Brazilian Garlic Lime Beef with Peppers

This garlic lime beef is a fast skillet dinner with a Brazilian lean: thin strips of flank or sirloin steak seared hard, red bell peppers and onion cooked until their edges char, then everything tossed in a short garlic butter pan sauce sharpened with lime. It takes 25 minutes from start to finish and serves 4.

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If you like steak but don’t want to babysit a whole one on a weeknight, this is the version for you. Smoked paprika does the seasoning work, and the lime goes in at the very end so it stays bright.

What goes into the skillet

• 1 1/2 lb flank or sirloin steak, sliced thin against the grain
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 large red bell peppers, cut into strips
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup beef broth
• 2 tbsp lime juice

Slicing the steak so it stays tender

The one tip that comes with this recipe is the one that matters most: slice the steak against the grain. Flank in particular has long, visible muscle fibers running in one direction. Look at the raw meat, find those lines, and cut across them. Each strip then holds only short lengths of fiber, so it chews easily even after a hot sear.

Cut with the grain and the same steak turns stringy and tough, no matter how carefully you time it. Thin slices also matter here because the beef only gets 2 minutes per batch in the pan. Thick pieces would still be raw in the middle when the outside is done.

Why the beef goes in two batches

The most common way this kind of stir-fry goes wrong is gray, steamed beef sitting in a puddle of its own liquid. That happens when too much meat hits the pan at once. The skillet temperature drops, the juices come out faster than they can evaporate, and the strips boil instead of browning.

Splitting 1 1/2 lb of steak into two batches keeps the pan hot enough to brown the meat in the 2 minutes it gets. Keep the heat on high, spread the strips out in a single layer, and leave them alone for a bit before you stir. The browned bits that stick to the skillet are the base of your sauce later, so don’t worry about them.

For a chicken dinner built the same way, try our skillet chicken fajitas with peppers and lime .

How to make garlic lime beef with peppers

• Toss the beef with the salt, pepper and smoked paprika until every strip is coated.
• Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Sear the beef in two batches for 2 minutes each, until browned. Move it to a plate and keep any juices that collect.
• Add the remaining oil, the peppers and the onion. Cook for 6 minutes, until soft with charred edges. Stir now and then, but give the vegetables some contact time so they can take on color.
• Add the butter and garlic and cook for 1 minute. The garlic should smell fragrant and just start to turn golden; any longer and it can go bitter.
• Pour in the broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 2 minutes, until it reduces.
• Return the beef with its juices, add the lime juice and toss for 1 minute. Serve hot.

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Serving it while it’s hot

The recipe says to serve it hot, and that is good advice. Right out of the skillet, the beef is still juicy, the pepper edges still have a little char, and the lime is at its sharpest. Spoon the strips onto plates and pour every bit of the pan sauce over the top, since the broth, butter and meat juices carry most of the garlic flavor.

Keep in mind that there isn’t much sauce. Only 1/4 cup of broth goes in, and it simmers down for 2 minutes with the butter and garlic, so it ends up as a glossy coating on the beef and peppers rather than a pool in the pan. That final minute of tossing is what spreads it, along with the lime juice, over every strip, so scrape the skillet well when you plate.

If you are cooking ahead, keep in mind that the last step is the quickest one. You can have the steak sliced and seasoned and the vegetables cut before anyone sits down, then run through the stovetop steps in one go.

For another Brazilian-inspired dinner, try our feijoada bowl . If garlic and steak is your favorite pairing, the creamy garlic butter steak and pasta is a richer take, and garlic Parmesan mashed potatoes make a hearty side for either one.

A few questions about this beef

Should I use flank or sirloin?

Either works; the recipe calls for flank or sirloin. Flank has a more pronounced grain, which makes it easy to see where to cut. Sirloin is a little more forgiving if your slices end up slightly thicker.

Is this dish spicy?

No. The only seasonings are salt, black pepper and smoked paprika, and red bell peppers are sweet. The paprika brings a smoky taste without chili heat.

Why add the lime juice at the end?

Lime juice loses its fresh, sharp edge when it cooks for a long time. Tossing it in during the final minute warms it through while keeping the flavor bright against the butter and garlic.

My garlic burned. What happened?

The pan is still very hot from the high-heat searing, and chopped garlic browns fast. Add it with the butter, stir it right away and give it only the 1 minute before the broth goes in. The broth cools the pan and stops the garlic from cooking further.

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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team

The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us