This Beef with Broccoli recipe has been in my regular rotation since my oldest was a baby. It’s quick and easy (a true 30-minute meal)…but it tastes every bit as good as something from a takeout container. This Beef with Broccoli delivery juicy, thin-sliced steak and crisp-tender broccoli all coated in a savory, glossy sauce that hits big flavor notes in every bite. Tender meat, aromatic garlic and ginger, and a balanced mix of soy and brown sugar make the sauce rich without it being over-the-top.
Ingredients Needed
- cornstarch
- water
- garlic powder
- flank steak or London broil – flank steak is my first choice, but I’ve used London Broil when I couldn’t find it. You’ll want it thinly sliced. Partially freezing it first will help you cut it into nice, thin slices.
- black pepper
- extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
- broccoli florets – broken into bite-sized pieces
- onion – just a small one is all you need
- garlic
- ginger – fresh
- carrots – optional
- soy sauce
- brown sugar
- Sriracha
- ground ginger
How to Make Beef with Broccoli
This is a simple overview of the recipe, you’ll find a full printable recipe below!
- Whisk together a cornstarch mixture and toss the sliced beef with it to lightly coat.
- Sauté the beef in a hot skillet until cooked through; remove and set aside.
- Add more oil to the pan and stir-fry the vegetables with garlic and ginger until tender-crisp.
- Return the beef to the skillet to warm through.
- Stir together the sauce ingredients, add to the pan, and cook briefly until thickened.
- Serve hot over rice.
Storage & Other Tips
- Refrigerate: let the dish cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container. It will store well for 3 – 4 days.
- Freeze: for longer storage, freeze in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag. It stores well for 2 – 3 months when frozen. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Keep rice separate: if you’re planning to store leftovers with rice, keep the rice separate if possible. Rice can get mushy if stored with sauce.
- Reheating: I find this reheats best on the stovetop, with a splash of water or beef broth to loosen up the sauce. Microwave works well too, just be sure to reheat in short bursts and stirring in between to warm it up evenly.
- Make ahead: This meal comes together quickly, but if you know you’re going to be really short on time, you can slice the beef and vegetables ahead of time, and store them separately in the fridge. You can mix the sauce ingredients in a jar, so it’s ready to pour and go.
- Always against the grain: when you’re cutting the beef, it’s really important that you cut it against the grain. Other wise you’ll end up with a stringy and tough mess!
- Don’t overcook the broccoli: it should be a pretty, bright green and tender-crisp, not mushy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! London broil, flank steak, sirloin, or skirt steak all work well. Look for thinly sliced, tender cuts and try to cut against the grain for best texture.
You can use another hot sauce, chili garlic sauce, or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Personally, I would not. Fresh will stay firmer and have better texture. If you absolutely have to use frozen, thaw, drain, and dry well with paper towel before stir-frying to avoid watering down the sauce.
To thin it down, add a splash of beef broth or water. If you need to thicken it up, let it simmer a bit longer or mix a tiny bit more cornstarch with cold water, and add it sparingly. It will thicken up quick, so just use a tiny bit at a time until you get the consistency you want.
Not fully, but the bulk of the time for this is chopped the beef and vegetables. You can slice them ahead of time and store them in the refrigerator. You can also mix the sauce ahead of time, and store it in a jar in the fridge.
Beef with Broccoli
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 lb. flank steak or London broil cut into thin slices (partially freezing helps make thinly slicing the meat easier)
- black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
- 12 ounces broccoli florets about 4 cups, broken into bite-sized pieces
- 1 small onion halved and sliced
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger fresh, minced
- 2 carrots peeled and thinly sliced (optional)
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, 2 tablespoons of water, and the garlic powder.
- Sprinkle the sliced beef with freshly ground pepper. Add the sliced beef to the cornstarch mixture and toss to coat thoroughly.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the beef and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through.
- Transfer the meat to a separate dish and add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. When hot, add the onions, ginger, garlic, and broccoli (and carrots, if using). Stir-fry until the broccoli is tender-crisp, about 4-5 minutes. Return the beef to the pan and cook until heated through.
- While the beef is re-heating, whisk together the remaining 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, soy sauce, brown sugar, Sriracha, and ground ginger. Add the sauce to the beef mixture and cook for about 1 minute or until the sauce is thickened. Serve immediately over hot rice.
Questions & Reviews
I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious! Thank you for a great recipe!
Soy sauce isn’t generally gluten free, just FYI for those cooking for someone with Celiac or that really needs this to be gotten free. You can get gotten free soy sauce though.
Yes–be sure and check the label. 🙂
Sorry, *gluten free.
I was thinking the same thing. Soy sauce usually has wheat in it so it’s not gluten free. Tamari is what I have on hand for my GF granddaughter.
The Walmart soy sauce is also gluten free. ??
The Walmart soy sauce is also gluten free. ??
The Walmart soy sauce is also gluten free. ??
I grew some broccoli in my garden so I googled “our best bites broccoli” (I have learned to turn to you guys first for new recipes). I ended up subbing a zucchini and a handful of peas for half the broccoli. This dish is perfect for using whatever comes out of the garden that day! My husband declared it company worthy. And I am thrilled to have another use for zucchini. Thank you 🙂
Not to be one of *those* people, but I made this tonight with some leftover pork loin that needed to go, and it was so good and easy! My 4 yo asked for, and then ATE seconds and requested that I make it “every night”. Definitely going in the rotation.
I just made this for dinner and it’s awesome. Thanks for helping me feel like a rock star!
This was soooooo yummy! And for the record, I don’t like Sriracha and you definitely can’t taste it – just makes the sauce super yummy!
Great recipe. I am confused about the cornstarch. I assume you add 2 Tablespoons in the beginning and 1 at the end???