Skip the takeout and whip up a fast and fresh recipe for Easy Beef and Broccoli in 20 minutes or less. This one-pan meal stars tender beef slices and crisp broccoli stir-fried in the best garlicky soy sauce. There’s plenty of sauce (a.k.a. the best part!) so whip up a batch of rice or noodles as a side and dinner is done.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love It
- Fast, fresh and healthier than takeout.
- Tastes even better than your favorite Chinese restaurant!
- The most flavorful sauce. The combination of soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and ginger creates a flavorful and well-balanced sauce.
- Tender beef. Thinly sliced flank steak cooks quickly and remains tender.
- Made in a single pan so cleanup is a breeze.
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.
Mouth watering yet? Grab your knife and get ready to slice and dice your way to the best beef and broccoli that’s guaranteed to kick those takeout menus to the curb.
- Cornstarch: Used both in the beef marinade and the sauce, cornstarch plays a crucial role in velveting the beef and thickening the sauce.
- Flank steak: Arguably the best cut of beef for stir-frying and my go-to cut for my Mongolian beef recipe, too. Slicing it thinly against the grain ensures tenderness, while its flat shape allows for quick and even cooking.
- Low-sodium soy sauce: This savory condiment forms the base of the sauce. Just like my recipes for pork and broccoli and chicken and broccoli stir-fry, using low-sodium soy sauce is essential.
- Light brown sugar: The sweetness of brown sugar complements the savory soy sauce, creating a well-balanced flavor profile in the sauce.
- Garlic: I use fresh but minced garlic from a jar works, too!
- Ginger: Freshly grated ginger adds a zesty kick and depth of flavor. I like to keep my ginger root stashed in the freezer because it lasts longer and is easier to grate from frozen. While it won’t have the exact same taste, you can substitute ⅛ teaspoon dry ginger for every 1 tablespoon fresh.
- Vegetable oil: For stir-frying, it’s essential to use an oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil. Soybean oil, peanut oil or canola oil are all suitable swaps.
- Broccoli florets: Opt for small broccoli florets for quick and even cooking. I highly recommend blanching the broccoli ahead of time to reduce the amount of time they need to be stir-fried.
- White onions: Add a hint of sweetness and mild onion flavor. Cut them into thin slices to ensure they cook evenly with the other ingredients.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
The Best Cuts of Beef for Stir-Fry
- Flank steak: Thin and flat, flank steak cooks quickly and remains tender when sliced thinly against the grain. And it’s budget-friendly, too.
- Chuck steak: Not to be confused with chuck roast, is a more budget-friendly choice. Since chuck steak’s grain runs vertically, cut it into long chunks, identify the grain inside, and chop the beef against the grain into smaller, thinner strips.
- Top sirloin: Intense flavor and tender texture make top sirloin steak a great choice for stir-frying.
- Skirt steak: Very similar to flank steak. Opt for the outside skirt as its more tender than the inside skirt.
- Beef tenderloin: This splurge-worthy cut is known for its juicy, tender texture. Despite being a leaner cut of beef, it’s guaranteed to add a melt-in-your-mouth quality, elevating any stir-fry.
Pro Tip for Effortless Slicing: To make slicing easier, place the steak in the freezer for approximately 15 to 30 minutes before cutting. This brief chilling period firms up the meat, making it easier to achieve thin, uniform slices.
Before you begin, make sure you have all your ingredients prepped and within reach. Chop your veggies, slice your meat and measure everything out. Stir-frying is a super-fast cooking method so being organized helps make cooking easier (and more fun!), so you can focus on making your beef and broccoli stir-fry taste amazing.
- Make the cornstarch mixture and marinate the beef. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water. Add the beef to the bowl and toss to combine.
- Make the stir-fry sauce. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and ginger. Set the sauce aside.
- Cook the beef. In a large skillet or wok, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Once it’s 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.
- Cook the broccoli and onions. 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.
- Combine beef and veggies. Return the cooked beef to the skillet, mixing it with the vegetables.
- Add the beef and broccoli sauce and thicken. Pour the sauce over the beef and vegetables in the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve with rice or noodles.
Video Tutorial
What I love most about this recipe, other than being fast and family-friendly, is that I know exactly what’s going into it. Tune in to watch how easy it is to whip up this recipe using just a handful of simple ingredients!
Tips for Stir-Frying Beef
- Slice Against the Grain: Cutting against the grain shortens the muscle fibers, resulting in more tender pieces of meat. The grain refers to the pattern in which muscle fibers run within the meat.
- Thin Slices: Aim for thin slices to ensure quick and even cooking.
- Velveting: One key to mastering Chinese food at home is a technique called velveting. This method involves marinating the meat in a mixture of egg white, cornstarch and sherry, creating a protective coating that locks in moisture and creates a tender, velvety texture. While traditional velveting may involve a longer marination process, this recipe includes an abridged version to streamline the cooking process without compromising on flavor or tenderness.
- High Heat: Stir-frying is done at high heat for a short duration. This quick cooking method helps to maintain the meat’s juiciness and tenderness.
- DON’T use regular soy sauce. Regular soy sauce will make this dish way too salty.
- DO prep everything in advance. Stir-frying is a fast-paced cooking method, so make your life easier by prepping all your ingredients before you start.
- DO blanch your broccoli. This added step ensures your broccoli florets remain bright green.
- EMBRACE the high heat. Stir-frying is all about quick cooking over high heat. Ensure your pan is properly preheated before adding ingredients to maintain the crispiness of the broccoli and achieve a perfect sear on the beef.
- BOIL the sauce to activate the cornstarch; it’s crucial for the thickening agent to work effectively.
- Steamed rice (a classic choice and my favorite to soak up all that saucy goodness!)
- Lo mein noodles or your favorite Asian-style noodles
- Fried rice
- Garlic bok choy
- Chinese garlic green beans
Common Questions
Absolutely! My number 1 tip for using frozen veggies in stir-fry is to ensure you account for the extra water they release if you don’t thaw them ahead of time. As the frozen veggies cook, they’ll release water, and as long as your pan is not covered and you’re using medium-high heat, that water should evaporate quickly.
To prepare beef and broccoli ahead, chop the vegetables, slice the beef and make the sauce in advance, storing them separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. To reheat, use a pan or microwave, being cautious not to overcook to maintain the dish’s texture. Reheating in short intervals and stirring intermittently can help evenly distribute heat.
Find more takeout-fakeout inspiration with additional quick and easy recipes.
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
- DON’T use regular soy sauce. Regular soy sauce will make this dish way too salty.
- Stir-frying is a fast-paced cooking method, so make your life easier by prepping all your ingredients before you start.
- 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.
- Stir-frying is all about quick cooking over high heat. Ensure your pan is properly preheated before adding ingredients to maintain the crispiness of the broccoli and achieve a perfect sear on the beef.
- 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.
This recipe is amazing! I blanced the broccoli as suggested and it worked. It was very easy especially if you prep ingredients first. PERFECT Thank you for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed it, Lorraine!
This came out perfectly. Super easy and quick. My husband is a Panda Express beef and broccoli fan and he said this tasted way better! Will definitely add to our dinner rotation.
So glad you both enjoyed it, Kaleena!
Delicious, quick and easy!! This recipe is on a regular rotation in our household!
So thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Stacie!
I made this tonight for dinner. Absolutely delicious. While I stuck to the recipe for the cook, I took an extra step in prepping the beef. Before starting from step one, I velveted the sliced beef. 1 tbsp of baking soda (NOT baking powder) and mixed it into 3 tbsp of water then poured it over the meat and mixed it by hand thoroughly. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for an hour. Rinsed the beef VERY thoroughly to remove the baking soda and let it dry in a colander for about 15 min while I prepped the rest of the recipe. Then I started following the recipe to a T. However, I did double the recipe so if you only use 1 lb of beef, just half the baking soda and water marinade. You get Chinese restaurant tender beef!
Love the tweaks!
Delicious! Even the picky 5 year old loved it. I prepped everything ahead of time for a quick Sunday Family dinner.
So glad you enjoyed it!
The recipe was just okay for us. It had too much soy sauce for us and I did use the low sodium soy sauce but it was just a little too strong of a taste. Perhaps using beef stock and half or the soy sauce would be better. I did follow the recipe. I would also use a little less brown sugar or perhaps use white sugar, as brown sugar is a little sweeter.
The recipe was great overall. I loved the easy instructions, and glad to find a recipe instead of a jar of sauce. However, even with the Kikkoman soy sauce with 38% reduction of sodium, it was waaay too salty. I think I’ll cut it to 1/4 cup and add water next time. Still a keeper!
This is my daughter’s favorite. She would like it for graduation for 20+ people. Could this be cooked in a crock pot?
So glad you enjoyed it! I haven’t made this in a slow cooker so I don’t have the specific instructions. Keep me posted if you try it!
So much better than takeout, and easy. Have made this twice, once with sous vide beef from Costco.
Thrilled you enjoyed it!
Truly easy recipe. I’ve tried many but this is the one I’m settling on. I am a true Mise en Place guy so once at stove it went flawlessly. Delicious and satisfying. Served over butter and garlic rice to complete the plate. Wife was more than happy so I guess I done good.
So glad you enjoyed it, Charles!
So happy I made this the other night ! My family loved the meat and trust me when I say my kids are picky eaters ! Definitely making this again !
Thrilled you enjoyed it, Maria!
Kelly, I tried your Beef & Broccoli. You’re right it was easy & delicious. Thank you so much! However, the low sodium soy sauce was still too salty but I improvised & added more brown sugar & some ginger sauce I had. It helped. So we’re pleased. Thanks again. Looking forward to making more of your recipes. I’ll get back to you.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Wanted to attach a picture! So good.
Thanks for an easy quick yummy dinner.
So glad you enjoyed it, Lynda!
My family loved it!
So glad you enjoyed it, Suzanne!