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
2 Tbsp of sesame oil? I made this for my family and everything was smelling delicious while mixing the sauce ingredients until I saw it wanted me to add 2 Tbsp of sesame oil. I added 1 knowing how potent sesame oil is. The only flavor I could taste was that oil. I think this recipe should have called for only 2 tsp of the stuff.
Hi Steven, that is correct and once the sauce is simmered, it mellows out and adds nice flavor notes without being over powering, but you can add it to taste if you prefer less.
Made this the other night. AWESOME!!
One of the best recipes I have ever tried.
That’s nice to know, John! Thanks for sharing.
This beef and broccoli recipe was absolutely delicious. I will make it again and again.
I rarely give reviews but this is a real winner.
Thank you, Jan! So glad you loved this recipe.
I made this last evening, just as written, with the exception of swapping sirloin for the flank, it’s what I had. It was delicious!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Kathianne!
We aren’t big in beef, so I made this with chicken tonight and holy wow! This is better than take out. My family of four (with two young kids) devoured this. Next time, I’ll have to double the recipe! I can’t begin to describe how good this is! Thank you for sharing such a great recipe!
Nice to know that you love this with chicken too! Thanks for sharing that with us.
U just finished making this!!! EXCELLENT!!! I don’t like cooking at all but this was soooo easy!! My husband who is very picky LOVED IT too!! Thank you for such an awesome meal!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Marilyn! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I made this recipe tonight but added extra fresh ginger and sriracha. Next time would add less sugar, but we loved the ease of the recipe! Definitely a keeper.
Thank you for the feedback, Debbie! I’m glad it was still enjoyed. 🙂
Hi Natasha,
Can I substitute ginger powder for. Fresh ginger?
My local grocery store doesn’t carry it.
If so, how much?
Yes, you can do this. I would add it to taste, start with a smaller amount as ginger can be very strong.
It took me a while to do the math, but 1 tsp of fresh grated ginger is equivalent to exactly 2/3 of a 1/8 tsp measure. I used that and omg that sure is a fine recipe! Thank you.
You’re welcome and thanks for sharing!
I have made this several times and my family loves it. Was wondering though if u can freeze this meal. Thanks
Thank you for the great review! I haven’t tested freezing this so I can’t say for sure but one of my readers said it does freeze well.
I made the broccoli beef last night and it was fantastic and so easy to make. My wife loved it too. Thank you.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Dean!
Hi. Is the 385 calorie mentioned for the entire dish or per person(since its mentioned its for 4 people)?
Hi Raiha! Yes, the nutrition facts are per each serving (4 servings total).
I don’t normally write reviews but we followed this step by step and holly molly it was so good! Will be saving this recipe and making it often! I honestly think this was the best beef and broccoli I’ve ever had. <3
Hi Jacki, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. We appreciate your comments and feedback!
This is my go to recipe! It turns out amazing every time. My boyfriend likes it saucy so I do double the sauce recipe. Natasha is amazing and I’ve haven’t tried a recipe of hers that we didn’t enjoy!!
Aaaw, that made me smile. Thanks a lot for your great comments and feedback!
Simple. Delicious. Quick. Everyone always asks for this recipe. Trying it with chicken tonight
Sounds great and I think it will be delicious with chicken too!
Hello from New Zealand. I have made this delicious beef stirfry 3 times now for my family and each time I make it my husband asks me if I have left a review yet, so here it is. This is such a delicious family meal that is restaurant quality. Simple, versatile, cost effective and healthy with a 5 star taste. Thank you Natasha x
Aaw you are both the sweetest! Thank you for taking the time to share your experience trying out this recipe. We’re so glad you loved it!
Easy ans delicious! Even without sesame oil and garlic (as I didn’t have). I also added onion and mushroom. Will definitely make it again!
So glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I had been looking for the best Broccoli Beef recipe I have tried so many and all of them have always been “eh” and some just plain not tasty where all you could taste was the soy sauce and nothing else. Well after so many tries I finally found one that was absolutely delicious and will for sure cook again. I 100% recommend this recipe!!
Thank you for the wonderful review and feedback, Joanna! So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
This was so good! I used moose meat and marinated it for 2 hours with sesame oil, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and black pepper before frying in a wok! The rest of the recipe I followed to a T. I made this for a family get together and every last bit was gone, I will definitely be making it again for meal prep
Hi Miranda! What a great way to change it up. Thank you for sharing, I bet it was yummy! 🙂
I made this last night. It was good, but for me just did not have quite the WOW! factor described in so many of the other reviews. My picky eater said it was very good. I made the sauce exactly as printed. I added some chopped onion and red pepper to the broccoli. I don’t have the patience to stand there and fry 128 little pieces of beef and turn them over with tongs one at a time. So I bought 4 large slices of thin sliced steak and cooked two at a time in the cast iron skillet. Then I took them over to the cutting board and cut them up into a bunch of little strips. When a person orders beef and broccoli at a Chinese takeaway it is common to get 2 or 3 little over cooked florets in the whole serving. It was a treat getting a generous serving of bright green broccoli in the dish. Served over white rice. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Jimmy, thank you for sharing. I think the beef might turn out tastier the way it is written since it holds onto the sauce a little better that way. I’m so glad your picky eater approved. that’s wonderful!
I just made this for dinner with a rib steak that had been in my frig for months that I knew won’t be tasty anymore. The marinade boosted the flavor and it was a delicious meal.
I’m so glad it all worked out, Frances! That’s so great!
I just made this and I love it love it love it! Quick simple delish.
So glad you enjoyed it!
I’m so glad I found this recipe. My whole family eats it & gobbles it up. I make extra so I don’t have to cook the next day. The best part about this recipe is that the corn starch goes into the sauce instead of coating the meat! Makes it so much easier & less messy! And the tip about freezing the meat a little before cutting made such a big difference. ♡
We’re so glad that you found and tried this recipe! Thanks for the good comments and feedback.