Vegan Pepper Steak

Ingredients

• 8 oz Soy curls (About 4 cups; discard the powder and small crumbles at the bottom of the bag.)
• 3.25 cup Vegan beef broth or vegetable broth (Used to soak the soy curls; reserve any excess broth if desired.)
• 2 Bell peppers (Medium peppers, sliced; the source uses green and red.)
• Garlic (3–4 cloves, minced; nutrition estimated for 3.5 cloves.)
• tsp Ginger (1–2 teaspoons, minced, to taste; nutrition estimated for 1.5 teaspoons.)
• cup Water (¾–1 cup total; reserve ¼ cup and do not add it to the sauce initially. Nutrition estimated for ¾ cup used in the sauce.)
• 7 tbsp Reduced-sodium soy sauce (Use a gluten-free option if needed.)
• 3 tbsp Coconut sugar (Any sugar may be substituted.)
• 1.5 tbsp Mirin (The source mentions a substitution in the recipe notes, but does not specify it in the supplied text.)
• 1.5 tbsp Arrowroot powder or cornstarch (For thickening; an additional tablespoon may be mixed with a few tablespoons of water if the sauce is too thin.)
• Freshly cracked black pepper (To season.)
• Salt (Optional, only if needed; the source found the dish salty enough without it.)
• Roasted sesame seeds (Optional garnish.)
• Green onion (Chopped; optional garnish.)
• Red pepper flakes (Optional garnish or added heat.)
• Rice (For serving; amount and cooking instructions are not specified.)

Steps

1. 1

   If serving the pepper steak with rice, start the rice first. Brown rice may need to be started well before the rest of the recipe.

2. 2

   Place the soy curls in a medium bowl, discarding the powder and small crumbles at the bottom of the bag. Pour in the broth and mix gently. Let the soy curls soak for 10–12 minutes.

3. 3

   While the soy curls soak, slice the bell peppers, mince the garlic, grate or mince the ginger, and measure the remaining ingredients.

4. 4

   Start a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Keep the bowl of soaked soy curls beside the skillet.

5. 5

   Working one handful at a time, gently squeeze most of the excess broth from the soy curls—usually one or two squeezes—and place them in the hot skillet.

6. 6

   If desired, strain and save the excess soaking broth for soup, rice, or other uses, or freeze it for later.

7. 7

   Dry-fry the soy curls for 3–5 minutes, stirring often with a wooden or silicone spatula or spoon, until they begin to brown. If they become very dark or start to burn, reduce the heat. No oil is used.

8. 8

   Add the sliced bell peppers and cook for another 4–6 minutes, until they begin to soften while retaining some bite.

9. 9

   In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the unreserved water, soy sauce, mirin, coconut sugar, and arrowroot powder or cornstarch until smooth. Set the sauce aside briefly.

10. 10

    Add the minced garlic and ginger to the skillet. Stir constantly for 1 minute, then reduce the heat to medium.

11. 11

    Pour in the sauce and stir constantly for about 1 minute, until it thickens quickly.

12. 12

    If the sauce is too thick, add some of the reserved water a little at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. If it is too thin, either cook it for 5–6 minutes to reduce and thicken, or mix another tablespoon of arrowroot powder or cornstarch with a few tablespoons of water and stir that mixture into the pan until thickened.

13. 13

    Remove the skillet from the heat. Season with freshly cracked black pepper and add salt only if needed.

14. 14

    Serve the vegan pepper steak with rice. Garnish with roasted sesame seeds and chopped green onion; add red pepper flakes if desired.

15. 15

    Refrigerate leftovers separately from the rice in an airtight container for 3–4 days, or freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

Notes

The recipe yields about 6 cups, with a listed serving size of 1 cup. Store the pepper steak separately from rice. The source suggests tofu, seitan, or a store-bought vegan beef product as alternatives to soy curls, but does not provide replacement quantities or cooking instructions.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegan
• vegetarian
• dairy-free
• weeknight
• stovetop
• one-pan
• East Asian-inspired