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Looking for a quick yet satisfying meal that beats takeout? This easy beef and broccoli stir fry delivers bold flavors in less than 30 minutes. Tender beef and crisp broccoli get tossed in a savory sauce for a dinner the whole family will love.
If you’re looking for other delicious quick and easy Asian-inspired recipes, be sure to try my Pork Fried Rice, Shrimp Chow Mein, or General Tso’s Chicken.
Why This Recipe Works
- Marinating the steak allows the meat to soak up tons of flavor.
- Searing the beef in batches ensures every piece gets a nice sear.
- Steaming the broccoli separately prevents overcooking.
- The stir fry sauce thickens up beautifully with a cornstarch slurry.
Beef and Broccoli Ingredients
For the marinade and beef:
- Flank steak
- Soy sauce
- Dry sherry
For the sauce:
- Beef broth
- Brown sugar
- Garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Sesame oil
- Oyster sauce
- Green onions
- Cornstarch
Plus broccoli florets, additional green onions for garnish, and cooking oil.
Stir Fry Success Tips
- Use a large skillet or wok for stir frying at high heat.
- Ensure the meat is extremely cold, or even partially frozen, in order to slice thinly.
- Slice the beef across the grain for tender pieces.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when searing the marinated beef strips.
- Steam the broccoli florets briefly so they stay crisp.
- Make a cornstarch slurry prior to heating the sauce ingredients to create a glossy, thickened, rich sauce.
The Cooking Process
Marinate steak: Let flank steak soak up soy and sherry marinade flavors for 30 minutes.
Make sauce: Whisk the stir fry sauce ingredients together.
Sear beef: Sear marinated beef in batches over high heat until browned.
Steam broccoli: Quickly steam broccoli florets until crisp-tender.
Thicken sauce: Add the sauce mixture to the hot skillet and after a few minutes it will thicken.
Combine: Toss seared beef, broccoli, and thickened sauce together.
Serve: Over steamed rice with green onions and sesame seeds.
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Let any leftovers cool completely before refrigerating.
- Store beef and broccoli stir fry in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- If making an extra large batch for meal planning, do not combine broccoli with meat and sauce. Rather, refrigerate meat and sauce separately to prevent broccoli from getting soggy.
- Reheat gently in a skillet, adding a splash of broth if needed. Can also be reheated in the microwave in one-minute increments at 50% power.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions and short answers about this beef and broccoli stir fry recipe:
Flank steak or skirt steak work great as they can be thinly sliced across the grain for tender pieces.
Fresh broccoli is best, but you can use frozen in a pinch. Cook just until heated through. It will not be as firm as fresh broccoli.
Hoisin sauce or soy sauce mixed with a little brown sugar and fish sauce makes a good substitute.
Use low sodium soy sauce and beef broth. Leave out added salt.
Yes, it reheats nicely. To keep broccoli firm, do not mix with the beef and sauce until you’re ready to eat it.
Serve it over white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice or rice noodles.
Yes, use the sauté function to sear the beef, then add the sauce ingredients and pressure cook everything together for a minute or two. Stir in the cooked broccoli when done.
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Ingredients
Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce divided
- 1 tablespoon sherry cooking wine divided
- 1 pound flank steak sliced thin against the grain (can also use London broil or top round steak)
Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sherry cooking wine or dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 8 green onions sliced thin
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
To cook Beef and Broccoli:
- 3 tablespoons peanut oil or similar oil with a high smoke point
- 1 pound fresh broccoli florets
Garnish:
- additional green onions and sesame seeds
Instructions
- Marinate: Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sherry cooking wine in a resealable storage bag. Add 1 pound flank steak and allow to marinate for 30min.
- Mix sauce: While the meat is marinating, combine the sauce ingredients which includes 3 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 tablespoon sherry cooking wine plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 8 green onions, 1/4 cup beef broth, and 1/4 cup oyster sauce. Set aside.
- Sear meat: In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons peanut oil over high heat. Drain off any marinade from the meat. Just before the oil starts to smoke, add the meat to the skillet in a single layer. Do this in batches, if needed, so that the pan is not overcrowded and each piece of meat is in direct contact with the bottom of the pan. Cook just a minute or two on each side so that it gets slightly browned. Transfer the browned meat to a large plate or bowl and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
- Steam broccoli: Reduce the heat to medium and add 1 pound fresh broccoli florets. Cover and allow to steam for a couple of minutes. You want the broccoli to be bright green and crisp-tender. Do not overcook as it will continue cooking later in the sauce. Transfer the broccoli to the plate with the meat but do not cover.
- Cook sauce: Add the sauce to the skillet. Allow it to cook and thicken for several minutes while scraping the bottom of the pan to release anything that might have stuck.
- Combine ingredients: Once the sauce begins to boil and thicken, add the meat, broccoli, and any juices that may have developed on the plate back to the skillet with the sauce. Toss to coat.
- Serve: Serve the broccoli beef with cooked short-grain rice and top with additional green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published in January 2018 and was updated with more photos and useful information to help you make the recipe. Enjoy!
This recipe is a weeknight winner! Quick, flavorful, and better than takeout. The whole family loved it.
wow, this dish was so flavorful, it was everything that I wanted it to be and more! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I am trying to cook more and order less takeout and my whole family loved it!
whoaaahhh! yum yum yum… A very nice idea as I struggle everyday thinking what to cook for my family. Thanks for sharing.
I could eat this weekly!! Easy, yummy, & everyone loves it!
This was so delicious, filling and healthy.
The marinade was fantastic! Such a delicious flavor for the beef.
Super delicious. We LOVE beef with broccoli. It’s one of our favorite dishes from the Chinese restaurant down the street. I love the little touches you have in this recipe like the sesame seeds on top and the fish sauce in the recipe. A lot of people think that fish sauce is kind of….fishy…but it adds such as awesome flavor dimension to so many Oriental dishes!