Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry

Updated July 23, 2024

Black Pepper Beef and Cabbage Stir-Fry
Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Sylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
5(6,272)
Notes
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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
6,272 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.

Easy and delicious but just grind the pepper and don't use the full amount, crushing it just leaves you biting down on big chunks of peppercorns which isn't the best taste ever. If you want heat add a chili or some sriracha or something. The peppercorns don't even make it hot, just unpleasant after a few bites.

This is one of my favorite dishes I’ve come across on this app. The only adjustments I’ve made are; I use Golden Mountain Seasoning Sauce instead of soy sauce, coconut palm sugar instead of brown sugar, and I add celery. If you’re going to take anything from my adjustments I’d recommend the celery, it makes the dish even more delicious!

Delicious! I cut the recipe in half, kept garlic amount, and used a bag of salad (4 cups shredded cabbage, carrots, lettuce, broccoli) and it was easily enough for 4 meals. This is an awesome base for any veggies you want to mix in. 🔥

So simple and delicious. we did couscous instead of rice and loved it.

I made this with pork loin. It was delicious.

Used a head of radicchio I had on hand instead, which was pretty bitter, so also added ~2 tsps maple syrup. Excellent!

I have to remember to read the notes before i cook these dishes, could have doubled the cabbage no problem. Love the heat from the black pepper!

This was really good! Happy to have a bit of leftovers ! I did use broccolini instead of cabbage and rice vinegar instead of the sherry.

Made this with tofu. I really liked the strong pepper flavor and the cabbage; however, the dish may benefit from a sauce to help mitigate how dry it was.

I am a salt lover, but I will back way off on the salt at the beginning and adjust to taste at the end. Easy fix to a tasty recipe.

Really good. I used 1 tbls Japanese steak sauce & 1 tbls soy sauce. Delicious

A simple, fast and delicious meal. I liked the whole and smashed peppercorns but my husband did not. Next time I will grind them down more completely. I had no scallions and added thinly sliced onion to the cabbage. I can't wait to make again

Made this evening. Used rice wine vinegar because that's what I had. Added onions because why not? Better than take-out.

I cooked this recently and had a couple of problems. The marinade for the meat required a little oil in order to distribute the marinade. Next was the instruction to remove the meat with a slotted spoon, leaving the sauce in the pan. In that case, the cabbage is not going to caramelize. I removed the sauce; next time I will wipe out the pan and add some oil. Also, next time I will cook broccoli instead of cabbage.

Ugg like another reviewer, my husband and I ended up eating the whole thing. Cooked as directed with the exception of adding a more cabbage. Was hoping for leftovers. Served with brown rice.

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