Asian-Style Black Pepper Beef Spaghetti

Experience the ultimate fusion comfort food with this Black Pepper Beef Spaghetti. Tender, marinated beef strips and al dente pasta are tossed with crisp bell peppers in a rich, savory, and peppery dark sauce.

Ingredients

• 250 g beef (flank or sirloin), cut into strips
• 200 g dry spaghetti
• 12 green bell pepper, sliced
• 12 red bell pepper, sliced
• 12 red onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce (for marinade)
• 12 tbsp dark soy sauce (for marinade)
• 1 tbsp olive oil (for marinade)
• 1 tbsp cornstarch (for marinade)
• 1 pinch sea salt (for marinade)
• 1 pinch black pepper (for marinade)
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce (for sauce)
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (for sauce)
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce (for sauce)
• 12 tbsp sugar (for sauce)
• 1 tbsp black pepper (for sauce)
• 12 tbsp cornstarch (for sauce)
• 12 cup water (for sauce)
• 2 tbsp cooking oil
• to taste chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1Marinate the beef

   

   Place the cut beef strips into a bowl. Season with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, a little sea salt, black pepper, olive oil, and cornstarch. Mix everything thoroughly and let the meat marinate for about 15 minutes to absorb the flavors and tenderize.

   Tip: Adding cornstarch and olive oil to the marinade coats the meat, locking in moisture and ensuring the beef stays tender during the quick cooking process.
2. 2Mix and marinate the beef

   

   Use your hands to thoroughly mix the raw beef strips with the marinade ingredients, ensuring the soy sauce, salt, pepper, olive oil, and cornstarch coat every piece evenly. Let the beef marinate for 15 minutes to tenderize and absorb the flavors.

   Tip: Massaging the marinade into the meat by hand helps break down the fibers, resulting in a much more tender texture after cooking.
3. 3Start boiling the pasta

   

   Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and drop in the dry spaghetti noodles. Cooking the pasta while the beef marinates ensures everything finishes at the exact same time.

   Tip: Dropping the pasta into generously salted boiling water is key to ensuring the noodles are flavorful from the inside out.
4. 4Stir the spaghetti

   

   Use a slotted spoon to stir the softening spaghetti noodles in the boiling water. Continue cooking for 8 to 10 minutes until perfectly al dente, ensuring the strands remain separate as they finish cooking.

   Tip: Adding a small amount of olive oil to the boiling water helps keep the starchy pasta strands separated while they cook.
5. 5Sear the beef

   

   Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the marinated beef strips and stir-fry them quickly until they change color and the surface appears nicely browned. Once cooked, remove the beef from the pan and set it aside to prevent it from overcooking.

   Tip: Make sure the pan is hot before adding the beef so that it sears immediately, rather than releasing moisture and steaming in its own juices.
6. 6Sauté the vegetables

   

   In the same pan, heat a little more oil. Add the sliced garlic, red onion, green bell peppers, and red bell peppers. Sauté the vegetables using tongs until they become fragrant and slightly softened but still retain some of their crunch.

   Tip: Cooking the vegetables in the residual oils and juices left from searing the beef adds extra depth of flavor to the dish.
7. 7Combine the beef and vegetables

   

   Once the sliced garlic, onion, and bell peppers are fragrant and slightly softened, return the previously cooked beef strips to the pan. Toss everything together briefly to marry the flavors before incorporating the noodles.

   Tip: Do not overcook the beef at this stage; just heat it through alongside the vegetables so it remains tender and juicy.
8. 8Add the spaghetti

   

   Place the drained, boiled spaghetti noodles directly into the pan, layering them right on top of the cooked beef strips, bell peppers, and onions.

   Tip: Ensure the spaghetti is well-drained before adding it to the pan to avoid watering down the sauce.
9. 9Prepare the Sauce

   

   In a small bowl, combine two spoonfuls of light soy sauce, one spoonful of dark soy sauce, one spoonful of oyster sauce, half a spoonful of sugar, one spoonful of black pepper, half a spoonful of cornstarch, and half a bowl of water. Stir the mixture thoroughly until the cornstarch dissolves.

   Tip: If you enjoy a bit more heat, feel free to add an extra dash of black pepper to the mixture.
10. 10Pour in the Sauce

    

    Pour the prepared black pepper sauce evenly over the spaghetti, beef, and vegetables in the pan.

    Tip: Give the sauce a quick stir right before pouring, as the cornstarch tends to settle at the bottom of the bowl.
11. 11Garnish and serve

    

    Once the pasta is beautifully coated with the thick sauce and plated, sprinkle a generous pinch of freshly chopped parsley over the top. Serve immediately and enjoy the warm meal.

    Tip: A final garnish of fresh parsley not only makes the dish visually appealing but also adds a bright herb flavor that balances the rich savory sauce.

Storage & Reheating

Burn It Off

Frequently Asked Questions