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This delicious beef and broccoli recipe is better than takeout! This easy, flavorful dish is perfect for your next dinner.
We love Asian recipes in our home, and even more so when they are simple! This beef and broccoli recipe is perfect to serve with some Fried Rice and Egg Rolls.
what’s For Dinner?
You may have noticed that our family loves any Asian recipe. Yes – we’re a little obsessed! We recently tried this simple beef and broccoli recipe for dinner and everyone loved it.
We’ve always been long-time fans of combining beef + broccoli and love the delicious Asian flavor made when adding the sauce and sesame seeds.
Why we love it:
- Easy. The recipe is also very simple which means this will be a go-to.
- Flavorful. This classic dish is full of flavor and rivals any takeout you can order.
- Make it a meal. Serve it over white rice, Cauliflower Rice, or Noodles and you’re set! And serve with these favorite sides: Egg Drop Soup, Cream Cheese Wontons and Lettuce Wraps.
Ingredients
- flank steak – we used flank steak, the original recipe used round roast. Other common cuts include sirloin steak, ribeye, and beef chuck roast.
- broccoli – For bright green broccoli, blanch it first, but it is not a necessary step in making the dish. See the tips for directions.
- cornstarch
- water
- soy sauce
- rice vinegar
- brown sugar
- minced garlic
- sesame oil
- fresh ginger
- vegetable oil
- sesame seeds
How to Make Beef and Broccoli
- BROCCOLI. Blanch broccoli by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the broccoli and cook for 1-2 minutes. Place in cold water, then drain and dry.
- BEEF. While water is coming to a boil, whisk together 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water in a large bowl. Add beef and toss in the mixture.
- SAUCE. In another bowl, whisk the remaining cornstarch (1 tablespoon) with soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil, and ginger – set aside
- COOK. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to a large pan and cook on medium heat. Add meat and cook until heated through and pink is gone. Take out meat and set aside
- SERVE. Once broccoli is blanched and done, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the pan and cook broccoli for about 2 minutes. Add the beef and the sauce to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 1-2 minutes and serve over rice or noodles sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Recipe Tips
- Thicker sauce. As the sauce boils the cornstarch will act as a thickening agent. For a thicker sauce, mix 1-2 teaspoons of water with an equal amount of cornstarch then add it into the sauce to simmer.
- Bright green broccoli. Blanch your broccoli:
- Boil water in a pan.
- Place broccoli florets in the boiling water for 2-3 minutes.
- Drain and immediately place in cold water.
- Once cool, drain and dry the broccoli.
- Tender beef. Adding ½ teaspoon of baking soda to the beef marinade will help make the beef nice and tender.
- Cutting thin slices. Throw beef in the freezer for about 20-30 minutes. This will stiffen it up enough to cut. Place the meat on a cutting board and use a sharp kitchen knife to cut thin slices against the grain. Allow the slices to thaw while in the marinade.
Storing Tips
- Make a freezer meal. Mix up the sauce. Put the beef and 1 cup of the sauce into a Ziploc bag and place the remainder of the sauce in a separate Ziploc.
- Put the blanched broccoli florets in a third Ziploc. Label each bag and keep them together in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and cook according to the recipe instructions.
- STORE any leftover beef with broccoli recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Use a microwave to reheat or a skillet. Heat a skillet, add a bit of olive oil, throw in the leftovers, and cook until warm.
For More Recipes, Try:
Beef and Broccoli Recipe
This delicious beef and broccoli recipe is better than takeout! This easy, flavorful dish is perfect for your next dinner.
Ingredients
- 4 cups broccoli chopped
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch divided
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 pound flank steak cut into strips
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Blanch broccoli by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the broccoli and cook for 1-2 minutes. Place in cold water, then drain and dry.
- While water is coming to a boil, whisk together 2 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water in a large bowl. Add beef and toss in the mixture.
- In another bowl, whisk the remaining cornstarch (1 tbsp) with soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil, and ginger – set aside
- Add 1 tbsp vegetable oil to a large pan and cook on medium heat. Add meat and cook until heated through and pink is gone. Take out meat and set aside
- Once broccoli is blanched and done, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil to the pan and cook broccoli for about 2 minutes. Add the beef and the sauce to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 1-2 minutes and serve over rice or noodles sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Notes
Make a freezer meal. Mix up the sauce. Put the beef and 1 cup of the sauce into a Ziploc bag and place the remainder of the sauce in a separate Ziploc.
Put the blanched broccoli florets in a third Ziploc. Label each bag and keep them together in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and cook according to the recipe instructions.
STORE any leftover beef with broccoli recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Use a microwave to reheat or a skillet. Heat a skillet, add a bit of olive oil, throw in the leftovers, and cook until warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 335kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 28g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 68mg, Sodium: 904mg, Potassium: 716mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 565IU, Vitamin C: 81.8mg, Calcium: 81mg, Iron: 2.8mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was first published in 2016 and was updated in 2024.
easy fun and tasty!
i have always loved beef-broccoli made with the same ingredients you use. A lovely addition I’d recommend is to add a soft-boiled on top, or just break an egg over the top and run it under the broiler, cooking to just the degree you prefer. It gives the dish a nice added dimension and looks nice too.
Great idea..I will have to try 🙂 Thank you!
I love Asian recipes and your idea give me a lot of helpful when I preparing dinner for my family. Thank you so much for sharing.
You are so welcome & thank you for letting me know that! I am glad I could help 🙂
BEEF and Broccoli has been added to our Favorite RecipeS Book! FulL of Protein and Veggies! SO GOOD!
I loved when i found this recipe! This is a family favorite! it is seriously delicious and one we will keep on the menu!
Im not a super great cook and so i really love finding recipes that are easy and healthier than eating out. Thanks for sharing this one!