Black Pepper Steak & Rice Bowls
These 30-minute Black Pepper Steak & Rice Bowls are the easiest weeknight dinner—tender steak, crisp veggies, a glossy black pepper sauce, and fluffy jasmine rice. High-protein, naturally gluten-free, and perfect for both weeknight dinners and meal prep.
Creator: Leslie Stokes
If you love a 30-minute dinner that feels like takeout but still hits your high-protein goals… this Black Pepper Steak & Rice Bowl is absolutely it. It’s one of those meals that tastes way more impressive than the effort it takes. The sauce is glossy and peppery, the steak gets perfectly tender, and the veggies stay crisp and colorful. And the best part? You can make the whole thing faster than it takes to order DoorDash.
This is exactly the kind of dinner I crave on busy weeknights — something cozy and flavorful, but still light enough that you don’t feel overly full afterward. And if you’re a meal prep girlie, these bowls reheat beautifully. The sauce stays glossy, the steak stays tender, and the veggies hold their texture. I always double the sauce because my kids love it over rice.
You can use flank steak, sirloin, or even shaved steak for this recipe. Just slice thinly against the grain and toss it with cornstarch — that’s the trick to getting that restaurant-style stir-fry texture we all love.
The black pepper sauce is simple but SO flavorful. It’s peppery, sweet, savory, and a little glossy thanks to the cornstarch. If you want more heat, add chili crisp. If you want it sweeter, add a touch more honey. It’s super customizable and honestly foolproof.
Serve it over jasmine rice, top with green onions, and that’s dinner — quick, cozy, high-protein, and kid-approved. Total weeknight win.
Variations
Make it spicy:
Add chili crisp, red chili flakes, or sriracha.
Make it lower carb:
Swap jasmine rice for cauliflower rice.
Make it gluten-free:
Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, gluten-free oyster sauce if needed.
Make it higher protein:
Use extra steak or add scrambled egg whites to the cooked rice.
Swap the steak:
Chicken, pork tenderloin, or shrimp all work with the same sauce.
Veggie-packed version:
Add mushrooms, snap peas, or shredded carrots.
Meal Prep + Storage Tips
Fridge:
Stores 3–4 days in airtight containers.
Reheat:
Microwave 60–90 seconds. Add a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
Keep rice + steak separate if you want the steak to stay tender and not absorb too much sauce.
Veggie tip:
Use broccoli, bell peppers, snap peas, or green beans — they hold texture really well for meal prep.
Black Pepper Steak & Rice Bowls
Ingredients
For the Steak:
- 1½ –2 lbs flank steak or sirloin thinly sliced against the grain
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
- Salt + pepper
Black Pepper Sauce:
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce optional but so good
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 1 –1½ tsp coarse black pepper the star!
- ¼ cup beef broth or water
- 1 –2 tsp cornstarch to thicken
Veggies (choose your combo):
- 2 bell peppers sliced
- 1 yellow onion sliced
- 1-2 cups broccoli florets
- Optional: snap peas or zucchini
For the Bowls:
- 3 –4 cups cooked jasmine rice
- Green onions
- Sesame seeds
Let's Make It
- Prep the Steak: Freeze steak for 10–15 minutes for easier slicing.
- Slice thinly against the grain.
- Toss with 1 tbsp cornstarch, salt, and pepper — this gives that glossy, takeout-style finish.
- Make the Sauce: In a bowl, whisk together:
- soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, oyster sauce (optional), garlic, ginger, black pepper, broth, and cornstarch.
- Set aside.
- Cook the Veggies: Heat a drizzle of oil in a large skillet.
- Add peppers, onions, broccoli.
- Cook 5–6 minutes until softened but still crisp.
- Remove from pan.
- Cook the Steak: Add a little more oil to the same pan.
- Sear steak in a single layer—work in batches so it browns instead of steams.
- Cook 1–2 minutes per side until just cooked.
- Combine Everything: Add veggies back into the pan.
- Pour in the sauce.
- Simmer 1–2 minutes until thickened and glossy.
- Assemble Bowls: Serve over jasmine rice and top with green onions + sesame seeds.
Nutrition Facts
Nutritional Info (Approx. per serving)
Based on flank steak + ¾ cup cooked rice per serving:
Calories: ~485
Protein: ~42g
Carbs: ~45g
Fat: ~16g
Fiber: 3–4g
(Changes depending on rice portion, cut of steak, and veggies.)
