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
Long time user of this site and I love all the recipes from Natasha’s kitchen. This recipe is no exception. It was delicious and the whole family loved it. The pro-tip of freezing the meat for 30 min was extremely useful and made cutting beef strips a lot easier. Thank you Natasha! You are a gem.
Aw, thank you so much for the wonderful feedback. So glad loved it.
I followed the recipe exactly and it was awful. It had a thick and gummy gravy which is not what I expected. After spending $25 on the flank steak, we were very disappointed.
Hi Britta, I’m sorry to hear that. A thick and gummy sauce is not what is expected with this sauce. Did you change anything with the proportions? It sounds like you had too much corn starch for the amount of liquid in the recipe. Any easy fix is to add more hot water to loosen up the sauce.
Sounds like a newbie – you were very gracious with your response.
I tried this beef and broccoli recipe for me and my grandsons. It is good. Very easy to follow and quick! Thank you!
You’re very welcome! I’m so glad you loved this recipe.
This recipe is delicious and amazing for a quick dinner.
I use stir fry wagyu beef and seasonal veggies when broccoli isn’t available. So far I have tried carrots, peppers, broccoflower, and mushrooms. I also sprinkle some finely shredded cabbage on top after cooking.
Sounds great! I’m glad to hear that you loved it.
This recipe was super great as is! My dad was over for dinner and the only suggestion he had was to make more of the sauce so it would saturate the rice. Remember to freeze the meat for easier cutting. The thinner the slices the better and cut against the grain. We used a flank steak and it was great but any would work. No need to use an expensive cut though.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Ann!
My fam is sauce people like your Dad. That’s an excellent idea to make enough to put on the rice! I will make a double batch and just heat the extra up in a sauce pan.
This was an excellent recipe I used organic precut stir fry beef strips that comes with the side of beef we get every year and the sauce made it all come together . A great recipe !
Thank you, Loren! I’m so glad you loved it.
I tried it. Unfortunately for me the sesame oil flavor was way too strong so it wasn’t for me.
Hi Janie, did you use a different type of sesame oil than what was called for in the recipe?
I’ve made this so many times and love it! Was wondering if the stir-fry sauce could be made & frozen in advance? Thanks!
Hi Kat! I have not tested that, but I think it could work. Let us know if you experiment.
And for added context, I still used the 4-5 cloves of garlic and cornstarch in the stir fry sauce but I only used 1 tbsp of cornstarch. I did not use black pepper at all. Made the broccoli fry as directed and that came out delicious as well.
I had to adjust this recipe for my dietary restrictions. I used pre-chopped sirloin stir fry (which saved me tons of time) and coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce. I had to eliminate the brown sugar. I used 1 tbsp of ginger and 1 tbsp of sesame oil in the stir fry sauce. I had to season the beef with salt and pepper since the coconut aminos would not have the salt that soy sauce does to flavor it. Everything else I followed exactly and it came out amazing! Different from soy sauce flavor but still same flavor profile and good substitute for me. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing that with us. I’m glad you loved the recipe!
Delicious and easy. Who needs takeout when there are simple recipes like this that are so flavourful!!!!
Glad you think that way! Thanks so much for your great comments and feedback.
I made this the other night and IT WAS DELICIOUS! My fiancé enjoyed it as well. Never worked with ginger before so the spoon trick helped a lot. This recipe is getting added to the rotation for sure.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Looking forward to trying this? Can you use frozen broccoli?
Hi Shelby! Some of my readers have reported good results using frozen broccoli as well.
Tried this tonight and wanted to take picture but after first bite there was not much to be said except OMG! The flavors were perfect and definitely use the Tamari sauce!
Also I turned it into a surf and turf stir fry by adding medium shrimp to beef before adding sauce! Perfect and thank you!
Hello Valerie, thanks so much for sharing your experience trying our recipe! Thank you so much for sharing that with us.
what’s the serving size? i see the nutrition facts but it doesn’t say how much a serving is.
HI Samantha, the serving size ust be estimated since we don’t measure out portions in grams. This recipe serves 4 as a main course. The nutrition label reflects 1 portion/serving.
Once again your recipe did not disappoint. I made this for dinner and my Mom and fiancé thoroughly enjoyed it – I did too! Excellent flavors and easy to put together following your well-written instructions. Slightly freezing the meat prior to slicing is the way to go. This one is definitely staying in my meal rotation!
That’s wonderful, Karen! Thank you for the feedback. I’m so glad you found another recipe for the regular rotation!
Word to anybody planning on making this: if you’re like me, you’ll look at the sauce and think “that’s not enough, maybe I should add some broth or some water so it ends up saucier” but resist! It doesn’t look like much, but it ends up nice and saucy without swimming in it. Turned out great as listed!
Thank you so much for sharing, Adam!
Tastes amazing. Made it exactly as is on recipe and my whole family loved it.
I’m so glad it was a hit with the family! Thank you for sharing.
So delicious! Made it with the thin-sliced “Kobe” rib-eye meat from Costco; it was so easy! I added some rainbow peppers and matchstick carrots to amp up veggies, and added 1/2 t. crushed red pepper to the sauce (we like it a bit spicy!) It was perfect!!! Will def make again!!!
Thank you for sharing, Melissa! That sounds delicious!
Great and amazing recipe every time I make beef and broccoli I use this recipe 🤩
Thank you and great to hear that this is your go-to recipe!
We absolutely love this recipe and make it often. Here is how my family likes it. I make one batch of sauce, sans corn starch, and marinate my beef over night. The next day i make a second batch of sauce with the cornstarch and add red pepper flakes. I put the sauce in a pan to warm it up and thicken it. Next i cook the meat and vegetables on the black stone. We love the vegetables and usually use a combination of whatever we have. Our favorites are broccoli, red peppers, onions, mushrooms or snap peas. I then combine the meat and vegetables in a large bowl with the sauce. By the time the black stone is wiped down we’re ready to eat. We normally make a double batch so we have leftovers for lunch the next day. Everyone loves this recipe, which ever happens. Highly recommend. Thanks for the recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us! I’m so glad this recipe was a hit!