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
My 20-year-old grandson and I made this together. If is definitely a make again dish. The only thing we will do differently is add about 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes and just a quick sprinkle of garlic salt. This is YUM, as are all of Natasha’s recipes we’ve tried.
Super easy and it’s healthier and better tasting than take out!
Adore this dish. I make it often. Thanks Natasha
This is a huge hit with my family. There are 3 of us and I made the recipe for 4. I wanted leftovers for lunch. No such luck! Next time I will double it! It is better that any restaurant’s that I have ever had.
Ha! That’s awesome, Paula! So glad it was a hit!
Is it much of a difference if you use bottled ginger and garlic instead of fresh?
Hello Anthony! We always using fresh ingredients but I think that will work just fine too.
Hi Natasha
Today i am trying your broccoli-beef recipe. I k ew you through my daughter. She was one faithful fans, she died last summer at the age of 20. I do not know why i writing to you but i hope that you will continue sharing your recipes and smiling
HI Sohame, I’m so sorry to hear about your daughter. My heart goes out to you. Blessings and peace over you!
Thank you for your kind words Natasha. As i wrote i tried the recipe and it was a success. I even repeated it with other vegetables: zucchinis, green and red pepper and we liked it.
You’re so welcome, I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
This was delicious!Loved the sauce..I added snow peas,red pepper,onion to the broccoli..best part left overs!!
Great recipe! The only thing I did different was adding a bit of hoisin sauce and a little honey. Your recipes never disappoint! Thank you for all the work you do providing recipes
You’re very welcome, Gigi!
Made this tonight just as written but with some thinly sliced ribeye since that’s what we had. It was delicious!! I might sauté some thinly sliced onions next time as another reviewer suggested — anything to soak up the delicious sauce!
The sauce really is that good, isn’t it? I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Nina!
Fabulous recipe! I’ve probably made this 20 times. My kids and family eat up every bite. Every so often I will add extra veggies or omit the ginger if I am out. It always taste good. I really think that it is essential to have the sesame oil- gives it the umami!
I am giving this a 5 star review because I love this meal and want to master this recipe. Mine was too salty and I am not sure why. I used Braggs liquid aminos because that is what I use instead of soy sauce. Do you think that is the reason why it was so salty? I loved every salty bite and hope to be able to fix the salt issue. I am wanting to make it again soon!
If that’s the only change that you made, that could be the reason why. You can reduce the soy sauce next time and just add a bit more if it lacks saltiness.
I am really upset. I wanted to make this Tonight, but My Daughter may have Threw out my Gluten free Soy sauce
YOU DON’T SAY HOW MUCH CORN STARCH TO USE
Hi Harry. You need to scroll down to the bottom of the bottom of the blog to the recipe card. 1 1/2 TBSP is what’s listed in the ingredients list for the sauce.
I made this last night b used chicken tenderloins cut into strips (as we are not huge red meat fans) and added baby sweetcorn with the broccoli. It was gorgeous! We live a fair way from any takeout places (of dubious quality anyway) and my partner now only wants chinese style food if I make it as he says it’s much more tasty. Thanks for these recipes Natasha. Keep them coming! Maybe some Thai style in the future also? Pretty please.
Did you use regular sesame oil or toasted sesame oil? I would assume toasted sesame oil would have a stronger flavor, and I’m surprised you didn’t make this in a wok…
Hi Barry. If you click on “sesame oil” in red font in the recipe card, I linked the one I used. It’s toasted sesame oil.
FABULOUS! I just used 2 TB Brown Sugar – and arrow root instead of corn starch. Added onions and water chestnuts. Delicious!
Fantastic recipe! I followed everything exactly as written except left out sesame oil as my kids don’t like that flavor. So good, I couldn’t stop picking pieces out of the pan! Thanks so much!
The sauce was absolutely delicious! How can I make the meat more tender?
Make sure to use Flank Steak as they’re tender and lean. You can also check the tips in the recipe to achieve tender beef.
Sprinkle beef w about 1/2 t. Baking soda and leave rest room temperature for 20-40 min. Called “velveting.” A skill Chinese restaurants often use
This is an Awesome recipe as all of the recipes I have tried from Natasha. But I totally agree with you on the cornstarch Mike I learned this elsewhere and it truly makes a huge difference, just make sure if use this method after letting it sit make sure to rinse well. Again Natasha Tyvm for all ur great recipes.
Love this recipe! Any suggestions on making this in a slow cooker?
Hi Rachel. I’m sorry, I have not tested the slow cooker for this recipe.
Way too much sesame oil. Overpowered the dish. I was concerned that I would have to throw it out but will try adding more sauce to dilute (soy sauce, brown sugar, water and cornstarch) before I chuck it. I would start out with a tsp of sesame oil first and add more to taste.
Hi Ruth, did you use a different kind of sesame oil?