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This Vegan Chinese-Style Garlic Pepper Beef Stir-Fry is packed with crisp and juice bell peppers, onions, and soy strips or plant-based protein to replace the “beef”, that’s coated in a deliciously peppery and garlicky sauce.
You can skip the take-out and try out this recipe that you can easily cook and adjust to your taste. This garlic black pepper “beef” is perfect with some steamed rice or noodles for a perfectly hearty and satisfying meal. Enjoy!
THIS GARLIC PEPPER BEEF IS:
- Easy and really tasty: the sauce can be easily adjusted to your taste
- Perfect for those take-out cravings
- Good for batch cooking! You can store leftovers and reheat it on a pan for upcoming meals
- Delicious with rice or noodles!
THE PROTEIN FOR THE “BEEF”
Here’s the exact flat TVP/soy meat I used! PS. Link is not an affiliate link. I purchased these from Shopee and can be shipped in the Philippines.
For my US-based friends, here are similar meat substitutes that you can find on Amazon:
(these are affiliate links)
- Soy curls
- Plant based strips
- Vegan meat substitute (Just like ‘Chicken)
Rehydrating the soy/plant-based meat: Rehydrate the pieces by placing these in a heat proof bowl and soaking in boiling hot water until doubled or even tripled in size. You can also rehydrate the soy pieces overnight. I simply place these in a container and add room temperature water to soak the chunks in.
Squeeze out the liquid from each piece. If your soy pieces are the type that are in larger pieces, you can break these apart into small pieces/strips.
BLACK PEPPER SAUCE & GARLIC
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce and mince the garlic. For the sauce, I mixed following together:
- vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce or stir-fry sauce
- soy sauce
- dark soy sauce, optional for colour
- lots of freshly ground black pepper
- sugar, adjust depending on desired taste
- corn starch
- room temperature water
Feel free to adjust to your taste! You’ll find the full recipe below.
I also used freshly ground black pepper for the best flavour. There’s nothing like freshly ground pepper especially when compared to pre-ground pepper!
PREPARING THE PROTEIN
Mix the rehydrated soy chunks/protein with the corn starch, sesame oil, grated ginger, Shaoxing wine (or broth). Coat the pieces well. Leave to sit for at least 10 minutes. You can prepare this beforehand and just leave in the refrigerator until read to cook.
STIR-FRYING THIS DISH
Heat a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Once hot, add in some oil. Stir-fry the onion and bell peppers over med high heat for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned and the bell peppers are tender. Move the onions to the side of the pan, then add in some more oil. Stir-fry the garlic until aromatic, around 1-2 minutes.
Mix everything together then add in the soy strips/plant-based meat.
Cook the pieces down for 1-2 minutes over med high heat. Give the sauce another good mix to make sure the start isn’t sitting at the bottom. Pour in the sauce and then mix well to coat all of the pieces. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the pieces have absorbed the sauce and the sauce has thickened. Lower the heat to medium if needed and keep an eye out and make sure to move the pieces around to make sure to nice and cooked, but be careful not to leave these to burn since the sauce has sugar that can easily burn.
Taste the pieces and feel free to season with more vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce or soy sauce, to taste if needed. You can also add more freshly ground black pepper, if you’d like.
SERVE AND ENJOY!
Turn off the heat then serve your garlic black pepper “beef” with some steamed rice or noodles for a perfectly hearty meal.
OTHER CHINESE RECIPES YOU MIGHT LOVE:
- Chinese Green Bean and Mushroom Stir-Fry
- Crispy Wontons
- Vegetable Dumplings
- Chinese Chive Pies
- Pan-Fried Cabbage and Noodle Buns
- Wontons in Chili Broth
- Scallion and Sesame Buns
Garlic Pepper “Beef” Stir-Fry, Chinese-Style (Vegan)
Ingredients
Protein
- 50 g dry soy strips makes 250g rehydrated (see notes for sub)
- 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp minced or grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or other rice wine see notes
Black Pepper Sauce
- 2 tbsp vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce or vegetarian stir fry sauce
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp dark soy sauce optional for colour
- 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp sugar adjust depending on desired taste
- 1/2 tbsp corn starch
- 3 tbsp room temperature water
Stir-Fry
- Neutral oil
- 1 medium white onion sliced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 green bell pepper sliced
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- More vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce or soy sauce to taste if needed
- More fresh ground black pepper if desired
To Serve
- Steamed rice
- Sesame seeds for topping
Instructions
- You can see the photos above to see a step-by-step on how this dish is cooked.
- Rehydrating the soy/plant-based meat: Rehydrate the pieces by placing these in a heat proof bowl and soaking in boiling hot water until doubled or even tripled in size. You can also rehydrate the soy pieces overnight. I simply place these in a container and add room temperature water to soak the chunks in.
- Squeeze out the liquid from each piece. If your soy pieces are the type that are in larger pieces, you can break these apart into small pieces/strips.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by mixing everything together. Feel free to adjust to your taste.
- Mix the rehydrated soy chunks/protein with the corn starch, sesame oil, grated ginger, Shaoxing wine (or broth). Coat the pieces well. Leave to sit for at least 10 minutes. You can prepare this beforehand and just leave in the refrigerator until read to cook.
- Stir-frying: Heat a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Once hot, add in some oil. Stir-fry the onion and bell peppers over med high heat for 3-4 minutes until lightly browned and the bell peppers are tender. Move the onions to the side of the pan, then add in some more oil. Stir-fry the garlic until aromatic, around 1-2 minutes.
- Mix everything together then add in the soy strips/plant-based meat.
- Cook the pieces down for 1-2 minutes over med high heat. Give the sauce another good mix to make sure the start isn’t sitting at the bottom. Pour in the sauce and then mix well to coat all of the pieces. Cook for 4-5 minutes or until the pieces have absorbed the sauce and the sauce has thickened. Lower the heat to medium if needed and keep an eye out and make sure to move the pieces around to make sure to nice and cooked, but be careful not to leave these to burn since the sauce has sugar that can easily burn.
- Taste the pieces and feel free to season with more vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce or soy sauce, to taste if needed. You can also add more freshly ground black pepper, if you’d like.
- Turn off the heat then serve your garlic black pepper “beef” with some steamed rice or noodles for a perfectly hearty meal.
Notes
DRY SOY STRIPS/OTHER ALTERNATIVES
Here’s the exact flat TVP/soy meat I used! PS. Link is not an affiliate link. I purchased these from Shopee and can be shipped in the Philippines. For my US-based friends, here are similar meat substitutes that you can find on Amazon:(these are affiliate links)
- Soy curls
- Plant based strips
- Vegan meat substitute (Just like ‘Chicken)
This Post Has 6 Comments
Delicious! Thanks for this recipe.
Most welcome! Thanks Ellen! ◡̈
Ok. I never do this….but….your Vegan Asian book is superb!!!! My new fave!!!! I’m going to cook my way thru this book!!!!! Just made theChar Siu Tofu and dare I say….IT ROCKS!!
Ahh thank you so much Connie!! happy cooking!
Thanks For Sharing this Amazing Recipe. My Family Loved It. I will be sharing this Recipe with my Friends. Hope They will like it.
Thanks Helan! Hope they like it too! ◡̈