Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
If I had to choose a weeknight dinner to serve my family forever, I think it would be a stir-fry. Fresh, flavorful, and endless combinations of proteins and vegetables make it an absolute favorite. This beef and broccoli stir-fry is the newest addition at our house and was actually a recipe my kids suggested as they LOVE the steak in my pepper steak stir-fry, but not the peppers.
The last time we had it, they asked if we could switch out the peppers for broccoli. This dish is a popular item at Chinese restaurants, so it’s obviously not something they invented, but it is easy enough to make this restaurant favorite at home.
Thinly sliced steak is cooked to perfection and bites of crisp and tender broccoli are coated in a deliciously glossy sauce that is sweet, savory, and balanced that brings everything together. It’s made with simple ingredients and can be prepped in just 15 minutes, which is why we love it on busy weeknights and given all of the rave reviews on my original steak stir-fry, I know your family will, too!
And let’s talk about nutrition! This steak and broccoli stir-fry has protein, produce, energy (carbs), and flavor – all important and valuable nutrition considerations in my nutrition philosophy.
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
What You’ll Love About Easy Beef and Broccoli
- Delicious and flavorful meal
- Fresh and vibrant flavors
- Easy recipe
- Thick and glossy sauce, just like takeout!
- Made with simple ingredients
- Balanced and nutritious meal with protein, carbs, and veggies
- A family favorite
Ingredients
- Broccoli – You can buy prepped broccoli florets or broccoli crowns, but both will require some prep. I tend to opt for broccoli crowns as sometimes bagged broccoli is a little old and it still requires prep! You’ll want to trim the broccoli into small pieces, about 1-inch in size so they cook evenly and can also easily fit onto a fork.
- Steak – Flank steak is what I typically use for stir-fry but you can also use sirloin or skirt steak. The most important factor is that the beef will stay tender in a quick cooking process. Some stores carry stir-fry steak where it is already cut and that is another great convenience option. We’ll be cutting the steak against the grain to help keep it tender.
- Garlic – Use fresh garlic for the best flavor or frozen garlic cubes for an easy shortcut.
- Ginger – Use fresh ginger for the best flavor or frozen garlic cubes for an easy shortcut.
- Soy sauce – Use your favorite soy sauce. You can use low-sodium soy sauce, but you may need to adjust the seasonings a bit. You can also use tamari or coconut aminos for gluten-free options.
- Brown sugar – This gives the steak stir-fry sauce a nice sweet flavor. You could use any granulated sugar like coconut sugar or a sugar alternative if you prefer. Honey or maple syrup are other options that work well.
- Cornstarch – The cornstarch helps to thicken the sauce and give it that classic glossy texture. You can omit it if you prefer, but you’ll need to cook for a bit longer to help the sauce thicken. You could also use
- Rice vinegar – The rice wine vinegar helps to balance out the flavors of the sauce and add some acidity. You could also use white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white balsamic vinegar.
- Sesame oil – Use a high-quality toasted sesame oil for best flavor.
- Vegetable oil – Use your favorite vegetable oil for high-heat cooking. Canola oil, avocado oil, or peanut oil all work well.
- Salt and pepper
- For serving – rice, green onion, sesame seeds
Emily’s Tip
In order to cook both the beef and broccoli to perfection (no mushy broccoli or overcooked steak here!), we’re going to initially cook them separately, and then bring them together with the sauce for the final few minutes of cooking to bring it all together.
How to Make Beef and Broccoli
This is an overview, the detailed instructions can be found below in the recipe card.
- Prep ingredients. Because stir-fries cook up so quickly, it’s important to have all of the ingredients ready to go! Start cooking rice, cut and trim broccoli, slice steak, mince garlic and ginger.
- Mix sauce. In a small bowl, stir together garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, vinegar, and sesame oil.
- Cook broccoli. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok, add broccoli, and cook until tender. Set aside and wipe out the skillet if necessary.
- Cook steak. Heat remaining oil in a large skillet or wok and season steak with salt and pepper. Cook the steak until browned on both sides.
- Finish stir-fry. Add broccoli back to skillet with steak and pour stir-fry sauce over the top. Toss everything together, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thick and glossy.
FAQs
We’re solving this problem in a few ways. The first is to choose a cut of beef that cooks quickly and doesn’t require a long cooking time. Cuts like flank steak, sirloin, or ribeye will all work well. The second is to cut the steak into thin strips AGAINST the grain. This will naturally cut down on the fibers that give meat a tougher chew.
To cook the broccoli to tender-crisp and not mushy, we are cooking it separately from the beef and we are quickly steaming it to help it soften up, but not get too mushy. Then we’ll finish cooking it with the steak and sauce to bring everything together.
Sure! You know I am always going to say yes to adding IN more veggies to a dish. Bell peppers, onions, carrots, and snap peas are all delicious additions. Just be sure to adjust the cooking times as some ingredients take longer to cook than others.
Storage
Store easy beef and broccoli leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
How to reheat
For best results, reheat the stir-fry in a hot skillet, just until heated through. You could also microwave (and I’ve done this!), but it can make the meat a bit tough.
How to prep ahead
If you want to prep some of this meal ahead, here are a few things you can do:
- Cut and trim broccoli a day or two in advance
- Mix stir-fry sauce up to a day in advance
What to Serve with
Rice is of course the classic stir-fry accompianment, but you have other options, too!
- Rice – Use a rice maker for perfect rice (honestly one of my favorite appliances, we use it weekly!). You can serve the stir-fry with white rice or brown rice. We typically go with white rice as we prefer the taste the nutritional difference between white and brown rice is minimal.
- Noodles – If you prefer noodles over rice, that is a great option as well. Use rice noodles, soba or udon noodles, or even regular spaghetti.
- Cauliflower rice – If you’re looking to add in even more veggies, serve with cauliflower rice! I typically add this as an additional side to stir-fry meals as it’s easy and everyone in my family eats it.
More Stir-Fry Recipes
If you like this steak and broccoli stir-fry recipe, you might also like some of these other stir-fry recipes:
Want More?
Read more about my nutrition philosophy here and follow Emily on Instagram or TikTok for family dinner recipe videos and tips for feeding kids.
Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stir Fry
Description
This healthy homemade beef and broccoli stir-fry has tender strips of steak and crisp bites of broccoli, all in a deliciously glossy sauce.
Ingredients
- 16 oz. broccoli florets
- 16 oz. flank steak
- 3 cloves garlic
- 3 tsp. ginger
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
- 1 tsp. sea salt, divided
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- rice for serving
- garnish: sliced green onion, soy sauce, sriracha/garlic chile sauce, sesame seeds
Instructions
- Prep ingredients:
Prepare rice according to package instructions.
Cut and trim broccoli so it’s in small, bite-size pieces.
Slice flank steak against the grain in 1/2 inch thick and 2-3 inches long. **Freeze for 30 min to make this easy.
Mince or grate garlic.
Mince ginger. - Mix up the stir fry sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together minced garlic, minced ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. Add broccoli to skillet and season with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt. Cover, lower heat to medium, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until slightly tender. Transfer broccoli to a plate and wipe out the skillet if necessary.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok. Add steak and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to skillet and cook for 5-8 minutes, until browned.
- Add broccoli and soy sauce mixture to pan and lower heat to medium. Cook another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until sauce is thick and glossy.
- Serve stir-fry over rice. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. If desired, serve with extra soy sauce and chili garlic sauce (or sriracha) to taste.
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not include rice
Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.
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