Beef and Broccoli (Quick and Easy!)
If you love Chinese food, skip the takeout and make this homemade beef and broccoli stir fry at home in less than 30 minutes. A simple weeknight dinner that’s easy to make and loaded with tons of fresh flavor; just add your favorite rice or noodles, and dinner is ready!
Well over ten years ago, I began trying my hand at homemade versions of some of our favorite takeout dishes. Most of my favorites (Sesame Chicken, General Tso's and Sweet and Sour Chicken) are fried (no wonder they're so good!); this beef and broccoli recipe is a lighter, healthier alternative still packed with great flavor.
I played around with a few different recipes for beef and broccoli before settling on this version. I wanted the broccoli to still be vibrant in color and crisp-tender, as well as a lot of soy and ginger flavors throughout the dish. I was thrilled with the final outcome from both accounts.
A quick note on the sauce - there is enough sauce to coat all of the beef and broccoli, but if you prefer your dishes a little on the "saucy" side, I would double the ingredients for the sauce.
Key Ingredients
This meal builds on a couple of basics (beef and broccoli, of course!), but also uses a number of other ingredients to impart amazing flavor; here’s the rundown (and I will link to lesser-known ingredients for reference):
- Flank Steak – This is my go-to beef for this recipe; you can also use skirt steak, flat iron steak, sirloin tip steak, tri-tip steak, and hanger steak. Be sure to slice the meat across the grain to ensure ultra tenderness!
- Broccoli – You will only need the broccoli florets for this recipe. You can also use frozen broccoli, but if you do, be sure to drain it well once it’s done steaming.
- Fresh Ginger and Garlic – For lots of flavor!
- Cornstarch – To thicken the sauce.
- Soy Sauce – Can use regular soy sauce, low-sodium soy sauce, or tamari.
- Rice Wine Vinegar – I recommend using unseasoned rice vinegar for this recipe.
- Sesame Oil – LOVE the flavor that this imparts!
- Oyster Sauce – Hoisin sauce is a great substitute if you need one.
- Dark Brown Sugar – For a touch of sweetness; you can also use light brown sugar.
How to Make the Beef and Broccoli
This is a quick weeknight meal and doesn’t take long to pull together, here’s how you’ll do it:
Step #1: Make the Marinade – Whisk together the marinade ingredients (cornstarch, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil), then pour it into a gallon size ziploc bag. Add the sliced steak, seal the bag, turn it to coat all of the pieces, then set it aside to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Step #2: Steam the Broccoli – While the meat rests, steam the broccoli in 1-inch of water in a large skillet or wok, if you have one. Drain the broccoli and set aside. (Note: If you don’t prefer steamed vegetables, you can stir-fry the broccoli in about 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat for 4 or 5 minutes, then remove from the pan.)
Step #3: Sear the Steak – Wipe the pan dry, heat the oil over medium-high heat, and add the beef slices in a single layer in the pan. Cook for 1 minute, then add the garlic and ginger and start to stir fry, tossing the mixing the strips of beef until no pink remains. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.
Step #4: Make the Sauce – Whisk together the sauce ingredients (water, soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, brown sugar, and sesame oil), then add to the pan, whisking and stirring until it has thickened (it should only take 1 to 2 minutes to thicken). Reduce the heat to low and add the beef and broccoli back to the pan, stirring to coat everything in the sauce. Then serve!
Serving Suggestions
There are many different wonderful ways to serve this broccoli beef recipe; here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Serve over steamed white rice (my favorite!)
- Serve with lo mein noodles
- Serve with fried rice
- Serve alongside other steamed, roasted, or sauteed vegetables, such as mushrooms, carrots, or bell peppers
- Serve with shelled edamame on the side
- Add sesame seeds and/or green onions as garnishes
How to Store and Reheat
Store the any leftover beef and broccoli stir fry in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, warm in a pan over medium-low heat on the stovetop, or microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until heated through.
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Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 pound (453.59 g) flank steak, sliced thin crosswise
- 1½ pounds (680.39 g) broccoli, cut into florets (discard stems or save for another use)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
For the Marinade:
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) sesame oil
For the Sauce:
- 8 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) sesame oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients. Pour it into a gallon-size resealable plastic bag, add the beef, seal the bag and turn it so that all the pieces of the beef are coated in the marinade. Allow to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, place 1 inch of water in a large sauté pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli, cover and steam for 3 minutes. Drain the broccoli and set aside.
- Wipe the pan dry and place it over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the vegetable oil and quickly swirl it to coat the pan. Add the beef in as even a layer as possible, taking care not to overlap the pieces too much. Cook until the edges are browning, 30 seconds to 1 minute, then flip over. Add the garlic and ginger and begin to toss the beef mixture in a “stir-fry” fashion until no pink remains.
- Remove the beef from the pan with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl. Whisk together the sauce ingredients and add to the pan, whisking and stirring until the sauce has thickened, about 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add back the beef and broccoli to the pan and stir to coat it with the sauce. Serve immediately over white rice.
Notes
- There is enough sauce to coat the beef and broccoli, but if you prefer more sauce, definitely double the sauce recipe.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Photography by Dee Frances
This recipe was originally published on June 5, 2013.
The original recipe for this dish is so good and much requested. I double the sauce and the broccoli. I don’t think this fast version would be as good as the original one.
This is so good! Ive been making this for a couple years now. I like to double the sauce part of the recipe. I never have oyster sauce so i leave it out. I have to use tamari sauce instead of soy sauce to make it gluten free.
It’s a bit ironic, because none of those dishes are actually Chinese. You know how you spoke of the difficulty in finding restaurants that served authentic Italian cuisine like your grandmother made? That’s the same with 95% of Chinese restaurants in north America. You should be looking for Chinese restaurants in Chinatowns, ones that don’t know what General Tso’s Chicken is, or Beef and Broccoli are gonna be the best. Cheers
I made this for my husband and myself last night for dinner, and it was SO good! We really enjoyed it! The downside was that the oyster sauce I picked had MSG in it which made us both sick. I will be cooking this recipe many more times in the future BUT with an MSG free oyster sauce! Thanks for sharing this! It will be hard having beef & broccoli at a Chinese restaurant from now on!
In case anyone is wondering…do not use baking soda instead of cornstarch. I couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t thickening and realized my error. I managed to get it to thicken by adding cornstarch at the end, but the taste is inedible (apparently baking soda does not taste good). So sad, because this is such a great dish.
I, like a few more recent commenters, just made this recipe last night – and it is FANTASTIC! I didn’t marinade the meat – I just used some thin petite sirloin cut up (cheap, too) fried it like you suggested and then I used low-sodium beef broth instead of plain water for the sauce (I had it on hand). I doubled the sauce like suggested and it was great! Only thing I think I will NOT double next time is the oyster sauce. I could taste it a little bit in the aftertaste, but that’s just me and my super sensitive taste buds :) But it was SUPER great – I was able to make the whole dish (rice and an egg roll) in 20 minutes. My go-to Beef and Broccoli recipe for sure! Thank you!
We recently moved to Germany for my husband’s job, and good Chinese food has been very hard to find. What they have is good, of course, but not the American style takeout we’re used to. I made this last night and it was the best beef and broccoli we’d ever had. Thank you for this recipe and this taste of home. ^^
Made this for dinner last night. Husband said it was the best beef and broccoli he’s ever had, and my picky 16-year-old had two helpings and polished it off for lunch today. I love that it’s not swimming in grease and is very lean. Thanks!
I have made MANY of your awesome cakes and cookies and bars, but I had yet to try one of your savory dishes until tonight. This beef and broccoli was to die for! It came together really quickly and I’m excited that we have enough left over for a whole second night. Thank you so much!
Made Beef with Broccoli last night – it was delicious! I also made the General Tsao’s chicken recipe for my hubby (who is a meal coach) and for my parents – they are loving these recipes & say its better than Chinese restaurant because its so fresh tasting. We use low-sodium soy sauce, which I recommend . . .
A little tip I learned from a cook at a chinese food restaurant…mix a pea size amount of baking soda in with your beef and let sit for a little while. I then add my marinade. This makes the beef super tender.
I made this for dinner tonight – it was awesome! I added a few crushed red pepper flakes at the end for a little heat. The whole family loved it and it was SO much healthier than eating out.