Beef and Broccoli Recipe is easy and mouthwatering! This sizzling, restaurant-style broccoli beef stir fry features a luscious, savory-sweet sauce.
“This was easy and very delicious. Husband went for extra sauce!”
One of my family’s favorite restaurants is P.F. Chang’s, not just because the food is great, but because they handle dietary restrictions so well.
That said, the prices and nutritionals? Ouch!
So, I decided to whip up my own restaurant-style Beef and Broccoli recipe featuring sizzling beef and steamed broccoli in the most luscious, savory-sweet sauce. This broccoli beef recipe is a serious upgrade.
Watch How to Make It
Beef and Broccoli Recipe
We love supporting local restaurants whenever possible, but when you’re eating with a food allergy or Celiac Disease, a chain restaurant with food allergen protocols can bring peace of mind. For example, anytime you order a gluten free item at PF Chang’s, it’s brought out on a special plate so you, the kitchen, and server all know that the request has been communicated and received.
But again, the price – ouch! We recently went for lunch and my beef and broccoli was $19. In this economy?
My version costs a fraction per serving, feeds a crowd, and tastes just as good. The sauce is the perfect balance of savory, tangy, and sweet, with a fresh garlic and ginger punch, and is much healthier than takeout.
I can’t wait for you to try this one!
Main Ingredients Needed
Grab a flank steak and a bag of broccoli, as the rest are pantry staples. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Flank steak: is the best cut of beef for broccoli beef. Skirt steak or hanger steaks are great swaps.
- Broccoli: a bag of broccoli florets is a convenient and simple way to add veggies to the dish.
- Low-sodium Tamari: gives the sauce a savory, umami flavor. Feel free to use low-sodium soy sauce if you don’t need to eat gluten free.
- Brown sugar: brings balance to the savory sauce.
- Rice vinegar: adds a welcome tang to the sauce.
- Aromatics: both ginger paste and fresh garlic lend mouthwatering flavor to the sauce. I like Gourmet Garden ginger paste, though freshly grated ginger works too.
- Sesame oil: adds toasted sesame flavor.
- Cornstarch: coats the beef strips so they crisp up in the pan, and thickens the stir fry sauce.
5 Tips for the Best Beef and Broccoli
This recipe is simple and quick-cooking, though keep these tips in mind when preparing it for dinner:
- Prep ahead: Since this stir fry cooks so quickly, it’s important to have all the ingredients prepped and ready to go before turning on the heat.
- Thinly slice: Slice the flank steak as thinly as possible against the grain to ensure it stir fries quickly and becomes melt-in-your-mouth-tender.
- Do not disturb: Let the beef strips sit and sear undisturbed in the hot pan until the bottoms are browned. Don’t move them until they’re ~80% cooked through. Color = flavor!
- Don’t overcrowd: Sear the steak in batches to avoid bringing down the heat of the pan and steaming the steak, vs searing.
- Serve separately: One of my pet peeves is when broccoli becomes soggy in stir fry sauce. I recommend steaming it separately then adding to each person’s bowl just before serving.
Ok, who’s ready for a taste of this luscious and sizzling stir fry?!
How to Make Beef and Broccoli
Step 1: Slice the flank steak.
Start by slicing a flank steak in half lengthwise if it’s very wide, then thinly slice the steak against the grain at a slight angle. I like to slice as thinly as possible — almost shaved, if you can achieve it.
If you can’t find flank steak, skirt steak or hanger steak are great swaps.
Recipe Tip
Flank steak is a wide, flat cut of beef that has lots of flavor and an obvious grain running vertically down the steak. Slice against the grain for tender meat. Slicing with the grain will result in chewy steak.
Step 2: Marinate the flank steak.
Add the thinly sliced steak to a gallon-size Ziplock bag then add gluten-free reduced-sodium Tamari (or reduced-sodium soy sauce if you don’t need to eat gluten free), cornstarch, salt, and pepper. Seal the bag then squish to evenly coat in the marinade and store in the refrigerator for up to an hour prior to cooking.
Step 3: Make the stir fry sauce.
In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together water and cornstarch. Add more water plus reduced-sodium Tamari (or again, soy sauce if you don’t need to eat gluten free), brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger paste, fresh garlic, and sesame oil then whisk to combine and set aside.
Craving some spice? Add a pinch or more of red pepper flakes!
Step 4: Steam the broccoli.
Time to turn on the heat! Add broccoli florets to a steamer basket placed over a couple inches of boiling water then steam until crisp-tender, 5-7 minutes, and set aside.
Step 5: Stir fry the beef.
Meanwhile, heat canola or vegetable oil in a large wok or 12″ pan over high heat. Add 1/3 of the marinated beef in a single layer then let it sear until the bottoms are crispy and brown. Use tongs to stir fry the beef until it’s just barely cooked through.
Transfer the crispy beef to a plate then repeat the searing and stir frying process with the remaining beef in two batches.
Step 6: Simmer the stir fry sauce.
Turn the heat down to medium then pour the stir fry sauce into the skillet and let it simmer and thicken for 1 minute.
Add all the crispy beef back into the pan then stir to combine and simmer for another minute or two, or until the beef is warmed through and the sauce is thick and bubbly.
Step 7: Combine and serve.
Scoop the beef and sauce over bowls of cooked white or brown rice then top with steamed broccoli and serve. I prefer not to add the broccoli to the wok so it stays bright green and perfectly cooked, though feel free to do that if you like.
However you serve it, I hope you love every drop of this restaurant-inspired Beef and Broccoli recipe – enjoy!
More Take-Out Fake-Out Recipes
- Chicken Shawarma Bowls
- Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Sesame Peanut Sauce Noodles
- Chicken Pad Thai
- Vietnamese-Style Caramelized Pork Bowls
- Spicy Shrimp Soup
- Easy Chicken Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons vegetable or canola oil, divided
- 12 oz broccoli florets
- cooked rice, for serving
For the beef:
- 1-1/2 – 1-3/4 lbs flank steak, sliced very thin against the grain
- 2 Tablespoons gluten free reduced-sodium Tamari, or soy sauce if not GF
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- salt and pepper, to taste
For the sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup gluten free reduced-sodium Tamari, or soy sauce if not GF
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon ginger paste, Gourmet Garden recommended
- 3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Directions
- Prep the beef: add the thinly sliced flank steak to a gallon-size Ziplock bag then drizzle with the gluten free Tamari, sprinkle on the cornstarch, and season with salt and pepper. Seal the bag then squish to evenly coat the steak. Press out all the air then re-seal the bag and refrigerate for up to an hour while you prepare the rest of the dish.
- Prep the sauce: add the cornstarch and half the water to a small mixing bowl or glass measuring cup then whisk to combine. Add remaining ingredients then whisk to combine and set aside.
- Place a steamer basket inside a medium-size cooking pot over a couple inches of water. Bring the water to a boil over high heat then add the broccoli florets to the basket, place a lid on top, turn the heat down to low, and steam until the broccoli is tender, 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large wok or 12” skillet over high heat. Once hot, tilt the pan so the oil evenly coats the bottom then add 1/3 of the beef into an even layer in the bottom — avoid overcrowding the pan. Let the beef sit undisturbed until seared to a deep golden brown on the bottom (~80% of the way cooked through) then toss with tongs and stir fry until the beef is just barely cooked through. Remove to a plate then set aside.
- Heat another teaspoon oil in the pan then add another 1/3 of the beef into an even layer in the bottom. Repeat the searing + stir frying steps then remove the beef to the plate and set aside.
- Heat remaining teaspoon oil in the pan then sear + stir fry the remaining beef. If needed, split the beef in half to avoid overcrowding the pan on the last batch. Remove the beef to the plate then set aside.
- Remove the pan from the heat for a minute to cool slightly then turn the heat down to medium and place the pan back over the heat.
- Give the sauce another whisk to ensure the cornstarch has not settled into the bottom of the bowl then add to the pan. Stir with a spatula until the sauce has slightly thickened, about 1 minute, then add the seared beef and stir to combine. Continue to cook until the sauce has thickened, 1-2 more minutes then remove the pan from the heat.
- Scoop cooked rice into bowls then top with the beef and sauce. Add the steamed broccoli then serve.
Notes
- In order to prevent soggy, overcooked broccoli, I like to serve the steamed broccoli on top of the beef and sauce then have each person mix it all up in their own bowl before eating.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Photos by Ashley McLaughlin
I made this last night just as written. It is delicious. Since it was for just the two of us, I steamed just half of the broccoli. When we have the leftovers, I’ll steam the other half so that it doesn’t get over cooked in the reheat.
Great idea, Marsha! So glad this was a hit!
I can’t thank you enough, mainly the broccoli idea!! Putting the hot broccoli on the meat, instead of putting in pan and everything waters down.It’s so stupid simple I can believe I never thought of it. I posted on my FB about your wonderful page, I am just a mom. But, I hope my friends & family loves you all too!!
Haha, no worries — I’m glad it’s a helpful tip for you, Vandrea! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe on your FB page, I really appreciate it!!
I have pancreas issues and need to eat as low fat as possible. This recipe seems to fit the bill. I would like to use avocado oil instead, have you tried that?
Avocado oil is totally fine to use in here. That said, I would not replace it for the sesame oil so if you can’t eat the sesame oil, just leave that out of the sauce vs adding 1 teaspoon avocado oil.
I’m making this on Sunday. I had originally got my recipe for thus from a Cantonese lady who ran my favorite Chinese restaurant in Tulsa, OK. Your recipe is very similar to what I remember. I have lost or misplaced my original recipe, which made me so sad until I ran across this one. There are a few minor differences, and I can change it up as I need or want.
Hers was hot and sweet, but used no peppers, honey or brown sugar. Instead she taught me the hotter I wanted it, the more ginger to add. And then just use white sugar to taste, until I get the ratio of heat to sweet I prefer. I thought this tip mike work well for you and your followers.
I really like to use white sugar in my stir fries too, Maggie, and I love the tip about the ginger. I’m so glad this recipe got close to what you remember!!