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Beef and Broccoli
Get dinner on the table in just 30 minutes. Beef and broccoli is perfect for busy weeknights.
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A popular dish for takeout, now you can skip the wait and make easy beef and broccoli at home in even less time than delivery. Packed with flavor, fresh broccoli and tender sirloin steak come together to make this dish in just 30 minutes.
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Dig your chopsticks into a bowl of flavorful beef and broccoli. This simple recipe is a one-skillet meal that’s perfect for busy weekday nights.
Beef and broccoli is a classic dish of tender beef, sautéed with fresh broccoli florets, and coasted in a savory sauce. Just like Chinese takeout, you could serve your beef and broccoli dish over white rice, brown rice, or fried rice. You could even try serving it with cauliflower rice or quinoa.
Make it really feel like ordering takeout by pairing this recipe with other takeout-inspired dishes like Kung Pao Chicken and Crab Rangoon. And, if you have any leftovers, beef and broccoli reheat easily for lunch.
Beef and Broccoli Ingredients
- Top sirloin steak - cut across the grain into thin strips
- Dark soy sauce - plus 1 tablespoon for the marinade
- Mirin - or rice vinegar
- Oyster sauce - a thick, brown sauce that adds a punch of flavor. A balance between sweet and salty.
- Ginger paste - adds a warm, spicy taste. You can substitute fresh ginger, but the paste dissolves faster in this quick-cooking dish.
- Roasted garlic paste - increases the flavor. You can substitute finely minced fresh garlic.
- Light brown sugar - adds just a bit of sweetness
- Cornstarch - helps thicken the sauce
- Beef broth - can also use beef stock
- Vegetable oil - or canola oil
- Broccoli crowns - cut into small florets
- Green onions - garnish, optional
- Toasted sesame seeds - optional garnish, but adds a subtle nutty flavor
Beef and broccoli isn’t meant to be a spicy dish, it’s definitely more family-friendly, but it does have a little zing from the garlic and ginger. You can always add heat by adding a splash of chili sauce or sriracha.
For the most tender beef, make sure you slice thinly and slice across the grain. Thinner slices help the steak cook more quickly. For the best texture, it’s better to use fresh broccoli versus frozen broccoli. If you use frozen it will release more water, producing a watery sauce, and will have a more mushy texture.
While the recipe has broccoli in the name, you can also add some of your other favorite vegetables to this recipe. A few add-in ideas are snap peas, bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, or water chestnuts. If you want to add a little crunch you could top your dish with some peanuts or cashews.
How to Make Beef and Broccoli
FIRST STEP: Combine sliced steak with 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of mirin. Set aside to marinate while working on the sauce.
SECOND STEP: In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the stir-fry sauce: the remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger paste, garlic paste, and brown sugar.
THIRD STEP: Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the beef broth into the cornstarch and stir to dissolve the cornstarch.
FOURTH STEP: Mix both the cornstarch mixture and the remaining beef broth into the rest of the stir-fry sauce.
FIFTH STEP: Drain the marinated steak and discard juices.
SIXTH STEP: Heat the oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat until the oil is nearly smoking and a drop of water in the pan sizzles immediately.
SEVENTH STEP: Drop the drained meat into the pan and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the meat is browned on both sides.
EIGHTH STEP: Remove the meat from the pan and set it aside.
NINTH STEP: Add a thin layer of water to the bottom of the pan, just a few tablespoons to steam/simmer the broccoli in. (You can use a clean pan or the pan you’ve just used to cook the meat.)
TENTH STEP: Add the broccoli florets to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Simmer over medium-high heat, tossing the broccoli a few times until it begins to soften and turns vibrant green, about 3-4 minutes.
ELEVENTH STEP: Add about half of the prepared sauce to the broccoli and bring to a simmer. Stir and simmer 1-2 minutes longer until the sauce thickens.
TWELVE STEP: Add the cooked meat back into the pan and add as much of the remaining sauce as you’d like (the recipe makes a very saucy dish).
THIRTEENTH STEP: Heat the meat through and simmer long enough to thicken any additional sauce you have added.
FOURTEENTH STEP: Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired.
FIFTEEN STEP: Serve over rice.
Can I make this recipe ahead of time?
You could prepare all the ingredients ahead of time: slice the beef, chop the broccoli, and mix the sauce ingredients together. Then everything is ready to cook. This recipe also reheats well after it is cooked.
Can I freeze beef and broccoli?
This delicious recipe can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
What beef is best to use?
The best beef cuts for stir fry are tender and lean, like top sirloin steak.
What other vegetables can I use in this recipe?
There are plenty of different vegetables you can use including edamame, bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots, water chestnuts, and bean sprouts.
Storing Beef and Broccoli
IN THE FRIDGE: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
IN THE FREEZER: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag for about 3 months. Reheat in a microwave-safe dish or rewarm in a large skillet, stirring often.
Beef and Broccoli
Get dinner on the table in just 30 minutes. Beef and broccoli is perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- ¾ to 1 pound top sirloin steak cut across the grain into thin strips
- 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce plus 1 tablespoon for marinade
- 2 teaspoon mirin or rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon roasted garlic paste
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil or canola oil
- 2 broccoli crowns cut into small florets
- 2 to 3 green onions
- 1 to 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
DIRECTIONS
- Combine sliced steak with 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of mirin. Set aside to marinate while working on the sauce.
- In a small bowl whisk together the ingredients for the stir-fry sauce: the remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger paste, garlic paste, and brown sugar.
- Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the beef broth into the cornstarch and stir to dissolve the cornstarch.
- Mix both the cornstarch mixture and the remaining beef broth into the rest of the stir-fry sauce.
- Drain the marinated steak and discard juices.
- Heat the oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat until the oil is nearly smoking and a drop of water in the pan sizzles immediately.
- Drop the drained meat into the pan and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the meat is browned on both sides.
- Remove the meat from the pan and set it aside.
- Add a thin layer of water to the bottom of the pan, just a few tablespoons to steam/simmer the broccoli in. You can use a clean pan or the pan you’ve just used to cook the meat.
- Add the broccoli florets to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Simmer over medium-high heat, tossing the broccoli a few times until it begins to soften and turns vibrant green, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add about half of the prepared sauce to the broccoli and bring to a simmer. Stir and simmer 1 to 2 minutes longer until the sauce thickens.
- Add the cooked meat back into the pan and add as much of the remaining sauce as you’d like. This recipe makes a very saucy dish.
- Heat the meat through and simmer long enough to thicken any additional sauce you have added.
- Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired.
- Serve over white rice or fried rice
- Notes
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Notes
TIP: Adjust sweetness by adding or reducing the amount of brown sugar. Adjust saltiness by adding or reducing the amount of soy sauce. You may wish to add a bit more soy sauce if you use a light or regular soy sauce - the dark soy sauce has a more intense flavor and also adds quite a bit more saltiness.
TIP: You do not need to cook the broccoli all the way through when steaming/simmering it as it will cook a bit more when the sauce is added. Undercooking here will give you the best results as you don't want to end up with soggy broccoli. We’re just giving it a head start.
TIP: You do not need to cook the broccoli all the way through when steaming/simmering it as it will cook a bit more when the sauce is added. Undercooking here will give you the best results as you don't want to end up with soggy broccoli. We’re just giving it a head start.
Nutrition
Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 1273mg | Potassium: 1377mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 1954IU | Vitamin C: 273mg | Calcium: 207mg | Iron: 5mg
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