Originally published May 14, 2025
Hoisin-Glazed Steak Stir-Fry with Rainbow Peppers
What to Do With Leftover Filet Mignon (Hint: Stir-Fry Saves the Day)
It’s the Tuesday after Mother’s Day, and just a quick update.
We had some leftover filet mignon from Mother’s Day dinner (Mom doesn’t eat much), and I really didn’t want it to go to waste. I had to figure out how to repurpose that delicious steak.
Reheat… or Rethink?
My first idea was to simply reheat the steaks and have them again for dinner. But I know how we usually feel about reheated steak, and all the research I did didn’t make the process sound like it would do the steaks justice.
So I shifted focus to recipes that use steak as an ingredient instead of the main event. That’s where I found some traction.
Letting Mom Choose
I narrowed it down to five recipes and let Mom pick—since it was her day, it only seemed right to let her decide how we used the leftovers.
One of the options involved mashed potatoes, which Mom loves, but the sauce included a combination of Marsala wine and teriyaki. I’d never put those two together before, and if it didn’t work, I wasn’t sure I could fix it.
Then I remembered we still had a lot of colored bell peppers left over from sandwich week prep for the podcast. One of the recipes called for quite a few peppers, which felt like a sign. Mom loves bell peppers. And she loves rice too—maybe not quite as much as mashed potatoes, but it’s close.
The Final Choice
The recipe Mom picked turned out to be a great one. It called for marinating the sliced steak, stir-frying the peppers, and finishing everything with a sauce. But the sauce, as written, turned out a bit too salty. I adjusted it with some rice vinegar at first, which helped, but it still needed some sweetness to round it out. A couple tablespoons of honey did the trick. The sauce thickened up, the flavors came together, and the finished dish over jasmine rice was exactly what I hoped for.
Verdict?
Absolutely delicious—and best of all, Mom-approved. She ate every last bite.
Bon Appetit!
Show text-only recipe (fallback)
Hoisin-Glazed Steak Stir-Fry — Ingredients
- 1¼ lb steak (leftover or fresh sirloin), thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup hoisin; ⅓ cup low-sodium soy
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar; 2 Tbsp honey; 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp grated ginger; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 2 tsp Sriracha (to taste)
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 4 Tbsp vegetable oil, divided
- 3 bell peppers (mixed colors), sliced
- Cooked jasmine rice; green onions/parsley for topping
Instructions
- Whisk sauce: hoisin, soy, sugars, vinegar, ginger, garlic, Sriracha, cornstarch.
- Marinate steak with ¼ cup sauce, 10–15 min.
- Sear peppers in 2 batches with 1 Tbsp oil each, 4–5 min per batch; reserve.
- Heat 2 Tbsp oil; add steak. If leftover, warm 2–3 min; if fresh, sear briefly, then stir-fry to just-cooked.
- Return peppers; add remaining sauce; toss until glossy and thick, ~3–5 min. Serve over rice.
This Is Delicious! What Is It?
Hoisin-Glazed Steak Stir-Fry with Rainbow Peppers
This vibrant, flavor-packed stir-fry brings together tender strips of seared steak, a medley of crisp bell peppers, and a rich, glossy hoisin glaze that balances sweet, savory, and spicy notes. Marinated in a bold blend of hoisin sauce, soy, garlic, fresh ginger, and a touch of sriracha, the steak is quickly stir-fried for a caramelized finish, while the tri-color peppers provide a fresh crunch and visual appeal. Finished with a silky sauce and served over warm rice, this dish delivers restaurant-quality results in under 30 minutes—perfect for weeknight dinners or casual entertaining with flair.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds steak (you can use leftover steak, or fresh, store-bought, like a boneless sirloin)
- 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons grated ginger root
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha, to taste
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, split
- 3 whole bell peppers, different colors (red, orange or yellow)
- Prepared rice, for serving
- Sliced green onions and chopped parsley, for topping, if desired
Instructions
- Thinly slice the steak against the grain and put in a medium bowl.
- In a different medium mixing bowl, combine the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, vinegar, ginger, Sriracha (if used), garlic and cornstarch and whisk until well combined.
- Add ¼ cup of the sauce to the bowl with the steak and toss. Let marinate for 10 to 15 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add half of the bell peppers and cook, stirring, until peppers start to brown, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from pan to a plate and add another tablespoon of oil to skillet and the remaining peppers and stir, cooking until browned. Add to the first batch of peppers.
- Add 2 tablespoons of oil to pan. Add all the steak to the pan. If using leftover steak, cook about 2-3 minutes to warm meat, then add peppers and add remaining sauce.
- If using fresh-cut sirloin, add steak to hot pan, then let sear for about 30 seconds so the meat starts to color, then toss to continue cooking until the meat is no longer pink.
- Stir steak for 2-3 minutes to heat steak, then add peppers and sauce.
- Whether using leftover steak or fresh, cook until everything is well coated, and the mixture is thick and hot, about 5 minutes. Serve over rice.
Recipe and photograph by Robert Meyers-Lussier