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    Home » Recipes » Mains

    Chinese Beef and Broccoli

    Last Modified: March 9, 2023 - Published by: christieathome

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    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!

    Chinese Beef and Broccoli

    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.

    Chinese beef and broccoli

    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.

    Chinese Beef and Broccoli

    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.  

    chinese beef and broccoli
    • 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.

    chinese beef and broccoli

    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
    chinese beef and broccoli

    Easy Chinese Beef and Broccoli

    christieathome
    Chinese Beef and Broccoli. Tender beef stir fried with broccoli in a delicious flavourful sauce. A popular Asian classic. Great for dinner or lunch.
    5 from 18 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course dinner, lunch
    Cuisine asian, Chinese
    Servings 2
    Calories per serving 479 kcal

    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 (not light or dark 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
    • ⅛ 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!
    Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!
    Copyright PolicyChristie at Home owns all copyright to her blog content, photos and videos. Usage of any of these copyrighted materials on your website or social media channels is strictly prohibited. If you adapt my recipes, please provide a backlink to my website and re-write in your own words.

    Suggested Equipment & Products

    Non-stick wok
    Silicone Spatula 3-Piece Set
    Tongs
    Mixing bowl
    Measuring Set
    Santoku Knife
    Cutting Board
    Nutrition
    Calories: 479kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 1631mg | Potassium: 1504mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1896IU | Vitamin C: 272mg | Calcium: 188mg | Iron: 5mg
    Course dinner, lunch
    Cuisine asian, Chinese
    Keyword authentic chinese beef and broccoli recipe, beef and broccoli recipe black bean sauce, best beef and broccoli stir fry, best chinese beef and broccoli recipe, chinese beef and broccoli brown sauce recipe, chinese beef and broccoli dish, chinese beef and broccoli stir fry, chinese beef and broccoli stir fry recipe, chinese beef broccoli recipe, chinese beef broccoli stir fry recipe, chinese style beef and broccoli, easy chinese beef and broccoli stir fry, how to make chinese beef and broccoli stir fry, simple beef and broccoli stir fry

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    Reader Interactions

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Michelle | Sift & Simmer

      September 24, 2020 at 5:08 pm

      5 stars
      Definitely a classic Chinese dish! If only my kids liked beef... but at least they love broccoli! 🙂

      Reply
    2. Josiah - DIY Thrill

      September 24, 2020 at 5:30 pm

      5 stars
      Love how you added ginger, looks delicious!

      Reply
    3. Linda

      September 25, 2020 at 2:08 pm

      5 stars
      This was so delicious and really easy to make. I had it with noodles and it was good!

      Reply
    4. Leanne

      September 25, 2020 at 8:05 pm

      5 stars
      We love beef and broccoli! It's one of my hubby's faves. Can't wait to give this one a try Christie!

      Reply
    5. Lauren

      September 27, 2020 at 10:12 am

      5 stars
      This sounds so delicious! Recipe saved!

      Reply
    6. Heidi | The Frugal Girls

      September 28, 2020 at 4:12 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
    7. Never Ending Journeys

      September 28, 2020 at 8:32 pm

      5 stars
      This beef and broccoli is the perfect combination of healthy and delicious! Such a tasty dinner idea.

      Reply
    8. Katherine | Love In My Oven

      September 28, 2020 at 11:00 pm

      5 stars
      Who doesn't love beef and broccoli!? Looks delicious!! I want to dig in!

      Reply
    9. Kim Lange

      September 30, 2020 at 9:52 am

      5 stars
      This is such a great dish that everyone loves! I love dishes that have a lot of broccoli and this looks so succulent!

      Reply
    10. Nabilla

      July 20, 2022 at 1:44 am

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        July 20, 2022 at 5:26 pm

        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.

        Reply
    11. Christine

      March 16, 2023 at 9:01 am

      5 stars
      Flavour is spot on! This is a winner. Thank you.

      Reply
      • christieathome

        March 16, 2023 at 7:57 pm

        Thanks so much for making my recipe, Christine! So happy that you enjoyed it! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Jac

      March 22, 2023 at 7:08 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious and had plenty of sauce

      Reply
      • christieathome

        March 22, 2023 at 7:37 pm

        Thanks so much for the kind review and glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    13. Clarivette

      March 30, 2023 at 8:37 pm

      5 stars
      The best beef and broccoli I’ve ever had! Easy and delicious!!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        March 30, 2023 at 8:39 pm

        Thank you so much Clarivette! I truly appreciate your kind comment and glad it was easy and delicious! 🙂

        Reply
    14. Brendan

      April 02, 2023 at 9:05 am

      5 stars
      Beautiful dish, just a shame that the beef I chose was tough as old boots. Will try it again but will use rump steak.

      Reply
      • christieathome

        April 03, 2023 at 6:46 pm

        Thanks so much for making my dish and I hope it works out better for your next time!

        Reply
    15. Renae Alexander

      April 08, 2023 at 6:19 pm

      5 stars
      Simple and oh soooo delicious

      Reply
      • christieathome

        April 10, 2023 at 4:00 pm

        Thanks so much for making it! Glad you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    16. Jeremy Pease

      May 09, 2023 at 1:06 am

      5 stars
      Wonderful recipe which is on point and easy to follow. Came out great! This is my go to for recipes!

      Reply
      • christieathome

        May 09, 2023 at 6:10 pm

        Thanks for making my recipe, Jeremy 🙂 Such kind words and I'm really happy it's now your go to for this dish.

        Reply

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    Christie

    Christie is an Asian Recipe Blogger sharing delicious recipes that you can make at home! Her goal is to make Asian cooking approachable and less intimidating. With a social media following of over 800k, she has been featured on Buzz Feed Tasty, Food52, The Kitchn and more! Christie's recipes have been made over and over again by her loyal readers.

    More about me →

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