Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry

Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry
Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Sylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(5,695)
Notes
Read community notes

Coarsely crushed black peppercorns star in this quick weeknight dish, which is built primarily from pantry staples. Don’t be shy about adding the entire tablespoon of pepper, as it balances out the richness of the beef and adds a lightly spicy bite to the dish. A quick rub of garlic, brown sugar, salt, pepper and cornstarch seasons the beef; the cornstarch helps tenderize the beef and later imparts a silky texture to the sauce. Feel free to marinate the beef up to 8 hours ahead and cook when you're ready. If leftovers remain, tuck them into a crunchy baguette or roll them into a wrap.

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Ingredients

Yield:2 to 4 servings
  • 1tablespoon whole black peppercorns, coarsely crushed with the bottom of a cup or pan
  • 3garlic cloves, grated
  • 2teaspoons light brown sugar
  • 1teaspoon cornstarch
  • Kosher salt
  • ¾pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced crosswise
  • 3tablespoons sunflower oil or other neutral oil
  • 2tablespoons soy sauce
  • ½head small green cabbage (about 8 ounces), thinly sliced
  • 1tablespoon sherry vinegar
  • 1tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, crushed with your fingertips
  • 2scallions, thinly sliced
  • Cooked rice, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

390 calories; 24 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 20 grams protein; 533 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Add peppercorns, garlic, brown sugar, cornstarch and 1 teaspoon salt to a medium bowl and stir to combine. Add sliced steak and toss to coat.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add steak and cook, stirring frequently, until some of the edges are lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add soy sauce and toss beef to coat, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to a bowl or plate.

  3. Step 3

    Add cabbage to skillet, spread in an even layer and let cook, undisturbed, for 1 minute so that some pieces caramelize in the pan. Toss and cook cabbage, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in vinegar and season with salt.

  4. Step 4

    Add steak and any juices back to the skillet, and stir until well combined with the cabbage and warmed through, about 1 minute. Top with toasted sesame seeds and scallions; serve with rice.

Ratings

5 out of 5
5,695 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Really good recipe! I added more cabbage per suggestions, doubled the spice mix, and added chicken stock thickened with a bit of cornstarch at the end to make a bit of sauce. The chicken stock helped to deglaze the pan a bit too. I didn't have sherry vinegar but apple cider vinegar with a pinch of sugar worked out well. Also, as a tip, putting the beef in the freezer for about 20 minutes will help make the thin slicing easier. Next time I may add sliced red onions to the pan for more flavor.

Not in my experience. Thinly sliced as specified and stir-fried on high heat for about 5 minutes, it will be crispy, starting to brown, and cooked just enough to lose its bitterness and turn a little sweet. It’s my favorite way to cook green cabbage. Try it!

Love this section! Is there a way to print the cooking notes with the recipe?

Surprised by some of the lukewarm reviews - one of the best NYT recipes I've made recently. Easy, healthy, and filing, where don't even need the rice. The recipe is written a little strangely and seems to assume people today don't have Asian equipment/ingredients. I used a wok. Use a mortar/pestle for peppercorns and sesame. I've never owned sherry vin., so subbed half rice wine vin. and shaoxing (often see this sub suggested the other way). Re: the great cabbage debate, 5 min was fine for me!

I'll take whatever heat, spice, salts, alliums, cheeses, alcohols, and vinegars you don't want.

Disagree with Leslie ....you want the cabbage crispy!

This was outstanding and I actually made it with sliced chicken breast because that’s what I had. I also added half a diced onion and some julienned carrots along with the cabbage to up the veggie content. Otherwise made as written. The coating kept the chicken nice and juicy. I like this recipe during Covid times because I’m only shopping once every 2 weeks, and cabbage keeps forever in the fridge. A good dish for one of the last nights of a shopping cycle.

I added a grating of ginger and really loved it with the peppery spice.

I know many families with young children who like spice and heat. My now-9-year-old was enjoying pickled jalapeños, bleu cheese, and Sriracha at 2. For her third birthday she requested smoked salmon and cream cheese sandwiches with red onion. Her current favorite food is salmon roe nigiri sushi...and her palate isn’t exactly jaded. In my experience, children who are fed only bland foods will only like bland foods. To each their own. Reduce or eliminate ingredients you don’t like.

I made this recipe exactly as is and it is SPECTACULAR! I suppose I may have to make one change next time, since my husband and I devoured it all at once: I’ll double the entire recipe so I end up with leftovers to look forward to!

My partner & I made this last night with a few changes. Used Napa cabbage, sliced on the bias. Pounded a little more garlic (5 cloves) to a paste with salt for the marinade. Used 2 tbsp of coarsely ground pepper (from a mill), & did not attempt the crushing of sesame seeds with fingertips or nails. A mortar seemed saner. 4 - 5 hours of marinating, & delicious. Will certainly make again!

This is an interesting opportunity to use Chinese Szechuan peppercorns, which are central in @clarkbar's delicious "Cumin Lamb Stir Fry:" (https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/26/dining/a-lamb-at-play-in-a-field-of-cumin.html) These peppercorns have a strong flavor, so use less, more like 1 teaspoon rough ground in this recipie.

This would be a good review without negative assumptions about why others like ingredients that do not please you. But also it's a fairly adaptable recipe, for instance, with my preference of pork tenderloin over beef sirloin.

Zowie! Simple and delicious. I might use a little less salt and oil next time. I also cooked the steak and cabbage less than indicated, given my very hot cast iron frying pan, and thinly sliced steak and cabbage. It was a perfect, fast, delicious, and healthy meal. This is the easiest stir-fry that I know.

The cabbage is supposed to be "crisp-tender". Any longer than 7 minutes and it would be soggy, which would not work well with stir fry.

The comments, besides the recipes are the best part of this app. Love substitutions and work arounds.. all time favorite,’used what was in the fridg’.

Delicious. Cabbage cooked down so much, could have used more. Will try this again for sure!

I really love this recipe - the thing I am always amazed by is how fast it is. I agree with another reviewer that you could easily do without the rice and just have cabbage and beef. I wonder if adding some other veggies would make it even better. I love this way of cooking cabbage it's totally delish. I think you could make it vegan by subbing mushrooms for the beef and voila!

Super easy and tasty recipe. I cut back a bit on the black peppercorns since I was cooking for my kids, but still very flavorful. Will make again!

Add one onion and more red bell pepper to sautee with cabbage. I chopped up 5-6 Thai peppers to add to the cabbage during the cooking.

Yum. Made as stated but subbed high quality Japanese rice vinegar for the sherry vinegar and demerara sugar for the brown sugar. Delicious. Next time I will tweak the recipe. I had wanted seconds but would rather has leftovers for later. Simple and easy recipe to save for next time.

Don’t use too much pepper

Easy and quick to prepare and very delicious. I would double the recipe for four people.

I made this last night and really regret the amount/texture of the tablespoon of black pepper corns. I would make this again but simply grind a smaller amount in. (the giant peppercorns made the texture awful : (

Really great! Also added two sliced orange bell peppers and served with thin sliced fresh jalapeño instead of scallion

This dish was fantastic. Definitely making again.

I added grated ginger along with the garlic and it was divine. I skipped out on corn starch as I didn’t have any.

Made a second time with full marinade time and dramatically improved the dish. Agree with others to add more cabbage

Loved this dish for our family. It was easy to make and delicious, even for the kids. Smearing the garlic-cornstarch-etc. paste around on the meat took more time than planned, but no worries as I added some chicken stock to make it go more quickly. The leftovers will be inhaled tomorrow!

Super easy and very delicious!

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