Beef and Broccoli {So easy and flavorful!}

Name: Beef and Broccoli
Prep time: 18 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup Oyster sauce; ¼ cup Hoisin sauce ((see below for alternative)); ½ cup beef broth; 1 Tbsp soy sauce; 2 tsp brown sugar; 2 tsp rice vinegar; ¼ tsp salt (or to taste); ½ tsp pepper (freshly ground); 1 pound flank steak (thinly sliced); 2 Tbsp peanut oil (divided); 3 cups broccoli florets (bite-sized); 1 clove garlic (minced); 2 tsp minced fresh ginger; 1 ½ Tbsp cornstarch (dissolved in 3 Tbsp of cold water)

This is the best simple stir fry you can ever make! This easy Beef and Broccoli recipe is loaded with flavor and has the best silky sauce you’ll ever find. It’s better than take-out and ready in less than 30 min.

We love easy dinner recipes like our General Tso’s Chicken and Honey Garlic Shrimp so this recipe is a winner because it is just as easy!

Beef and broccoli stir fry in a white pan

Beef and Broccoli is one of the most popular take-out dishes and is so easy and fast to make at home! My family loves stir fry dishes so this recipe is a winner because it makes the best silky, flavorful sauce, tender meat, and perfectly cooked broccoli.

Why This Recipe Works

Most recipes don’t produce enough sauce for my family’s taste so this recipe makes a good amount that makes for a great beef-to-sauce ratio! If you love Asian dishes you have to give this Better than Takeout Recipe a try.

My secret to making this Beef and Broccoli recipe is to slice the meat thinly against the grain and cook it hot and fast. This really helps to get tender meat without having to marinate it before cooking which I always find a pain during the week.

Ingredient Notes

Here is an overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe.

Sauce

Oyster sauce – This sauce gives this stir fry its authentic flavor!
Hoisin sauce – If you don’t have this sauce on hand you can use more Oyster Sauce
Beef broth – I like to use Better than Bouillon but any beef broth will work!
Soy sauce – Opt for low sodium to control the sodium level in your cooking
Rice vinegar – To balance the flavor of the sauce! It has a delicate and sweet taste so a good substitute would be apple cider vinegar.

Stir Fry

Peanut oil – Substitute with any vegetable oil with a high smoke point e.g., avocado oil.
Broccoli florets – Instead of fresh broccoli you can also use frozen broccoli and cook it in the microwave according to package instruction (skip step 2).
Flank steak – This lean cut works best and is affordable.
Cornstarch – This is going to thicken our sauce!

How to make this Recipe

Collage of steps for beef and broccoli stir fry

Make the sauce

Combine ingredients: In a small bowl combine all the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.

Stir Fry

Prep the beef: Season the beef with salt and pepper.
Cook the broccoli: Heat oil in a large enough pan, add broccoli florets and 1/4 cup water to the pan. Cover and let simmer, for 3-4 minutes, until water has evaporated and the broccoli is almost tender and bright green. Remove broccoli from pan and set aside.
Cook the beef: Add oil to the pan and spread out steak pieces in it. Fry for 2 minutes then flip and fry for another minute. Add minced ginger and garlic, cook 30 seconds more.
Add sauce: Pour in the sauce and toss to coat, bring to a simmer, and cook for 2 minutes.
Thicken and finish: Remove from heat, stir in the cornstarch slurry, put back on the heat, and bring to a simmer. Add the broccoli back in and stir until sauce has thickened.
Serve: Serve over rice, sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Close up of Beef and Broccoli sprinkled with sesame

Expert Tips

Use low sodium broth and low sodium soy sauce if you are sensitive to salt
The brown sugar can be replaced with honey
If you have the time you can freeze the flank steak for about 30 minutes to make it easier to slice
Slice the flank steak thinly against the grain
Use an oil with a high smoke point like avocado or peanut oil, don’t use olive oil
Make sure the pan is hot before you add the beef
Use a large pan so you can spread out the beef in a single layer
If you don’t have hoisin sauce increase the oyster sauce to 1/3 cup and add 2 Tbsp of sugar instead of what the recipe calls for
Adding the corn starch separate from the sauce lets YOU decide how thick you want the sauce
You can also use chicken breasts instead of beef

Recipe FAQs

What is the Best Cut of beef for Stir Fry?

I prefer to not use pre-cut beef (e.g., stir fry beef) for this recipe because buying a piece of meat is less expensive and you can cut it as thin as you need it. A lean cut works best for Beef and Broccoli.
Flank Steak: This lean cut works best and is affordable. The marbling of the meat makes it super flavorful but it tends to be tougher than other cuts of beef so slicing against the grain and using high heat to sear it are important.
Top Sirloin: This is also a lean cut that is a bit more tender but generally more expensive.

How to Ensure Tender Beef?

Freeze the steak for 30 minutes to make slicing easier. Then use a sharp knife and slice the meat thinly against the grain.
It is also important to make sure the pan is hot before you add the beef to seal in the juices and to use a large pan so you can spread out the beef in a single layer.

How to serve this Stir Fry?

I like to serve this stir fry over rice, Basmati or Jasmin rice are great choices. You could also use cauliflower rice for a low carb version. Another delicious option would be to serve it over noodles, for example, rice noodles, egg noodles, or ramen noodles.

Leftovers

Leftover beef and broccoli will keep for about 3 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container.

Reheating

You can reheat leftovers in the microwave or covered in a pan over medium heat.

Freezing

If you want to keep leftovers longer, you can put them into an airtight container and freeze them for 3-4 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat.

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Beef and Broccoli

Why This Recipe Works