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Close up of Chinese food beef and broccoli, with sauce and sesame seeds and rice.
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4.50 from 10 votes

Beef and Broccoli

Beef and Broccoli can be so hit and miss, right? Sometimes it's transcendent, other times it's gloopy and chewy. I've figured out the secrets! If you're a Chinese food lover, make this easy homemade Beef and Broccoli recipe for a healthy dinner that's faster (and cheaper) than takeout! A few Asian pantry staples are all you need to make this stir fry that is seriously SO GOOD. Healthy (check) one-pan meal (check) done in less than an hour (check!) Make it with 20 minute Rice or Cauliflower Rice!
Prep Time50 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 313kcal
Author: The Food Charlatan

Ingredients

  • 1 pound flank steak* (or flat iron, skirt, sirloin, or ribeye steak)
  • 1 pound broccoli florets 2 heads broccoli

For the marinade:

  • 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch for the marinade
  • 4 and 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce**
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine*** or substitute sherry wine

For the sauce:

For searing

  • vegetable oil
  • sesame oil

For serving:

Instructions

  • Freeze your beef: Put your beef in the freezer so it's easier to slice. 30 minutes is just about perfect.
  • Prep your broccoli. Separate the florets from stems. I like using just the florets, but feel free to cut the stems into small pieces and use them too. You need about a pound of broccoli once it's chopped, about 2 medium heads.
  • Prepare the marinade: Add 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch, 4 and 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine* to a medium bowl.
  • Slice the beef: We want thin strips or beef that are cut against the grain. If you are using a flank steak or other long cut of beef, make one long vertical cut WITH the grain before you start slicing, so that the strips are not like 8 inches long. See photos.
    Slice the beef against the grain very thin, no more than 1/4 inch for each piece. Each piece should be about 4 inches long. Add the beef strips to the marinade, stir, and set a timer for 20 minutes.
  • Prepare the sauce: While the beef is marinating, prep the sauce in another small bowl. Whisk together 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 3 tablespoons oyster sauce, 1/3 cup Hoisin sauce, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 and 1/2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce, 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. (Use less salt if all you have is table salt.)
  • Rice: If you plan to serve this with rice, start making it now so it can simmer and steam while you sear the beef. Here's How to make Rice.
  • Stir fry the beef: Heat a cast iron skillet (or the largest heaviest skillet or wok you have) over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil oil and swirl it around to coat the bottom.
  • Lift the slices of marinated beef one at a time, letting the marinade drip off. Add the beef to the pan in a single layer, with 1-2 inches of space in between each strip of beef. (We will be cooking this in several batches) Be very careful not to drop the pieces, this oil is hot and you don't want to splatter yourself.
  • Let the strips cook for 60-90 seconds, until they are browning on the bottom. Use tongs to flip each piece individually. As soon as the second side is browned, remove the beef to a plate. The slices are thin, so they only need a minute or so on each side, and remember, this is steak, so it doesn't exactly need to be well done.
  • Continue to sear the rest of the beef. Add more vegetable and sesame oil as necessary in between batches. If you add too much beef at once, there will be too much liquid being released from the beef. This prevents the browning process. The beef needs space to allow that liquid to evaporate; the liquid evaporating is the only way the beef gets in contact with the oil, which is what does the browning. Science!
  • Stir fry the broccoli: Once all the beef is seared and removed, add 1 tablespoons vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon sesame oil to the skillet, still set over medium high heat. Add the chopped broccoli florets all at once. Stir with a wooden spoon until you see the florets change color to a darker green, about 2 minutes. We want crisp-tender broccoli, not mushy, so keep an eye on it and don't overdo it.
  • Add water to the broccoli, 1 tablespoon at a time once you notice that the bottom of the pan is drying out. The water will evaporate right away and this will help the broccoli to steam. I usually add several tablespoons of water, at least 3-5. Don't let the liquid pool. It should be hot enough that it evaporates immediately.
  • Finish the dish: As soon as the broccoli is cooked (and, let me say it again, NOT MUSHY) add the beef back to the skillet, followed by all sauce. Scrape it all in there. It will immediately begin to bubble. Give everything a quick stir so the beef and broccoli is coated with the sauce, then turn off the burner and remove the pan from the heat so the cooking process stops.
  • Serve hot with the rice. Garnish with sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve with a garnish of Asian Marinated Cucumbers, it's so good! You can also serve this with Sriracha mayo (1/2 cup mayo stirred with 1 tablespoon sriracha, or to taste.)
  • If you really want to go all out, crisp up some frozen egg rolls in the oven while you're cooking the beef and broccoli, buy some fortune cookies, and it's a whole takeout feast.
  • Storage: Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. Don't freeze!

Notes

*I tested this with flank steak, skirt steak, and ribeye and they were all amazing. Of course ribeye was the most amazing but if this is just a weeknight, no need to splurge! I also tested it with London Broil but I can't recommend it. It's just too lean. Sirloin might be the right choice for you if you prefer your beef on the leaner side. 
**If you use regular soy sauce, cut the salt from the recipe.
***If you can't find Shaoxing wine (it's tough to find if you're not at an international market) then you can use a dry sherry wine instead. Cooking sherry wine is also a good substitute!)
****Not a big fan of oyster sauce? Me neither. Just leave it out and add an extra tablespoon or two of hoisin sauce. Your beef and broccoli will still have great flavor. I included it in the recipe because it's just so classic and people who are already beef and broccoli fans-for-life would miss it too much if I left it out. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Potassium: 809mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 709IU | Vitamin C: 101mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 3mg