Tender juicy beef stir fried with crisp broccoli in a delicious brown sauce! This quick and easy beef and broccoli recipe is great as a main dish with white rice. A healthy meal to work into your weekly rotation!
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This easy beef and broccoli features tender beef, crisp broccoli in a savory brown sauce. Chinese restaurants will serve this popular American-Chinese food and it's a favorite for many! Interesting fact: this dish doesn't originate from China because the key ingredient (Western broccoli) is not commonly found.
Despite this fact, many Asian households love this dish because it's easily made in one pan and has veggies and protein all in one! I love it because it's also made with simple ingredients but it's packed with flavor!
I've made numerous stir fry dishes on the blog and this is the one I enjoy the most because of that ultra tender beef and that luscious sauce!
If you're crunched for time, this is a great weeknight dinner for the whole family to enjoy and you can even marinate the beef the night before.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Please scroll down to the below Recipe card for full measurements.
- Flank Steak: Or substitute with sirloin tip steak, tri-tip steak, hanger steak, top round steak.
- Broccoli crown: separate into florets. Or feel free to substitute with chopped Chinese broccoli (gai lan), 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: or sub with vegetarian stir fry sauce
- Cornstarch
- Chicken stock or beef stock, vegetable stock or water.
Beef Marinade
- Sesame oil: substitute with a neutral oil.
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce of your choice.
- Shaoxing wine: this is a Chinese rice wine. If you can't find this, substitute with 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: do not skip this! This velvets the beef making it super tender.
- White pepper
Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients or check Amazon.
Expert Tips
- To easily thinly slice beef, freeze the flank steak or beef for 45-60 minutes fully exposed to the cold freezer air and then cut on a bias with a sharp knife.
- Allow the beef to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
- Don't skip the baking soda! This velvets and tenderizes the beef by raising the acidity on the surface of the beef preventing protein bonding.
- Prepare your ingredients in advance as the cooking process is fast!
- Don't overcook the broccoli. Once it turns vibrant green, follow through with the next step.
- Fry beef until 95% cooked as it'll be tossed back into the pan later.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make beef and broccoli:
Slice and marinate beef
Slice beef on a bias. Tip: freeze your meat for 45-60 minutes exposed to the cold air and slice on a bias with a sharp knife for thin slices.
Marinate thinly sliced beef with Marinade ingredients (as listed above) for 15 minutes.
Make sauce and fry beef
In a bowl, mix Stir-Fry Sauce ingredients as listed until well combined and set aside.
In a hot wok or large pan on medium heat, add neutral oil. Once oil is hot, fry beef in a single layer until 95% cooked. Remove beef from pan.
Add remaining ingredients
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
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat, microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
- Freezer-friendly? This can be stored in a freezer friendly bag and frozen up to 2 months or until you see freezer burn. To reheat, defrost it and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan.
Pairing Ideas
This beef and broccoli serves well with white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, fried rice, noodles like chow mein, lo mein, plain noodles, or more cooked vegetables like bok choy, spicy garlic bok choy, choy sum, gai lan, garlic green beans, zucchini, mushrooms, steamed broccoli, cauliflower, or bell peppers.
FAQ
Yes, feel free to swap it out for shrimp, chicken or tofu. I actually share recipes for Shrimp and Broccoli Stir Fry and Chicken and Broccoli.
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📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Chinese Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
- ½ lb 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 vegetable oil or any neutral tasting oil
- 2 tablespoon water cold
Stir Fry Sauce:
- 3 tablespoon oyster sauce or vegetarian stir fry sauce
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or potato starch
- ½ cup chicken stock low sodium or sub with beef stock or vegetable stock
Beef Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil or sub with neutral oil if you're allergic
- 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 potato starch
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda do not skip this!
- ⅛ teaspoon white pepper or black pepper
Instructions
- Thinly slice beef on a bias into ¼-inch thick strips. Tip: if beef is thawed, freeze beef on a plate fully exposed for 45-60 minutes and when it's slightly frozen on the exterior, you will be able to cut it very thinly with a sharp knife.
- Marinate thinly sliced beef with Marinade ingredients (as listed above) for 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!
Jordan Silvera
Wow this came out so good!!
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe! So glad you enjoyed it Jordan!
Minuzzo
Came across your web site while looking for a beef and broccoli recipe. Gave it a try and the family loved it. Children added this dish to the “make again” list. Thank you.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for the positive review! Glad you and your family loved it and that it's going into the books!
Alice Mckenzie
Definitely a keeper for me. Absolutely delish and I am making it for the second time. Will use this recipe always.
Christie Lai
Thanks so much Alice for the kind and positive review! Happy you enjoyed it!
kirsten andrews
it’s literally the best chinese beef and broccoli recipe ever. i’m gonna use this one for the rest of my life. thanks for creating an amazing and delicious meal!
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for the raving review, Kirsten! I am so thrilled that you love it so much and that it's a recipe for the books!! Have a lovely day 🙂
Shirl
Outstanding! I served to a large group and everyone loved it. I didn’t change a thing but did add a few onions, mushrooms and a bit of green pepper. This really is the best beef and broccoli I have ever had… yum! Thank you for sharing your recipe. I look forward to trying some of your others.
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 🙂
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!
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!
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!
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 🙂
Diane
Yummy and easy to make !
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe and for leaving a kind review, Diane!
Jimmy
Quick and easy really good.
christieathome
Thanks for making my recipe, Jimmy! Glad you enjoyed it!
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).
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!