Beef and Broccoli is an easy, 1-pan, 30-minute meal that’s loaded with fresh broccoli, tender beef, and the best stir-fry sauce. This Beef and Broccoli Recipe definitely satisfies the craving for takeout. Watch the video recipe below and see how easy it is!
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Helpful Reader Review
“Oh my goodness! The hype is real, y’all!! I made this tonight for the first time and my husband raved and raved. It was not difficult at all. I followed the recipe exactly, using flank steak and following the tip of adding water to make the broccoli a little more tender. My only regret is I did not double the recipe is there are no leftovers…” – Hannah ★★★★★
Beef and Broccoli Video
I hope this Beef Broccoli Stir Fry video recipe becomes a favorite for you. It’s such a treat to enjoy home cooking when you’re on the go.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I developed this recipe years ago as a copycat for the Panda Express, P.F. Changs and Cheesecake Factory Beef and Broccoli – the sauce here really makes the dish! It satisfies my family’s frequent cravings, but I think this homemade version has better flavors and textures. It also has better ingredients, so I feel really good about serving it to my family. I make sure to add plenty of broccoli for a balanced meal, and honestly, I’ve never seen my kids eat broccoli so fast!
This is also a versatile dish – you can add your favorite vegetables to this recipe (see ingredient variations below). I love serving this over cooked white rice, but have gotten creative over the years and sometimes add noodles for a Beef Broccoli Ramen Stir Fry that is a meal in one dish (add that to next weeks meal plan).
Ingredients
This recipe follows my mantra – ‘sometimes the simplest recipes are the best.’ A good stir fry should be simple. Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy broccoli beef.
- Beef – Flank Steak is the best cut of beef for stir fry because it’s tender, lean, and easy to chew. More options include: Top Sirloin Steak, Top Round Steak, or Tri-Tip Steak. Ribeye also works for extra flavor and richness.
- Broccoli – Fresh broccoli florets are best. I avoid using frozen broccoli because it gets mushy, releases liquid and dilutes the sauce, making it bland. You can also change out the vegetables – try snap peas, bell peppers, carrots, and even mushrooms.
- Sauce – an easy and perfect blend of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, pepper, sesame oil and corn starch to thicken up the sauce.
Natasha’s Tips for Thin-Sliced Beef
If you freeze your steak for about 30 minutes, it will be much easier to make thin and even slices because it stays in place. Slice against the grain, between 1/8″ to 1/4″ thick – the thinner you shave the beef, the better – it cooks faster, stays tender, and absorbs the sauce better.
The Best Stir Fry Sauce for Beef and Broccoli
Many stir fry recipes have gone wrong with a poorly made sauce. I tested this recipe over and over until I arrived at the perfect balance of sweet and savory. For the best stir fry sauce:
- Use low sodium soy sauce, or add to taste (or try Gluten Free Tamari)
- Use the right amount of fresh ginger – it has strong flavor so don’t overdo it.
- Do not skip the sesame oil as it gives authentic flavor
- Simmer sauce at least 3 minutes to mellow out garlic and ginger
- For a thinner sauce, add 2 Tbsp water at the end
How to Make Beef and Broccoli
This recipe moves fast and comes together in 1 skillet and 5 easy steps, so you want to have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you fire up the stove. It is just 6 steps in one skillet!
- Slice beef strips
- Make stir fry sauce
- Cook broccoli and remove from skillet.
- Cook beef
- Add stir fry sauce and return broccoli to the pan
Tips for the Best Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Here are my best tips to achieve a perfectly cooked stir fry with tender beef and perfectly cooked broccoli:
- Start with the right cut of beef (see ingredients section above) and thinly sliced steak for quick and even cooking.
- Add steak to a HOT skillet to sear and seal in the juices
- Use Fresh broccoli (not frozen)
- Don’t overcrowd the pan or it will cool the pan resulting in steam cooked beef.
Make Ahead and Storage
This saucy beef and broccoli recipe reheats really well so it’s perfect for weekly meal prep and to-go lunches for school and work.
- Prep Ahead: slice your beef, prepare the broccoli and make the sauce the day before and store them all separately until ready to cook.
- Storage: Once the beef and broccoli has cooled to room temperature, cover and refrigerate 3-4 days per USDA guidelines for storing cooked beef. For Meal prep, store in individual containers to reheat portions.
- Freezing: You can freeze but the texture will suffer since broccoli can get mushy when thawed.
- To Reheat: set portions in a skillet and stir fry over medium heat until hot. Add a splash of water to loosen up the sauce.
Beef and Broccoli is delicious and protein-packed dinner and you’ll love how quick and easy it is to make. Stir-fry recipes, such as our Ground Beef Stir Fry, Vegetable Stir Fry, and Shrimp Fried Rice, have become go-to’s because they are fast and healthier than going out.
Beef and Broccoli Recipe
Ingredients
Beef and Broccoli Ingredients:
- 1 lb flank steak*, very thinly sliced into bite-sized strips
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, (or vegetable oil), divided
- 1 lb fresh broccoli*, (cut into 6 cups of florets)
- 2 tsp sesame seeds, optional garnish
Stir Fry Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated (loosely packed)
- 2 tsp garlic, grated (from 3 cloves)
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 6 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce, (or GF Tamari)
- 3 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp corn starch
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Prep: Start cooking white rice first so it's ready when the stir fry is done. Cover and freeze steak 30 minutes for easier slicing, then thinly slice against the grain.
- Make the Sauce: Combine all stir fry sauce ingredients in a bowl, stir well to dissolve the sugar, and set aside.
- Cook Broccoli: Place a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Add broccoli florets and sauté 4-5 minutes, partially covered with lid, stirring or tossing several times until broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender then remove from pan. Tip: If you prefer softer broccoli, add 2 Tbsp water before covering with the lid and it will steam cook the broccoli.
- Cook Beef: Increase heat to high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil. Add beef in a single layer and sauté 2 minutes per side or just until cooked through. Quickly pull out a piece to test for doneness.
- Add the sauce, reduce heat to medium/low and simmer 3-4 minutes. It will thicken. Add broccoli and stir to combine. Stir in 1-2 Tbsp water to thin the sauce if desired. Serve over white rice.
Notes
- More steak options include: Top Sirloin Steak, Top Round Steak, Tri-Tip Steak, or Ribeye
- Vegetables: for best results, use fresh vegetables, not frozen. You can substitute or add a variety of veggies such as snap peas, bell peppers, carrots, and even mushrooms.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
More Beef Recipes that Reheat Well
Any recipe that reheats well is a great option for meal prep, school, and work lunch. This is a great list to help you get through a busy season.
- Lasagna – beefy, cheesy, and saucy
- Beef Chili – hearty and satisfying
- Easy Taco Soup – fun for Taco Tuesday
- Spaghetti Meat Sauce – also freezes well
- Beef Stir Fry – with 3 ingredient sauce
- Meatloaf – so many uses for leftovers
- Mongolian Beef – saucy and delicious
Hi natasha! I only have regular soy sauce, any suggestions?
Hi Sarah, I would probably start with half that amount and then add it to taste. Regular soy sauce is quite a bit saltier.
Awesome recipe!!!! One of the few dinner ideas I can serve my three kids and the hubby and not one complaint….. thanks for sharing!
Love it! I’m happy to know that, thank you for your wonderful review!
My husband and I enjoyed this so much! I was worried about the sesame oil, don’t like it, but I followed the recipe and it was perfection! I added a little bit of chili oil to give a slightly spicy tingle! Thank you so much!
Hi Lisa, you are very welcome! Thank you for giving this recipe a great review.
We really enjoyed this recipe. Normally I try to make a stir fry sauce with some of this and some of that but it is hit or miss especially with the kids. This was spot on and their bowls were clean, outside of some broccoli stems. I followed your ingredients and your directions with the exception of using arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch. I will make this again and this time add an additional vegetable or try with tofu as well. The house has a nice fragrance after dinner from the ginger and garlic in the sauce. Thank you so much. Your recipe has restored my children’s faith in my stir fry dinners.
You’re welcome, Ingrid. That is the best when kids love what we parents make. That’s so great!
Can I marinate the meat overnight and if so how does that change the cooking instructions??
Hi Chris, I haven’t tested it that way, if you happen to experiment, I would love to know how you like that.
Nastasha, I love your recipes and enjoy watching you. Thank You!
Thank you for always watching and I’m glad you’re enjoying my recipes!
Love your videos and recipes!
All fantastic!
You are a gem !
Never had a failure, always rave reviews !
Thank you so much, Carol. I appreciate your good comments!
Made this a few weeks ago and the family liked it so much it’s now part of our list of favorite menus. Making it again tonight. Thanks Natasha!
That is so awesome! Thank you for your awesome review, Phil.
We had this last night and it was Wonderful! I had been craving something Asian and couldn’t find my favorite sauce for Beef and Broccoli so decided to try this. I’m so happy I did. I’ll never have to hunt for a sauce again. Thanks, Natasha!
I’m very happy that you tried and loved this recipe! Thanks for sharing that with us.
I was craving some kind of Asian food and decided to make beef and broccoli. Dismayed when I couldn’t find my favorite sauce at the store and thought I would try this. Well, I’ll never have to go in search of a sauce again! This is FANTASTIC!! (I did back off on the amount of sugar a little bit)
Hi Cherie, That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
your Direction’s need to be a little more precise because you never tell anybody to take the broccoli out of the pan before you add the beef but then your third instruction tells you to put the broccoli back in the pan. For someone that’s not a seasoned cook they might not pick up on that.
Hi Neva, thank you for sharing that. Please see the notes on step #3 “Cook broccoli and remove from pan.”
This too was Awesome, Our twist was we added fresh tomatoes, salt and pepper.
Thanks
Super
Yum! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
This is definitely the best Beef and Broccoli recipe I’ve found so far. I am gluten free so I have to get my Chinese takeout fix at home. I used GF Tamari and cut back on the sugar a little, but otherwise stuck to the recipe closely. It was delicious! Served with veggie fried rice and it was a veggie-packed meal that tasted like a decadent treat. We’ll definitely be making it again. Thanks for a keeper!
Hello Tiffany, thank you so much for your wonderful review. I’m glad you shared that with us, I’m sure the others would like to try the gluten-free version too!
What would you consider a serving for 385 calories? 1 cup?
Hi Laura, this makes for 4 servings. Usually, these types of recipes call for 1 to 1.5 cups per serving.
This is a winning recipe Natasha! My husband and I absolutely enjoyed eating this – the sauce is definitely the best. I have added this recipe in my regular meal planning. Keep the delicious recipes coming 🙂 🙂 (General Tso’s chicken is next on the list!)
That’s so great to hear, Maria. Thank you so much to you and your husband for giving this recipe a try and for your good review.
My husband and I love this recipe! We have it often during the winter. So satisfying!!
Happy to know that, Cathy! Thank you for sharing that with us.
This is delicious. Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes. I’ve made many of them and have loved them all
You are very welcome, Mary. I’m glad you loved this recipe!
I made this recipe tonight..
My family loved it..
No leftovers..
You always have
awesome recipes..
Thank you..
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
I love your recipes! Made the pot pie chicken soup! What a hit. Making the ground beef stroganoff tonight. Then the chicken chow mein. Next will be the beef and broccoli.
Sounds like a great plan, Colette. I’m glad you’re enjoying my recipes!
Sauce waaaaaay too sweet. Not a make again for me. I prefer this sauce. 1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/4 cups water
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons dry sherry or 2 tablespoons rice wine
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Hi Peter, thanks for your feedback and suggestions!
This is really one of my favorites. Love all your recipes.
So great to hear that, Laurie! Thank you so much for your good feedback.