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
Absolutely delicious. Quick and easy to make, and the leftovers are just as good. Love this recipe.
Thank you for your excellent review and feedback!
This recipe is awesome. I always have to double the recipe because the leftovers are even better. I have made it so many times. It takes great. I use london broil steak because it is a little more tender and I also add twice and much broccoli, which I steam because we love our broccoli very soft. And of course extra sauce is delicious. Thanks for the GREAT recipe.
Great recipe! We did add mushrooms. Probably the best one I’ve ever had.
Loely to hear see this comment. Thank you!
My husband and I LOVE this recipe. So flavorful, yummy, and easy.
My only question would be what theserving size would be for those of us watching put calorie intake
Hi Emily. I’m so glad you both are well loving this recipe. I’m sorry I don’t have it measured out that way per serving. This recipe serves 4, the nutrition facts listed is per each serving. You can evenly divide this into four servings or use a food scale to weigh the recipe as a whole and divide that by four. I hope that helps.
This was delicious and the amount of sauce was perfect. Next time I make it, I will use less sugar, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Very good recipe, thank you!
I just made this for supper. Sadly I didn’t have enough broccoli, but substituted mushrooms, snap peas and slice water chestnuts. Otherwise followed the recipe to a T. It is so delicious. Thanks again for another amazing recipe!!!
Made this recipe and the only thing missing was a tiny bit of salt. Other than that it was delicious!
I made this last night and my wife and I both loved it. So delicious! She’s already asking when I’m planning to make it again.
That’s wonderful John!
This recipe was super easy and delicious. I doubled the sauce and added a tsp of Asian garlic chili sauce for a little spice. Definitely a keeper. Thank you for sharing.
I just made this and it turned out Great. I will make this again.My 28yr.old daughter has given it a thumbs up. Chow time.
Awesome! Happy to hear that it was a success!
Yummy! I mixed snow peas and broccoli for a little variety and added shredded carrots at the end for some crunch. I used a pound and a half of beef as well as I have two teenage boys. Was added to the make again list!
Awesome! Thank you for sharing that with us!
My husband and I love this recipe! I make it at least once a month. We went to a restaurant and he ordered it and was disappointed. This is an amazing sauce. Love it! ☺️
Very good! Savory and delicious! Cooking the broccoli in oil really makes it so yummy. It needs a little more time to steam I found. Be sure to use low sodium, otherwise it comes out super salty. Thanks for the recipe!
This recipe beats any restaurant beef broccoli I’ve ever had! Definitely saved this for later. *delicious*
That’s so great to hear! Thank you for the feedback!
Very good recipe, would add less sugar next time and add some mushrooms….but very enjoyable
It had a very good flavor , I did add the 2Tablespoons of water extra to make it more syrupy. It turned out pretty good.
Can honey be used instead of brown sugar? If so, would it be the same amount?
Hi Becky, that may work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
All I have to say is YUMMY! I followed the recipe to a T.. Only thing is I did it for 10 seconds. One. Chefs kiss!
I made your recipe with a couple changes….mainly because I didn’t have or like ginger. I used balsamic vinegar instead. I also used garlic powder instead of fresh garlic, olive oil instead of sesame oil, and added Worcestershire sauce. I also doubled it since we like more sauce. It was very yummy.
This was a great recipe and super quick n simple. Made this for dinner tonight and everyone loved it!
* The only thing I really didn’t care for is the sesame oil. I doubled the recipe for a big family. I only used 2 tbls of sesame oil and 2 olive oil (only thing i could think of). I think 1 of the sesame would have been fine.
I will be making this again! Thank you for the recipe 🙂