Chinese Beef and Broccoli. Tender juicy beef stir fried with broccoli in a delicious rich brown sauce with umami flavor! Great for dinner or lunch. Ready in 30 minutes!
What is Chinese Beef and Broccoli?
This easy Chinese beef and broccoli stir fry recipe is a staple in many Asian households. We also love making a pot of rice with it so we have lots to enjoy!
This is one of the most popular Chinese takeout dishes at most Chinese restaurants, like Panda Express, for good reason.
This traditional Chinese dish is usually served with steamed rice. Furthermore, it's a Chinese style broccoli stir-fry with tender beef with a savory sauce. This Chinese food is a great recipe made with simple ingredients that serves a wholesome meal proving to be a crowd pleaser. Surely, it's one of my favorite dishes.
Easy Recipe
This Chinese beef broccoli stir fry recipe is super fast and easy to make as everything is cooked in one wok or pan! In fact, once you make it the first time, you won’t even want to get takeout anymore! An easy dinner consisting of simple steps with a cooking time of just 30 minutes or less! That's the great thing about stir fries.
You'll also notice the prep work is longer than the cooking time, which is true. In most Chinese recipes, that is the case. Usually, the cooking time is less than 10 minutes in a hot wok!
Tender beef!
The beef is also so tender, pairing deliciously with the crunchy broccoli. The secret ingredient to making the tender strips of beef so juicy is the cornstarch and baking soda! Corn starch is a common meat tenderizing technique used in Chinese cooking. Baking soda is also used to velvet the beef, breaking down the protein bonds in each thin slice of meat. Thanks to these techniques, this will be the best Chinese beef and broccoli recipe you’ve ever tried!
Ingredients
The below ingredients are required in this authentic Chinese beef and broccoli recipe. Please scroll down to the below Recipe card for full measurements.
Note: Most Asian markets will carry these ingredients. You may find them at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.
- Flank steak, skirt steak or flat iron steak: Each cut of beef is based on your own preference. I typically prefer flank steak for broccoli beef dish. Cheaper cuts with a lot of fat running through the meat are not recommended. The fat will make the beef curled up and become overly chewy.
- Broccoli: Crisp broccoli florets that are bright green are important for this dish. You can buy them in crown form and remove the fresh broccoli florets from the crown by slicing them off and breaking them into smaller pieces. Look for healthy broccoli at your grocery store and avoid yellowish, limp broccoli.
- You may also sub with Chinese broccoli, snap peas, snow peas, bok choy, yu choy, or choy sum.
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil. Avoid olive oil or coconut oil as it carries a heavy scent and taste.
- Water
Stir Fry Sauce:
- Oyster sauce
- Cornstarch
- Chicken stock or beef stock, vegetable stock or water.
Beef Marinade:
- Sesame oil
- Regular soy sauce: not light soy sauce or dark soy sauce
- Shaoxing wine or Chinese rice wine: or Dry sherry wine. For a non alcoholic substitute, replace with any broth of your choice or omit completely.
- White granulated sugar or brown sugar
- Cornstarch
- Baking soda
- White pepper
How to Make Chinese Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Below are visuals to show you how to make the best beef and broccoli stir fry. Please scroll down to the recipe card below to find full instructions and details.
Slice beef against the grain of the meat. Tip: freeze your meat for 45-60 minutes (in a reusable bag) and slice when the meat is slightly frozen as this is your best bet to making those thin slices.
Marinate thinly sliced beef with Marinade ingredients (as listed above) for 10-15 minutes.
In a bowl, mix Stir-Fry Sauce ingredients (as listed above) until well combined and set aside.
In a hot wok or large skillet on medium heat, add neutral oil. Once oil is hot, fry beef in a single layer until 95% cooked. Remove beef from pan.
Into the pan, add ginger, garlic, and broccoli. Pour water into pan and mix with broccoli. Cook until broccoli becomes vibrant green, about 1 minute.
Once broccoli is vibrant green, pour in stir fry sauce and mix together. Let sauce thicken. If it's not thickening, raise to medium-high heat.
Once sauce is thick, add back in cooked beef and toss everything together. Remove off heat. Serve and enjoy.
Storage
This dish will keep up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, reheat on the stove top in a large sauté pan or microwave it until hot.
FAQ
Below are frequently asked questions about this dish:
Can I use any cut of beef for this dish?
Yes, but please keep in mind that depending on the cut, how lean or how fatty it is, yields different results. This recipe is aimed for cuts like flank steak, skirt steak or flat iron steak.
You may use sirloin steak but avoid cuts with a thick strips of fat running through it or it'll be very chewy after being stir fried in a hot wok. The heat will make the beef curl up and taste less tender. So I suggest, remove those strips of fat.
Is there a substitute for oyster sauce?
Yes, feel free to use vegetarian stir fry sauce. Both of these ingredients can be found at most Asian grocers or online, like on Amazon.
Why do you add sugar to your sauce?
This helps to balance out the saltiness from the soy sauce and oyster sauce. Sugar is a very common ingredient used in Chinese cooking for this reason.
How do I make enough sauce?
This easy one-pot meal is pretty saucy as is but if you want more sauce, next time double the quantity for the Stir Fry Sauce ingredients.
Is there a substitute for sesame oil? I'm allergic.
Unfortunately, not in this case I would recommend omitting completely.
Is there a gluten-free substitute for soy sauce?
Yes! Tamari sauce, coconut aminos or gluten free soy sauce are all great substitutes.
Other Stir-Fry recipes you may like!
If you enjoyed this beef and broccoli recipe, you may enjoy these other stir fry recipes:
- Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Chinese Tomato Egg Stir Fry
- Asian Tofu Vegetable Stir Fry
- Spicy Korean Chicken Stir Fry
- Chinese Hoisin Eggplant Stir Fry
📖 Recipe
Easy Chinese Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 250 grams flank steak or skirt steak or flat iron steak
- 1 crown broccoli cut into florets
- ½ inch ginger sliced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or any neutral tasting oil
- 2 tablespoon water
Stir Fry Sauce:
- 3 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or tapioca starch/potato starch
- ½ cup chicken stock unsalted or beef stock or water
Beef Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine or sub with Dry Sherry Wine. For non alcohol, omit completely or sub with your choice of broth
- 1 teaspoon white granulated sugar or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch or tapioca starch/potato starch
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- â…› teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
Instructions
- Thinly slice beef against the grain. Tip: if beef is thawed, freeze beef in a reusable bag for 45-60 minutes and when it's slightly frozen, you will be able to cut it very thinly.
- Marinate thinly sliced beef with Marinade ingredients (as listed above) for 10-15 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix Stir Fry Sauce ingredients (as listed above) until well combined and set aside.
- In a wok or pan on medium heat, add oil. Once oil is hot, fry beef until 95% cooked. Remove beef from pan.
- Into the pan, add ginger, garlic, and broccoli. Pour water into pan and mix with broccoli. Cook until broccoli becomes vibrant green, about 1 minute.
- Once broccoli is vibrant green, pour in stir fry sauce and mix together. Let sauce thicken.
- Once sauce is thick, add back in cooked beef and toss everything together. Remove off heat. Serve and enjoy!
Suggested Equipment & Products
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Michelle | Sift & Simmer
Definitely a classic Chinese dish! If only my kids liked beef... but at least they love broccoli! 🙂
Josiah - DIY Thrill
Love how you added ginger, looks delicious!
Linda
This was so delicious and really easy to make. I had it with noodles and it was good!
Leanne
We love beef and broccoli! It's one of my hubby's faves. Can't wait to give this one a try Christie!
Lauren
This sounds so delicious! Recipe saved!
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
Broccoli and beef is already one of my very favorite dinners, but your homemade marinade and stir fry sauce turn this recipe into a superstar!
Never Ending Journeys
This beef and broccoli is the perfect combination of healthy and delicious! Such a tasty dinner idea.
Katherine | Love In My Oven
Who doesn't love beef and broccoli!? Looks delicious!! I want to dig in!
Kim Lange
This is such a great dish that everyone loves! I love dishes that have a lot of broccoli and this looks so succulent!
Nabilla
Turned out exactly as in the video and reminds me of the dish we would always order at Chinese restaurants. Thanks for sharing! This will be a mainstay in my recipe rotation!
christieathome
Thank you so much for this kind review and for making my recipe, Nabilla! I'm really happy to read this and glad you all enjoyed it.
Christine
Flavour is spot on! This is a winner. Thank you.
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Christine! So happy that you enjoyed it! 🙂
Jac
Delicious and had plenty of sauce
christieathome
Thanks so much for the kind review and glad you enjoyed it!
Clarivette
The best beef and broccoli I’ve ever had! Easy and delicious!!
christieathome
Thank you so much Clarivette! I truly appreciate your kind comment and glad it was easy and delicious! 🙂
Brendan
Beautiful dish, just a shame that the beef I chose was tough as old boots. Will try it again but will use rump steak.
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my dish and I hope it works out better for your next time!
Renae Alexander
Simple and oh soooo delicious
christieathome
Thanks so much for making it! Glad you enjoyed it!
Jeremy Pease
Wonderful recipe which is on point and easy to follow. Came out great! This is my go to for recipes!
christieathome
Thanks for making my recipe, Jeremy 🙂 Such kind words and I'm really happy it's now your go to for this dish.
James
This is simply the BEST!! A few things I’ve done to adapt the recipe: add a teaspoon of chili flakes for a little bite and overdose on the garlic. Plus, nothing like a little MSG (so misunderstood) in the marinade. This recipe is a regular go-to. Thank you!!
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe, James! I am so happy that you enjoyed it with those wonderful additions. Have a lovely day!
Roxy
I made this recipe last night I have I have to say it was one of the best cooking I've done... I had to substitute a few things... It was very differcult to find a flat iron/skirt steak in the UK so I used a minute steak meat from M and S. Instead of the Oyster sauce, I used Hoison sauce which gave it a sweet favor and I didn't have a regular soy and and used dark.... personally I like things a little more salty however this wasn't a salty dish... only downfall was my rice... any recipes to cook rice? I need help haha...overall I couldn't get over how delicious and so easy this was to prep and cook!!! Definitely be making that again soon!!! Thank you for your insight!!! Xx
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Roxy! I am so happy you enjoyed my recipe with the substitutes. I will consider your suggestion on a recipe on how to cook rice in a pot (I usually use a rice cooker for the best steamed rice).
Jimmy
Quick and easy really good.
christieathome
Thanks for making my recipe, Jimmy! Glad you enjoyed it!
Diane
Yummy and easy to make !
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe and for leaving a kind review, Diane!
Shari
This was so flavorful and I added carrots green peppers and onions to it. Thank you for the recipe
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe and for the kind review, Shari! I'm so happy that you enjoyed it 🙂
Jenn
Delicious! Subbed Brussel sprouts and carrots for broccoli that I didn’t have on hand. Definitely one of the best Chinese dishes I’ve made, the sauce is right on point to flavors I’ve been looking to accomplish in a home cooked recipe. The prep is worth the end result. Thank you!
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe, Jenn! So happy you enjoyed my dish with brussel sprouts and carrots! Happy it was one of the best Chinese dishes you've made 🙂 Have a lovely day!
Leia
Amazing recipe!
Family devoured the whole thing. I made 4x as I had a large top sirloin. I used olive oil as I didn’t have sesame. I used white whine instead of sherry as I didn’t have anything else. And subbed hoisin when I found my oyster sauce was gone. It was so good but I’ll make again with what it calls for. No need to go buy Chinese food at the restaurant anymore!
Thank you!!
christieathome
So happy to read that it worked out well with the substitutions! Thanks so much for making my recipe Leia!
Shirl
I just made this for dinner last night and it was outstanding. (I tripled the recipe) it was all gone! I did not have oyster sauce so I used hoisin sauce instead. I just used red wine as that is all I had. This one is going in my recipe box as a keeper! Thank you for sharing.
christieathome
Thank you so much for making my recipe, Shirl! So glad you enjoyed it with the substitutions too!
Helene Chan
this was a great and simple recipe to follow. i only had sake in my fridge, so used that as a sub to the Shaoxing wine . the flavors were perfect with a bowl of rice 🙂
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe and for leaving a kind review, Helene! So happy you enjoyed it 🙂