Pepper Steak with Rice — Instant Pot

This savory dinner classic cooks up in one pot.

This recipe was made in my favorite Instant Pot — the one I use every week. If you want yours to turn out just as good, you can grab the same one here.

All nutrition facts are AI generated and approximate.

Ingredients

• Salt and pepper (for tenderizing meat)
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1½ lb round steak
• 2 bell peppers (sliced)
• 1 onion (sliced)
• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups beef broth
• 2 Tbs soy sauce
• 2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup rice
• 2 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper

Directions

1. Salt and pepper each side of the steak and tenderize with a meat mallet.
2. Cut into ¼-inch strips.
3. Add olive oil to the Instant Pot and set to Sauté.
4. Brown steak strips in the Instant Pot.
5. Turn off Sauté and stir in all other ingredients.
6. Set Instant Pot for high pressure 3 minutes.
7. Quick release when done.

Notes

• Tenderize the steak: A few passes with a meat mallet breaks down the round steak so it turns out tender, not chewy.
• Slice thin and against the grain: Quarter-inch strips cut across the grain cook quickly and stay tender.
• Brown before pressure: Searing the strips first is worth the extra minutes for flavor.
• Watch the salt: Soy sauce and Worcestershire are salty, so taste before adding the full amount of salt.
• Leftovers: Store covered; the rice will keep absorbing liquid, so add a splash of broth when reheating.

Why This Works

• Mechanical tenderizing: Pounding the round steak shortens the muscle fibers so a lean, budget cut comes out fork-tender.
• Browning builds flavor: Searing the strips on Sauté develops fond that deepens the sauce.
• One-pot rice: The rice cooks in the tomato-and-broth base, soaking up flavor while the steak finishes.
• Umami backbone: Soy sauce and Worcestershire add savory depth and color that make this taste slow-cooked.