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
This was a delicious recipe with an addictive sauce. However, next time I will not cook the beef for so long. I know you want to get a good sear on the beef, but letting it sit for 2 minutes was too long for me and made the beef tough. Next time I will only let it sear for 1 minute (or less) so it will remain tender. I am not a fan of “crisp-tender” vegetables, so I let them steam as indicated in the recipe, although I needed to add more than 2 Tbsp of water. I also definitely had to add more water to the sauce at the end to keep it the proper consistency. But, overall, this was a wonderful dish that I will make again.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Robert.
Worked perfectly exactly as you described. I added some portabella mushrooms, which I sautéed on the side, to not add more moisture and I cooked the beef first and set it aside. The sauce is perfect!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Awesome, and so easy that even my husband pulled it off! Thank you for the recipe!
Yay, fantastic! I’m glad it was a hit, Mireille.
Can this recipe be made with frozen broccoli?
Hello Pamela, yes that would work. It might take a bit longer to cook the broccoli since it is frozen or you can let it thaw first.
Hi Natasha. Recipe sounds great and I’m going to try it. I have some beef tenderloin cuts in the freezer. Have you made this recipe using tenderloin instead of flank steak?
Hi Ron, I imagine that would work! Please share with us how it goes if you try the recipe.
Yes. I had some excess frozen trimmings from a full beef tenderloin I had previously cut into steaks. I sliced thin and followed the same steps. Awesome recipe followed exactly! So good in fact I tried it again with a frozen boneless chicken breast. Same deal- slice the chicken thin before it fully thaws to easily get the thin slices.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Yummy! I’m so glad I found your recipe while googling for ideas! Will make again, very soon. I ran out of low sodium soy, so I just cut back a full T of regular. I like mine a little less sweet so I was able to cut back on that too! This sauce will be a staple in our home from here on out. So versatile too! Thank YOU!
That’s nice to know! Thanks for sharing that with us, Wendy. I’m glad you found your new favorite!
Cool to appropriate asian american dishes for a paid (by the beef lobby) post. 🙁
OOOH! What a threat to society.
This was an instant hit in our house! I stay very true to your sauce recipe and have used this delicious sauce in chicken and broccoli and just straight up stir fry. Really appreciate you, thank you for this (and many of your other) recipe, it has become a mainstay of our weekly family menu.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new family favorite!
The sauce in this recipe is fantastic. I discovered when I began to make this that my broccoli was no longer good so I substituted asparagus, mushrooms and onion for the broccoli. Only other difference is I reduced the sugar by half. My hubby raved about the results. I will be using this recipe for many Asian dishes in the future! Thank you so much!!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I have a 2lb tri tip I would like to try this with. Any tips? Should I double the recipe? Looks delicious thanks.
Hi Kelly, doubling it would work great since you have exactly double the meat the recipe calls for.
This was the best beef and broccoli I’ve ever had. It was better than what I have had in a restaurant.
Natasha, you never let me down. By the way, your instant pot whole chicken is amazing!
I am so glad I found you.
That is so nice, thanks for your great comments and feedback, Kelly. I’m glad that you enjoyed this recipe!
Made this beef and brocoli recipe tonight for dinner absolutely delicious. Will make it again.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Great recipe. I’ve made it twice now and both times it has been delicious. Thank you for sharing this!
You’re welcome, Sarah! Thanks for your wonderful review.
I am making this recipe again this weekend. My family LOVED it. Thank You!
You’re welcome, Lynn! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
5 STAR – awesome
Thank you, Liza for your perfect review!
Natasha, I love this recipe its so delicious and easy to make. I already made this dish 4 times this month. One thing I don’t like about this is cleaning the stove afterwards, because when beef sizzles it jumps everywhere on the stove. LOL 🙂
Hi Liza, looks like you found a new favorite! Yes, that could be a challenge but it’s totally worth for me.
Get a screen that sits on the top of pan. It helps with the splatter
Liza, I put reynolds wrap on my stove top so I have no clean up.
Great recipe! It comes together so quickly. The family loved it. The sauce would be great on chicken and pork as well. I will make this again!
That’s a great idea! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
It’s my second time to cook this dish and like the first time my husband and toddler loved it. Thank you for sharing this recipe. So easy to follow and I seemed like a professional cook.
You are very welcome, Marissa. I’m glad your family loved this recipe!
This is the first of your recipes I’ve tried and it was excellent. I made instant pot jasmine rice and I’m in heaven.
I’ll be making this again for vaccinated company!
And I’ll be making many more of your recipes!! Thank you!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed this recipe, Donna. Thanks for your great feedback and review!
This was absolutely amazing! We were obsessed and I’ll be making it again! Thank you so much, we will be skipping take out more often.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!