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 looks delish. I plan on preparing today. Might cut the soy a little for myself. On a side note. I have learned how to the salt and fat from some recipes due to cardiac and weight loss need. I however would appreciate any helpful tips you might have.
Thank you
Hi Cathy, I hope you enjoy this recipe. The only recommendation I have is to cut down salt or look for sodium-free or low sodium alternatives for ingredients that the recipes ask for.
Hi Natasha! I just wanted to thank you for your amazing recipes. I have made your vegetable stir fry, creamy cauliflower soup with bacon and corn, and chicken parmesan. Tonight I’m making the salmon cakes for the first time. But your beef and broccoli recipe is my favourite! I make a few little adjustments to this one (I use 5 tbsp soy sauce, 4 tbsp brown sugar, and 2 tbsp cornstarch) and it always comes out delicious. I love turning to your blog for dinner ideas and watching your YouTube videos. Looking forward to trying more recipes in the future!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you’re enjoying my recipes, Rachelle! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Excellent recipe! My only modification was to add carrots for color and green onions for that bit of flavor.
This sauce was one of the best of its type I’ve tried.
Thank you for sharing it.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Dan! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you for this very tasty recipe. It was my first attempt, and it was far superior to the B&B takeout. I added mushrooms as suggested.
It was east to prep, quick to cook, and the one pan clean up made it a winner.
Thank you for sharing. I am happy you enjoyed this recipe!
I’ve made this recipe and Natasha’s Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry recipe and loved them both! I am curious about one difference in approach between the two recipes.. The Beef Broccoli recipe instructs cook the veggies first, then the meat second. The Chicken version cooks the meat first, then the veggies second. Is there a reason for the order between beef vs chicken? Does it matter? Just curious for my learning. And thank you for showing how to use fresh ginger!
Hi Brad! I’m happy you enjoy these recipes. You’re very welcome! The beef is cut thinly, therefore, it cooks very quickly and could become tough if we reversed the method and waited for the veggies to finish.
I love your recipes and find that we often want to add them to our menu of things we want to cook. The one thing I wish is that when I pin it and put on my want to cook again list, it would be helpful if the picture had a name of what the dish is. That way I wouldn’t have to read and see if that is what I was looking for. Thanks so much Becky
Thanks for your suggestion, Becky. I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
This is delicious. I followed the recipe exactly and the broccoli and sauce were especially good. Somehow my beef tough. I was really careful not to over cook it. I cut it very thin and I wondered if it’s possible for it to be too thin? Otherwise fantastic and so easy and quick! Thank you!
That could be, maybe experiment with it next time, sear it less so it does not overcook.
All beef will cook differently. As the laziest possible option: I used stew beef, straight out the freezer frozen into a 1lb block, air fried it to thaw, broke it apart and seared it in the air fryer for a crisp outside but only about med-rare inside, cut it up with shears into smaller pieces (frokable sized chunks) put THAT into the Insta and cooked that per the recipe (10/10). Meanwhile, cooked the (lightly oiled) broccoli in the air fryer until soft but not crispy. Everything finished at the same time to add the conrstarch and thicken while i popped in the broccoli. Point? the stew beef is some of the toughest meat out there but by mechanically “digesting” it” beforehand – cook, cut, pressure cook, I was able to get in minutes what would have taken a lot longer otherwise. If I had steak? No way that would have been necessary, know what you’re cooking with and know how to cheat (without grandmas meat tenderizing hammer)
If you velvet your meat first (baking soda + water), your beef will stay tender.
Did you perhaps cut with the grain of the flank, accidentally?
Hi Natasha, Can I use frozen broccoli & how do you recommend cooking it? Thank you so much.
Hi Jessica, I think that would work fine. One of my other readers said they used frozen broccoli but cooked it separately before adding it in towards the end. I would steam or sautee the broccoli. I hope that helps.
I’ve used this recipe twice and I absolutely love it! The taste is amazing and pretty easy to cook. Everything happens so quickly and takes me about 15 minutes. This is my go to recipe .
That’s awesome feedback, thanks a lot for sharing that with us!
Thanks Natasha your recipe is amazing, easy fast practical no using lots of pans 🙂 it’s soo delicious. The best Broccoli Beef Recipe. I checked them all. 🤩 easy to cook for old and young
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Maria!
Loved the recipe! Doubled the ginger and garlic. Added onion and bell peppers!
Will for sure make again!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Ashley!
I made this before and am gathering ingredients to make again. Will double sauce this time. Made a second sauce batch after the fact because it really makes the meal. The meat I use is deer back strap. Excellent meal.
This was much better than takeout. I followed the recipe exactly. Will be making again.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Lauren!
The recipe was a hit! My 3 year old daughter loved it, but not as much as the video she requests to watch every day, on repeat! “I want to watch the woman make brock-a-lee.” 🙂
That is the best when kids love what we parents make. That’s so great!
My family’s favorite beef and broccoli recipe ever! I didn’t have sesame oil so I just used vegetable oil instead, and it still turned out great. 🙂 I also love onion so I added one chopped onion when I added the broccoli.
That’s great! I’m happy it worked out and was enjoyed!
This is so delicious! To stay in my beef budget I used chuck steak and it worked very well. I julienned some sweet peppers I had in the frig and tossed them in with the broccoli. The sauce was so wonderful. I omitted the sesame oil because I don’t like it and in place I added 2 T of Thai sweet chili sauce. I will definitely be making this often and I need to spend some time on your site and try some more recipes of yours : ) Delicious!
Sounds great and good to know that the substitutions that you used worked well too. Thank you for sharing that with us, I hope you’ll love all the recipes that you will try.
This was delicious! The tip about freezing the meat for a while to help get thin slices worked perfectly. We are not big fans of broccoli so I used snow peas and thinly sliced bell pepper. Our 12 years old said “this is so good. We HAVE to have this again”. I didn’t even eat the rice because the beef and veggies in the sauce were so yummy!
Yum! I am so glad it was a hit! I know that kids can be picky eaters so that’s a win for sure! Thank you for the review.
Amazing Recipe! Better than a restaurant! My husband had thirds and my friends all had seconds. I got so many compliments! I made it GF by using GF Soy Sauce.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Christie!
Delicious stir fry! It came together quickly and easily and the flavor is phenomenal!
Isn’t it the best! I’m so glad you loved it, Marisol!
Made this recipe for a quick Tuesday night meal and it is so good!!! Packed full of flavor and my husband and children love it! Will be keeping this recipe in the books to make again!
Good to hear that the recipe was a huge hit! Thanks a lot for the review, Joy.