Look for the long lines of muscle fiber running across the steak.
3. Slice across the grain, holding a sharp knife at a slight angle, into strips about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick and 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7 cm) long. Short fibers mean tender bites.

Many stores also sell top round already sliced thin for stir-fries or “shaved steak,” which saves time.

Ingredients for Pepper Steak

For the beef

• Top round steak, 1¼ lb (565 g), sliced thin across the grain.
• Soy sauce, 1 tablespoon; cornstarch, 1 tablespoon; neutral oil, 1 teaspoon.
• Baking soda, ¼ teaspoon. A small amount tenderizes lean beef; this is the classic restaurant “velveting” trick.

For the sauce

• Beef broth, ¼ cup (60 ml).
• Soy sauce, 2 tablespoons, low sodium.
• Oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon.
• Sugar, 1 teaspoon; cornstarch, 1 teaspoon; black pepper, ½ teaspoon.

For the stir-fry

• Bell peppers, 2 (one green and one red), cut into strips.
• Yellow onion, 1, cut into strips.
• Garlic, 3 cloves, minced, and fresh ginger, 1 tablespoon, grated.
• Neutral oil, 3 tablespoons, divided.
• Green onions and sesame seeds, to finish, and steamed rice to serve.

How to Make Pepper Steak (Step by Step)

1. Marinate the beef

Toss the sliced beef with the soy sauce, cornstarch, 1 teaspoon oil and the baking soda. Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes at room temperature while you prep the vegetables (or up to 2 hours in the fridge).

2. Mix the sauce

Whisk the broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, cornstarch and pepper in a small bowl.

3. Sear the beef in batches

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat until very hot, then add 1 tablespoon of oil. Add half the beef in a single layer and cook without stirring for 1 minute, then stir-fry for 30 to 60 seconds more, until browned. Move it to a plate and repeat with another tablespoon of oil and the rest of the beef.

4. Cook the vegetables

Add the last tablespoon of oil, then the peppers and onion. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until crisp-tender and lightly charred. Add the garlic and ginger for the last 30 seconds.

5. Bring it together

Return the beef and its juices to the pan. Stir the sauce, pour it in, and toss for about 1 minute, until it bubbles, thickens and coats everything in a glossy glaze.

6. Serve

Sprinkle with green onions and sesame seeds, and serve right away over rice.

Chef Emma’s Tips

• Get the pan very hot. High heat browns the beef quickly before it can toughen.
• Cook in batches. A crowded pan steams the meat gray.
• Don’t overcook. Thin strips need only 1½ to 2 minutes; they’ll warm through again in the sauce.
• Prep everything first. Stir-frying moves fast, so have the sauce mixed and the vegetables cut before you turn on the heat.
• Measure the baking soda. A quarter teaspoon is plenty; more can give the beef a soapy taste.

Variations

• Beef and broccoli: use 4 cups broccoli florets instead of the peppers, steamed for 2 minutes in the pan with a splash of water. For a full recipe, see our 10-minute beef and broccoli.
• Spicy: add 1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce or a few dried red chiles with the garlic.
• Mongolian-style: add 2 tablespoons brown sugar to the sauce and plenty of green onions.
• Philly-style sandwiches: skip the Asian sauce, season the beef with salt and pepper, and pile it with the peppers and onions into toasted rolls with melted provolone.

Other Ways to Use Thin-Sliced Top Round

• Fajitas with lime, cumin and chili powder, wrapped in warm tortillas
• Beef noodle bowls with rice noodles and fresh herbs
• Quick steak salads with a sesame dressing

For a slow-cooked, fork-tender dinner with the same cut, try our smothered top round steak with onion gravy. Have leftovers? See our leftover steak recipes, or browse more steak recipes.

Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerate within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days.
• Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water, just until hot, or in the microwave in short bursts.
• Freeze for up to 2 to 3 months; the peppers soften a little after thawing.

These times follow the FoodSafety.gov cold food storage chart.

Thin Sliced Top Round FAQs

How do you keep thin top round steak from being tough?

Slice it very thin across the grain, marinate it briefly with a little cornstarch and baking soda, and cook it fast over high heat without overcrowding the pan.

How long do you cook thin-sliced steak?

About 1½ to 2 minutes in a very hot pan, in batches, then just 1 minute more in the sauce.

Can I use flank or sirloin instead?

Yes. Flank steak and sirloin both work well and are a little more tender; slice them the same way.

What can I use instead of oyster sauce?

Use hoisin sauce, or an extra tablespoon of soy sauce with ½ teaspoon more sugar.

Thin Sliced Top Round Steak Recipe Card (Pepper Steak)

Calories are an estimate per serving, without rice, based on USDA FoodData Central values for lean beef top round and the other ingredients.

Chef Emma

Pepper Steak with Thin-Sliced Top Round

Thinly sliced top round, velveted with cornstarch and a little baking soda, seared hot and stir-fried with bell peppers and onion in a soy, oyster sauce and ginger glaze.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Freezing and marinating 25 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese-American

Calories: 330

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Beef

• 1 1/4 lb top round steak 565 g, sliced 1/8 inch thick across the grain
• 1 tbsp soy sauce plus 1 tbsp cornstarch and 1 tsp oil
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Sauce

• 1/4 cup beef broth 60 ml
• 2 tbsp soy sauce low sodium
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp sugar plus 1 tsp cornstarch and 1/2 tsp black pepper

Stir-fry

• 2 bell peppers green and red, in strips
• 1 yellow onion in strips
• 3 cloves garlic minced, plus 1 tbsp grated ginger
• 3 tbsp neutral oil divided

Equipment

• Wok or large skillet
• Sharp knife

Method

 

1. Freeze the steak 20 to 30 minutes, then slice 1/8 inch thick across the grain.
2. Toss the beef with the soy sauce, cornstarch, oil and baking soda; rest 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Whisk the sauce ingredients.
4. Sear the beef in two batches in a very hot oiled wok, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per batch; set aside.
5. Stir-fry the peppers and onion 3 to 4 minutes, adding the garlic and ginger for the last 30 seconds.
6. Return the beef, add the sauce and toss 1 minute until glossy. Serve over rice.

Notes

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and eat within 3 to 4 days. Calories are an estimate per serving, without rice, from USDA FoodData Central values.