Broccoli Beef Recipe • Steamy Kitchen Recipes Giveaways (2024)

by Jaden | Asian, Beef, Chinese New Year, Main Course, Recipes | 28 comments

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The ultimate Chinese Beef and Broccoli recipe: learn how to get perfect crisp-crunchy broccoli florets and succulent and tender beef with a savory marinade and simple stir-frying techniques.

Why this Beef and Broccoli recipe works:

Sure, it’s easy to throw everything in a wok – but you’ll end up with soggy, sad broccoli and over-cooked beef.
Learn our simple stir-fry skill that ensures perfectly cooked broccoli and always-tender beef.
Learn which cut of beef to use (and which to avoid)
Learn how to NOT burn garlic in the wok.

What kind of beef to use in Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry?

For stir-fries, our go-to cut of steaks is flavorful, tender when thin-sliced, and affordable. The steaks that fall into that category are:

Flank Steak
London broil/Top Round Steak
Sirloin/Sirloin Tip
Top Blade Steak
Flat Iron
Eye of Round Steak
Bottom Round Steak
Tri Tip

*My favorite to use for this dish is Flank Steak or London Broil/Top Round Steak.

Steaks that you could use, but are more pricey:

Filet
Ribeye
NY Strip

These cuts are tough and are better for stews. Do not use:

Chuck Roast
Stew Meat
Top Round Roast

Whatever meat you use, make sure that you are slicing thin and ACROSS THE GRAIN for the most tender result.

Stir Fry Basics

In authentic Chinese stir-fries, meats cook separately from vegetables. That’s because they cook at different temperatures and time. Here are the basic steps:

Marinate beef, cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces
Sear the beef on high heat. Remove from wok.
Stir-fry the vegetables until halfway cooked through
Add in sauce, return beef to wok
Finish cooking all together

This method allows for the beautiful, flavorful sear on the beef AND perfectly cooked vegetables. Most stir-fries that use meat will follow these same steps.

How to Prevent Garlic from Burning

Here’s the stir-fry conundrum: high heat is essential for authentic stir-fries with “wok hay” or breath of the wok. However, delicate aromatics such as minced garlic can burn within seconds in a very hot wok!

Burnt garlic is bitter and tough. That’s why I always instruct my students to add in the garlic at a LATER step in the stir-fry – so that the garlic does not overcook.

Chinese Beef and Broccoli Recipe

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Servings 4

Calories 222 kcal

Ingredients

FOR THE BEEF

1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound flank or sirloin steak (or use any of the suggestions above)

FOR THE SAUCE

2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry (optional)
1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

FOR THE STIR-FRY

3/4 pound broccoli florets
2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil (avocado or vegetable oil), divided
2 cloves garlic finely minced

Instructions

1. Prepare the Beef: Thinly slice the beef ACROSS the grain. The slices should be maximum 1/4" thick. In a medium bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients and add in the beef slices. Set aside.
2. Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
3. Partially Cook the Broccoli: In a wok or large skillet bring a cup of water to a simmer. Add in the broccoli florets, close with lid. Cook the broccoli until bright green and just about halfway-cooked through, about 1 minute. Immediately drain and set aside. Rinse with cool water to stop the cooking.
4. Sear the Beef: Return wok to stovetop and wipe very dry. Turn heat to high and when very hot, swirl in just 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil. Add in the beef slices in a single layer. Let sear, undisturbed, for 1 minute. Flip and sear the other side for 30 seconds. Immediately remove the beef to a clean plate.
5. Stir-Fry: Return wok to stove and turn heat to medium-high. When hot, swirl in the remaining cooking oil. Add in the garlic and cook for 15 seconds, until fragrant. Add in the steamed broccoli, and stir fry with the garlicky oil for just a few seconds. Add in the seared beef and then the sauce ingredients. Simmer for 30 seconds until the sauce thickens and the broccoli is cooked through.

Nutrition

Calories: 222kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 22gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 709mgPotassium: 586mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 530IUVitamin C: 76mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 2mg

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Dog Breeds on 11/1/16 at 6:32 am
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Yummy! I think I need broccoli beef for dinner. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
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Jill on 11/6/14 at 9:47 am
Hi! I’ve made both your recipes for beef and broccoli, but for some reason really liked this version of it. I tried looking at the recipe today on Simply Recipes, but the page didn’t load. It might not exist anymore. Just wondering if you could post it again.
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- Jaden on 11/6/14 at 2:34 pm
  Here you go: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/broccoli_beef/
  Thanks for letting me know recipe link is broke – I fixed it!
  Reply
May Ann on 7/22/14 at 12:12 am
This recipe is a winner! So delicious on steaming white rice! Definitely worth making again!
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Angela on 9/27/12 at 5:00 pm
I made this dish last night and it was everything I hoped it would be: fast, easy and delicious! My husband told me he likes it as much as our favorite Chinese restaurant back in Houston, which is a huge compliment. Thank you for this recipe.
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Shannon on 9/8/12 at 7:35 pm
I recently bought your cookbook (after checking it out from the library twice, I just had to have it!). This was the first recipe I made from the book and it is the best broccoli beef I’ve had. Also, your method for cooking the broccoli in a shallow frying pan – as opposed to a gallon of boiling water that takes an hour to heat up, like I usually do – was genius!
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Jamie on 4/7/09 at 5:58 pm
My husband loves meat + broccoli. This is going to be our dinner tonight!
P.S. I like your commentary on the propositions they tack on the end of the ballots. I’m in Omaha, NE and we had the a couple lengthy and confusing propositions on our ballot. I actually voted for a proposition I was actually against, because the wording had me all jumbled!
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Nhu on 3/31/09 at 10:29 am
Amazing! I’ve tried making it before using another recipe, and thought, oh this can’t be difficult. Didn’t turn out so well..but your recipe was phenomenal!
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Cler on 11/14/08 at 2:30 pm
My family and I love it, it’s delicious and really flavourfull. It’s an every week dish and I make sure there’s enough for the lunchboxes. Thanks so much!!
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Petite Kitchen on 11/10/08 at 9:49 pm
OMG, woman. You make everything look so easy. I love this dish, and hadn’t a clue how to make it. Mystery solved, thanks to you.
See Also
Best Tourtiere Recipe
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Victoria on 11/9/08 at 11:11 pm
Yum, I just made this tonight and it was easy and delicious. I’ve never thought to make beef and broccoli before. It’s always been something I order at Panda Express on the rare occasions I go there. Now I know I can make it, and it amuses me. Heh.
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diva on 11/9/08 at 1:27 pm
blimey that looks really good. a very comforting dish!
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Asianmommy on 11/6/08 at 6:05 pm
This looks perfect–I’ve gotta try it!
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bakerofpancakes on 11/6/08 at 5:08 pm
yuuuuum! this sounds absolutely delicious!
I love seeing pics of food… it’s my p*rn at work 😛
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patsyk on 11/6/08 at 3:13 pm
Looks delicious! I’ve made chicken and broccoli at home, but never tried beef w/broccoli… might have to make this soon. Yum!
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shavedicesundays on 11/6/08 at 1:38 pm
I fell asleep reading some of the propositions (i think it was the one regarding the drug rehab one). It just went on and on and on. Beef and brocolli, one of the staples in our family. Yours look delicious!
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Shari on 11/6/08 at 12:24 pm
I just love how you walk us through your thoughts and tweaks on your photos. Thanks for taking the time to do that! That beef and broccoli looks amazing!
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mikky on 11/6/08 at 8:59 am
mmm… hubby’s favorite… thanks for sharing… 🙂
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GCS on 11/5/08 at 9:38 pm
You really need to research those amendments in advance and even then the lingo is difficult to interpret. I wonder how many people just wing it and go ‘eenie meanie mine moe’. I don’t think voting for constitutional amendments the way it occurs now, is a good idea.
the good news though, it’s over…no more campaigning for a while. NO more phone calls, no more mail, etc.
Food looks good though…thanks.
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Wookie on 11/5/08 at 4:06 pm
My local ballot had a referendum on whether to eliminate township tax assessors or not. It was confusing because both sides were claiming fairer property taxes. I still don’t know the outcome of the referendum.
Also, Indiana has a stupid law that prohibits the sale of alcohol on election days until the polls close. Now, that one I’d like to see in a referendum.
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PatriciaW on 11/5/08 at 4:02 pm
I had to vote on that same amendment and I had a similar reaction.
Seems to be a southern thing. Back on Long Island, the majority of polling places were schools, which yes, were open for classes even as we voted.
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BigMike on 11/5/08 at 1:20 pm
“Separation of church and state” is a myth. The constitution prohibits the government from setting up a state religion or discriminating on the basis of religion. The idea was more to keep government out of religion than to keep religion out of government. As to how a church becomes a polling place, I’d suggest that it’s probably conveniently placed, has sufficient room to allow for setting up booths/machines, and check-in tables, with decent parking…
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cs on 11/5/08 at 1:12 pm
Wow.. Beef and broccoli! Total flashback to watching Yan Can Cook as a kid and flying chinese cleavers and smashed garlic!
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Lynn on 11/5/08 at 11:51 am
The dish looks delish. May I drop by… at about 7? Love the wording on those propositions. I think they do it for fun just to mess with us.
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Mike on 11/5/08 at 9:52 am
The food looks awesome and I love the photo play-by-play every time you post it. And yea, lol about the FL propositions. They read like a random collection of words from the dictionary were thrown up in the air and glued together in the order they hit the floor.
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Jason Sandeman on 11/5/08 at 8:23 am
Jaden, it is like you read my mind. I was looking for this the other day to make for the better half. What do you think can be done to combine this with an orange type dish?
In photoshop, curves are your friend! I always find that one needs to be careful when they fiddle with the white balance post-processing because it can overblow a lot of other components. You seem to have a good balance here.
Good shot!
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Cakebrain on 11/5/08 at 2:50 am
hee hee! I make this at least once a week! It’s a staple in my house! I even make extra so that I can have leftovers for lunch the next day! Your money shot looks especially yummy! I love how crispy green the broccoli is and the meat is so juicy-looking! mmmm.
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Gay on 11/5/08 at 2:20 am
This is my dad’s favorite dish to cook and eat!
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