Thirty minutes and one large skillet stand between you and the takeout container you usually wait on. This beef and broccoli keeps the steak tender and the broccoli bright, and the sauce clings instead of pooling.
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The trick is not a secret ingredient. It is order and heat: sear the beef fast in a screaming-hot pan, steam the broccoli just until it turns deep green, then let the cornstarch-thickened sauce bubble for one minute so it coats every piece.
You need a flank steak sliced thin against the grain and a head of broccoli cut into even florets. Everything else is probably in your pantry right now.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
About the Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds (565g) flank steak, sliced 1/4 inch thin against the grain
Flank steak is the classic choice because it stays tender when sliced thin. Skirt steak or sirloin work well too; if using sirloin, slice it a little thicker so it does not overcook.
1 tablespoon cornstarch, divided
Half goes into the marinade to velvet the beef, half thickens the sauce. Potato starch or arrowroot can replace it one for one.
3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
Use regular soy sauce for depth; low-sodium lets you control the salt. Tamari is a good gluten-free swap.
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Toasted, not plain, is what gives the dish its nutty backbone. If yours smells flat, it has gone rancid; buy a small bottle.
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
Shaoxing wine is the authentic choice and is sold near the soy sauce. Dry sherry or a splash of mirin substitutes cleanly.
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Brown sugar rounds out the salt and helps the sauce gloss. Honey works but browns faster, so watch the pan.
1/3 cup (80ml) low-sodium beef broth
Broth adds body that water cannot. Chicken broth or a quarter teaspoon of beef base in water is a fine stand-in.
1 large head broccoli (about 1 pound / 450g), cut into 1-inch florets
Look for tight, dark green heads with no yellowing. Bagged florets save five minutes but trim any long stems.
3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola, divided
High smoke point matters here because the pan gets very hot. Avocado oil works; olive oil will smoke and taste bitter.
4 cloves garlic, minced, plus 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
Fresh is worth it in a five-ingredient sauce. Jarred ginger is acceptable; garlic powder is not a good swap.
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, for serving
Optional but adds a nice finish. Toast them yourself in a dry pan for two minutes if they look pale.
Tips & Tricks
Slice against the grain
Look at the lines running through the steak and cut across them, not along them. This shortens the muscle fibers and is the single biggest factor in tender beef.
Dry the beef before searing
Pat the slices dry and sear in two batches. A crowded pan steams the meat gray instead of browning it, and you lose the flavor that makes this dish taste like takeout.
Do not skip the one-minute bubble
Let the sauce come to a full simmer so the cornstarch activates. Pulling it off early leaves a thin, watery sauce.
- Mix the sauce before you turn on the heat: Cornstarch settles fast, so whisk the sauce in a bowl and give it one more stir right before it goes in the pan.
Pro Tips
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Slice and marinate the beef
Toss the sliced flank steak with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, the Shaoxing wine, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Let it sit 10 minutes at room temperature while you prep everything else.
2. Whisk the sauce
In a small bowl, whisk the broth, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and the brown sugar until no dry lumps remain. Set it next to the stove.
3. Steam the broccoli
Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide pot, add the florets, cover, and steam 3 to 4 minutes at 212°F (100°C). The broccoli is done when a knife tip slides in with slight resistance and the color is deep, glossy green. Transfer to a plate.
4. Sear the beef
Heat 2 tablespoons neutral oil in a large skillet over high heat until it shimmers, about 400°F (205°C). Add half the beef in a single layer and sear 60 to 90 seconds per side, until the edges are browned and the center is still slightly pink. Move to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and beef.
5. Bloom the aromatics
Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic and ginger to the same pan, and stir 20 to 30 seconds, until fragrant and just turning golden. Do not let them brown past that point or they will taste bitter.
6. Simmer the sauce
Whisk the sauce once more and pour it in. Bring to a full simmer at 212°F (100°C) and cook 1 minute, stirring, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and the edges bubble steadily.
7. Combine and finish
Return the beef and any juices along with the broccoli to the pan. Toss 30 seconds over medium heat until everything is coated and hot. Taste and add a pinch of salt only if needed.
8. Serve
Spoon over steamed white rice and scatter with sesame seeds. Serve right away, while the broccoli is still crisp.
Delicious Variations
Ginger-Scallion Version
Add 3 sliced scallions at the end and double the ginger for a sharper, brighter sauce.
Spicy Chili Beef and Broccoli
Stir 1 teaspoon chili crisp or sambal oelek into the sauce before it hits the pan.
Mushroom and Beef
Swap half the broccoli for sliced cremini mushrooms and sear them with the beef for extra umami.
How to Store Beef and Broccoli
Refrigerator
Store in an airtight container up to 3 days. The broccoli softens each day, so it is best within 48 hours.
Freezer
Freeze up to 2 months in a sealed container. Undercook the broccoli by a minute before freezing so it does not turn to mush.
Reheating
Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of broth for 3 to 4 minutes, until steaming. The microwave works but softens the broccoli further.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I keep the beef tender in beef and broccoli?
Slice the steak thin against the grain and sear it hot and fast, pulling it before it is fully cooked. The brief cornstarch marinade also helps the meat hold moisture. Overcrowding the pan is the most common reason it turns tough.
Q: Can I use frozen broccoli for this recipe?
Yes, but steam it only 2 minutes and drain it very well before adding it to the pan. Frozen broccoli releases water, so the sauce may need an extra 30 seconds of simmering to thicken.
Q: What is the best cut of beef for beef and broccoli?
Flank steak is the standard, with skirt steak and sirloin close behind. Look for a cut with visible grain you can slice across. Avoid stew meat, which stays chewy no matter how you cook it.
Q: How do I make the sauce thicker?
Simmer it a full minute before adding the beef and broccoli, and whisk in a slurry of equal parts cornstarch and cold water if it still looks thin. Adding the vegetables too early stops the sauce from reducing.
Q: Is beef and broccoli gluten-free?
Not as written, because soy sauce and Shaoxing wine contain wheat. Use tamari and dry sherry, and check that your broth is certified gluten-free.
If you have flank steak in the freezer, move it to the fridge tonight so it is ready to slice tomorrow. That single step is what makes this a weeknight dinner instead of a weekend project. Keep it simple, keep it steady.
Beef and Broccoli
This easy beef and broccoli brings glossy Chinese takeout flavor home in one pan, with tender marinated steak and crisp broccoli in 30 minutes.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds (565g) flank steak, sliced 1/4 inch thin against the grain
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, divided
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (80ml) low-sodium beef broth
- 1 large head broccoli (about 1 pound / 450g), cut into 1-inch florets
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced, plus 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds, for serving
📋 Instructions
- 1Slice and marinate the beef — Toss the sliced flank steak with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon cornstarch, the Shaoxing wine, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Let it sit 10 minutes at room temperature while you prep everything else.
- 2Whisk the sauce — In a small bowl, whisk the broth, remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and the brown sugar until no dry lumps remain. Set it next to the stove.
- 3Steam the broccoli — Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide pot, add the florets, cover, and steam 3 to 4 minutes at 212°F (100°C). The broccoli is done when a knife tip slides in with slight resistance and the color is deep, glossy green. Transfer to a plate.
- 4Sear the beef — Heat 2 tablespoons neutral oil in a large skillet over high heat until it shimmers, about 400°F (205°C). Add half the beef in a single layer and sear 60 to 90 seconds per side, until the edges are browned and the center is still slightly pink. Move to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and beef.
- 5Bloom the aromatics — Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic and ginger to the same pan, and stir 20 to 30 seconds, until fragrant and just turning golden. Do not let them brown past that point or they will taste bitter.
- 6Simmer the sauce — Whisk the sauce once more and pour it in. Bring to a full simmer at 212°F (100°C) and cook 1 minute, stirring, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon and the edges bubble steadily.
- 7Combine and finish — Return the beef and any juices along with the broccoli to the pan. Toss 30 seconds over medium heat until everything is coated and hot. Taste and add a pinch of salt only if needed.
- 8Serve — Spoon over steamed white rice and scatter with sesame seeds. Serve right away, while the broccoli is still crisp.
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