This easy beef and broccoli recipe is ready in 30 minutes, tastes just as good as Chinese takeout, and is healthier because it's made with way less oil.
Beef and broccoli is made with chopped broccoli florets, thin slices of tender beef, and the best stir fry sauce. Serve with a side of rice for a complete and balanced meal your family will love.
How to Make Beef and Broccoli:
Because this dish comes together fast, it’s best to have everything prepped before you begin cooking. Rinse and slice the broccoli florets, make the sauce, and slice the beef. Freezing the meat for 30 minutes to an hour is optional and makes thin slicing easier.
- Steam the broccoli florets: Steaming is the perfect method for crisp-tender and bright green broccoli.
- Sear the beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large frying pan. Add the beef and cook until browned on each side.
- Add in the cooked broccoli and then pour in the sauce. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens and the broccoli and beef are well coated.
Best Stir-fry Sauce:
The perfect balance of salty, sweet, savory, and heat make this the best stir-fry sauce. The main ingredients are soy sauce and brown sugar, along with corn starch to thicken the sauce. Other key ingredients include rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and beef broth.
What cut of meat is best for stir-frying?
Flank and flat iron steak are popular for stir-fry recipes because they are lean and have intense beefy flavor. To avoid tough and chewy meat, slice into very thin strips going against the grain.
Other cuts of beef that work well in stir fry recipes are skirt steak, sirloin, tri-tip, or strip steak.
More beefy Recipes:
Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 lb. flank or flat iron steak, sliced against the grain into ⅛" thick strips
- 3-4 cups broccoli florets, sliced in half (about 1 medium head of broccoli)
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
- sesame seeds, optional, to garnish
For the stir fry sauce:
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 tbsp. corn starch
- 1 tbsp. oyster sauce
- 1 tsp. rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp. chili garlic sauce
- ¼ cup beef broth
Instructions
- *Optional: Freeze the beef for 30 minutes - 1 hour (makes slicing easier).
- Slice the beef going against the grain into thin strips, about ⅛" thick.
- Rinse the broccoli florets and slice in half then add them to a steamer basket. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a pot large enough to fit the basket. Add the basket with the broccoli and cover with a lid. Reduce the heat slightly and steam until the broccoli is crisp-tender. About 15-20 minutes.
- Whisk together the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large frying pan. Add the sliced beef and cook until browned on each side. Add the cooked broccoli and pour in the sauce. Stir constantly until the sauce is thickened and the beef and broccoli are well coated.
- Serve warm with a side of rice, if desired.
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