Skip the takeout and whip up a fast and fresh recipe for Easy Beef and Broccoli in 20 minutes or less.
Yes, you read that correctly … 20 minutes! As in, you are less than half an episode of Fixer Upper away from digging your chopsticks into a big ol’ bowl of the most flavorful, tender, saucy Easy Beef and Broccoli.
The classic takeout dishes (think Orange Chicken, Pad Thai and Chicken Egg Rolls) were one of my many cravings during my second pregnancy so I decided a fast and fresh version of beef and broccoli was a must!
There are just two tablespoons of oil in this entire dish, and you better believe it’s still packed with all that sweet, tangy, garlicky soy sauce flavor. After all, isn’t the best part of beef and broccoli the gravy-like sauce?
It has to be thick enough to coat the tender slices of beef and the broccoli florets, without weighing down the entire dish. And most importantly, there has to be just enough sauce so that the accompanying rice also gets a chance to soak up all that glorious garlicky gravy. Want to see for yourself? Tune in below!
Mouth watering yet? Grab your knife and get ready to slice and dice your way to Easy Beef and Broccoli that’s guaranteed to kick those takeout menus to the curb.
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Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch, divided
- 1 pound flank steak, cut into thin 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 3 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 4 cups small broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup sliced white onions
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Add the beef to the bowl and toss to combine.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch with the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and ginger. Set the sauce aside.
- Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and once it is hot, add the beef and cook, stirring constantly until the beef is almost cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate and set it aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan and once it is hot, add the broccoli florets and sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is tender, about 4 minutes. (See Kelly’s Notes.)
- Return the beef to the pan then add the prepared sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve with rice or noodles.
Kelly's Notes:
- To guarantee bright green broccoli, blanch the florets in boiling water then drain and dry it very well before adding it to the pan. If you opt for this additional blanching step, reduce the cooking time of the broccoli to 2 minutes.
- The sauce must come to a boil in order for the cornstarch to work as a thickening agent.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
I made this, used shaved beef from Kroger thinking it would work. It didn’t. Good flavor, terrible texture and consistency.
I’m sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you, Greg.
We always buy our Chinese food. Tonight I tried your recipe. My husband and 19 yr old grandson had multiple servings and said it was better than take out.
It took less time than I thought and was so easy to do. Thank you for sharing.
Love reading this, Cindy! I’m so glad your family enjoyed the recipe!
So so good! Thank you
You are so welcome, Lin! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
This was awesome! Like the real thing from a Chinese restaurant. Will definitely make again.
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Toni!
I had sirloin steak on hand so I thinly sliced that instead of flank and it was perfect. I added some carrots for extra crunch. This recipe is truly better than takeout. It’s now a house favorite and I’ll have to keep it on rotation!
So happy to read this, Michelle!
Omg this recipe was sooo easy to make and it was really good too. I made it and there was no left overs. I even doubled the recipe for a house of 5 people. This is a recipe I will be using every time! Ty so much for the tips too.
You are so welcome, Kristina!
Just did this on the Blackstone and it was very good. I did use regular soy sauce and would definitely use low sodium. Also will probably add a little more ginger and some red pepper flakes or something else for a little spice. Whole family liked it, thank you for the recipe.
You are so welcome, Philip! I’m thrilled your family enjoyed the recipe!
It was very simple to make and very tasty.
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe, Jeannie!
This recipe is great. I have found that it has very little sauce, so if you like sauce to put on the rice as well I’ve found it better to to double (or triple) the sauce.
Absolutely lovely dish. I made it today for me and my daughter, will definitely be making it again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Sarah!
Overall it was delicious. Not something I’d eat often, but definitely a nice meal to make if I’m craving Chinese food. I didn’t use low-sodium soy sauce, but will definitely opt for low-sodium next time. The soy sauce I used made the dish very salty but with white rice it helped tone it down. Thank you for the recipe!
You are so welcome, Sharon! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, and yes, low-sodium soy sauce is key!