Vegan Pepper Black Bean Stir-Fry (vegan pepper steak)

You know that Chinese-American pepper steak stir-fry dish? Well, this is the veganized version of that. Just 10 ingredients and 15 minutes to make, Vegan Pepper Black Bean Stir-Fry is not only incredibly delicious, but it's even easier to make than the traditional version. Gotta love when that happens!

Instead of steak, I use black beans. Now that may seem odd at first thought, but black beans are mild in flavour meaning they will take on whatever flavour you give them, and they are super hearty and satisfying so they make the perfect steak-like sub. Combine that with sautéed ginger and garlic bell peppers and toss in a tangy umami sauce, and let me introduce you to the most scrumptious vegan stir-fry.

If you're not feeling the black bean vibe tho, you can definitely get a little more adventurous and replace them with some sliced, pan-fried seitan steaks.

This is the perfect last-minute weeknight meal and also keeps fresh in the fridge for a few days so it's great for making ahead or meal prepping.

To Make Vegan Pepper Black Bean Stir-Fry:

Make the sauce: Add all of the sauce ingredients to a medium bowl or large measuring cup and whisk well to combine. Set aside.

Make the pepper black beans: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, when hot add the peppers and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook another 5 minutes, stirring often until the peppers start to soften and begin to brown.

Tip: whenever I make a stir-fry I love using my hefty cast iron pan for the best no-stick surface.

Add the black beans and all of the sauce to the pan and stir, cooking another few minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the veggies, and the beans are heated through. If the sauce gets too thick, just stir in a splash of water as needed.

Serve hot over rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired. I'm a fan of spice so I also love garnishing pepper black beans with a little Sriracha!

Bon appetegan!

Sam Turnbull

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4.96 from 21 votes

Vegan Pepper Black Bean Stir-Fry

Just 10 ingredients and 15 minutes to make, this is the vegan version of that Chinese-American pepper steak dish. It's not only incredibly delicious, but it's even easier to make than the traditional version. Perfect for meal prepping. Gluten-free, oil-free versions.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time15 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Chinese

ingredient tag: beans, bell peppers

Servings: 4

Calories: 201kcal

Author: Sam Turnbull • It Doesn't Taste Like Chicken

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup soy sauce (gluten-free if preferred)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 ½ teaspoons brown or white sugar
• ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke

For the pepper black beans:

• 1 tablespoon light oil (such as canola or vegetable)
• 2 bell peppers (any colour), thinly sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 inches fresh ginger, minced
• 1 19oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (2 cups)
• green onions and sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

• Make the sauce: Add all of the sauce ingredients to a medium bowl or large measuring cup and whisk well to combine. Set aside.
• Make the pepper black beans: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, when hot add the peppers and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook another 5 minutes, stirring often until the peppers start to soften and begin to brown.
• Add the black beans and all of the sauce to the pan and stir, cooking another few minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the veggies, and the beans are heated through. If the sauce gets too thick, just stir in a splash of water as needed. Serve hot over rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.

Notes

Oil-free: for an oil-free version, simply saute the peppers in water or broth. 

Cornstarch: used to thicken the sauce, most other starches can be substituted. I would recommend arrowroot starch.

Black beans: sub with any other type of cooked bean for a variety of flavours and textures. You could also sub sliced and pan-fried seitan steak.

Liquid smoke: can be substituted with smoked paprika (although I tested both and much preferred the flavour of liquid smoke here). 

Make-ahead: once cooled, this dish can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3 - 5 days. Gently reheat on the stove or in the microwave.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(recipe makes 4 servings) | Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 817mg | Potassium: 488mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1863IU | Vitamin C: 77mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg

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