Beef and Broccoli is an easy stir fry dinner made from thinly sliced beef, fresh broccoli, and Chinese stir fry sauce! This 20-minute meal is loaded with saucy flavor and perfect over a steaming bowl of white rice!
Beef and Broccoli Stir fry goes best with noodles or rice. Make our Vegetable Lo Mein, Quick Chow Mein Noodles, or Chinese Fried Rice Recipe for take-out at home. We love this beef and broccoli recipe over steaming White Rice.
Beef and Broccoli Recipe
Out of all the beef and broccoli recipes that I’ve made this one is our family favorite. You just can’t beat a broccoli and beef recipe made easy in one pan using your favorite stir fry sauce and sweet chili sauce (you can dip anything Chinese with this amazing sauce and it’s so tasty!)
So, I found this recipe for beef and broccoli out of a Better Home & Gardens Cookbook that I purchased at the beginning of our marriage, years ago. I then tweaked the recipe to suit our family taste buds and from then on whenever beef and broccoli are mentioned this recipe comes to mind.
You can use any bottled Stir fry sauce (I like Kikkoman Stir fry sauce), and the good thing about bottled sauces is that the beef stays evenly glazed throughout the whole cooking time until serving, so you don’t have to stress about the sauce. In fact, I just cook the beef slices together with the sauce the entire time, and stays creamy and saucy! The best part is that as simple as this beef and broccoli sauce sounds, it’s impressively delicious!
Ingredients for Beef and Broccoli:
This is the best beef and broccoli recipe when it comes to ease! This broccoli and beef dish can also go healthy and keto-friendly if you make your own stir-fry sauce that best fits your diet!
- Broccoli- look for a fresh and firm head of broccoli at the grocery store. Broccoli bunches with crisp leaves and tightly closed dark green or purplish-green buds are the kinds you should look for. Frozen broccoli can be fried over high heat instead, just don’t stir-fry it for too long so, it doesn’t get mushy.
- Beef- I used boneless shoulder roast steaks. This cut of meat is very tender. If starting with fresh beef freeze it for at least 45 minutes for easier slicing. I like to make beef shavings by using a mandoline slicer with partially frozen beef.
- Stir fry Sauce- combine Kikkoman stir fry sauce, soy sauce, and Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce with the beef.
- Sesame oil- sesame oil works more as an Asian seasoning to flavor the beef here. For the cooking oil, I use sunflower oil to fry the beef and broccoli.
How to Make Beef and Broccoli:
This Chinese Beef and Broccoli Recipe is made with bottled stir fry sauce, Sweet Chili sauce, and soy sauce. It’s such an easy beef and broccoli dish to serve for a quick dinner!
To make broccoli and beef stir fry, you’ll want to have all your ingredients prepped as this recipe comes together fast! Just before you start cutting the broccoli you can preheat a non-stick skillet over high heat.
- Thinly slice the beef, I like using a mandoline for even shavings.
- Marinade the beef in stir-fry sauce, sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil while you prep the broccoli.
- Cut broccoli into florets with the stems attached.
- Cook the broccoli over high heat for 1-2 minutes in 1 Tbsp of oil until charred then add 3 Tbsp of water and cover to steam for an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add 2 Tbsp of oil into the same pan and cook the beef until done (about 5-8 minutes.) If you add the beef slices in a single layer it should take about 4 minutes.
- Mix broccoli into the beef and serve over rice or noodles.
Easy Beef and Broccoli Sauce:
How to make beef and broccoli sauce? You can make a simple stir-fry sauce recipe by using a combination of sweet (brown sugar or honey) and savory (soy sauce) ingredients. Typically a stir fry sauce is made from soy sauce, sugar, and sometimes vinegar. Add-ins include garlic and ginger and in most cases, cornstarch is used as a thickener.
For the quickest stir fry sauce use bottled sauce. I do like making food from scratch, but really it’s the easiest way to get dinner on the table when in a rush. These sauces are a hit for tons of flavor!
- Soy Sauce: use traditionally brewed soy sauce to flavor this dish (or Coconut Aminos for a gluten-free option.) You want to season your steak well.
- Stir Fry Sauce: I use Kikkoman stir-fry sauce that is easily available in most grocery stores.
- Sweet Chili Sauce: this dipping sauce for fried foods, vegetables, or beef is a sweet and tangy sauce all in one bottle! We love it in Shrimp Fried Rice, over our Chinese Chicken Fingers, or drizzled over our Fried Shrimp Appetizer!
Mongolian Beef vs Broccoli and Beef?
Mongolian beef is usually sliced and dredged in corn starch when fried. Whereas beef and broccoli is simply stir-fried in a pan without a coating over the meat. Both beef recipes are cooked in a skillet with stir-fry sauce and typically served over rice or noodles.
Q&A
What is Beef and Broccoli?
Is Beef and Broccoli gluten-free?
This Beef and Broccoli recipe does not have gluten. For low-carb
Choosing the Right Broccoli:
Look for broccoli heads with firm stems and compact clusters of broccoli florets. You want crisp leaves with dark green or purplish-green buds. However, avoid limp and wilted florets or stems, because they are no longer fresh.
Storing and Preserving broccoli: fresh and unwashed broccoli can keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Can You Make Broccoli Salad With Frozen Broccoli?
If you don’t have fresh broccoli and want a quick side to accommodate grilled chicken or meat than steamed broccoli salad is a thing! Keep in mind steamed broccoli is softer than fresh crunchy broccoli thus, there will be a difference in texture.
To Make Broccoli Salad with Frozen Florets: simply bring 24 oz of frozen broccoli florets to a boil and immediately place into ice cold water (to prevent further cooking.) Drain and cool then proceed with the recipe instructions.
Note: I don’t blanch, steam, or pre-cook the broccoli florets for this salad recipe. It is meant to be a cold broccoli salad served fresh and crisp. Furthermore, it wilts naturally in the dressing the longer it sits, kind of like slaw so, if you do have a preference for softer florets just let it sit in the dressing.
How Long Does Broccoli Salad Last?
If you ever wondered how long broccoli salad is good for, you’d be surprised that it’s still good the next day! Broccoli salad can keep in the refrigerator for one day in the dressing. However, if you prep the salad ingredients and keep it separated from the dressing than it keep for up-to 3 days without the dressing.
Can You Make-Ahead Broccoli Salad?
You can make broccoli salad the day before without the dressing. Adding the dressing to the broccoli florets will eventually wilt the broccoli over a long period of time. To serve broccoli salad at its peak toss it in dressing right before serving or it can keep in its dressing for up to 2 hours.
Broccoli Salad Variations:
- Broccoli Apple Salad: core and dice one medium apple to the salad.
- Bacon and Cheese: add in 8 oz of shredded cheddar cheese.
- Cranberry Variation: substitute the raisins for dried cranberries to a 1:1 ratio.
- Broccoli Grape Salad: add-in 1/2 cup halved seedless purple grapes. I also like to add in 1/3 cup of halved cherry tomatoes with this combination.
- Broccoli Slaw Salad: add 1/2 cup of shredded red cabbage and 1/3 cup of grated carrots.
- Amish Broccoli Salad: do half cauliflower and half broccoli florets. Feel free to swap out 1/3 cup of mayo with sour cream.
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad: mix together 7 oz of cut cauliflower and 7 oz of cut broccoli florets together, then mix in the remaining salad ingredients.
- Chicken Salad Broccoli Salad: stir in 8 oz of cooked and ready-to-use chicken breasts (cold.)
Note: depending on how many add-ins you choose the dressing portions may need to be adjusted accordingly. I don’t recommend more than two at a time, otherwise you will need to up the dressing.
**I think the best broccoli salad recipe is this variation due to its simple base that you can build from.
How To Store Broccoli Salad:
Leftover broccoli salad can keep in the fridge for up to 1 day in its dressing. If you are storing the prepped salad ingredients separately from the dressing then it can keep for 3 days in the refrigerator.
Be sure to use an airtight food container and toss the salad with the dressing right before serving (or 1-2 hours before serving if you prefer wilted broccoli.)
Broccoli Tips:
- Make-ahead Broccoli salad by prepping and placing the salad ingredients into a food container. Store the dressing separately until needed.
- Don’t have honey? Use agave, maple syrup, or cane sugar!
- Make-ahead bacon by baking it in bulk then freezing it for easy salad recipes like these. Follow my Oven-Baked Bacon Recipe instructions or just buy the pre-cooked bacon slices at the grocery store.
- Use 1/3 cup of Real crumbled bacon bits (not imitation-flavored bits) for a substitute to the bacon slices.
- Add-in sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, or crunchy walnuts! Some will add-in apples for extra crunch and sweetness.
- This raw broccoli salad is best for 1 day after preparation (in the dressing.)
- See all the Broccoli Salad Variations in the Q and A section.
- This salad is made with minimal prep so you don’t have to blanch or steam the broccoli!
- Make a broccoli salad without mayo (light and easy) by making homemade Honey Mustard Dressing!
- Keto Broccoli Salad-approved!
- Broccoli raisin salad can be evenly interchanged with dried cranberries.
- Lighten up the dressing by using a light mayo like avocado oil mayonnaise.
More Broccoli Recipes:
- Broccoli Pasta Salad
- Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Panera Bread Copycat)
- Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup
- Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice
- Teriyaki Glazed Salmon Recipe (make it a broccoli casserole if you don’t have a sheet pan)
- Broccoli Ramen Salad
How To Make Beef and Broccoli:
Beef and Broccoli Recipe
Equipment
- 1 12-inch skillet with lid
- 1 slotted spoon or spatula (to remove beef or broccoli)
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 1 lb broccoli (about 5 cups)
- 1 lb beef (boneless shoulder roast, steak)
- 3 Tbsp water (for steaming broccoli)
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil (for frying beef and broccoli)
Beef and Broccoli Sauce:
- 1/2 cup Stir fry sauce (I used Kikkoman Stir fry sauce)
- 1/3 cup Sweet chili sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Thinly slice the beef using a mandoline (freeze the beef for 45 minutes if using fresh steak, otherwise thaw from frozen for about 2 hours before slicing.)
- Marinade the beef slices in all the beef and broccoli sauces while you prep the broccoli.
- Meanwhile, cut the broccoli into florets. Then preheat the skillet over high heat.
- Swirl 1 Tbsp of oil into the pan and cook the broccoli for 1 minute. Add the water and cover to steam for about 1-2 minutes. Remove from the pan.
- In the same pan add 2 Tbsp of oil and add the beef with the sauces. Cook over medium-high heat uncovered until beef is cooked thoroughly (5-8 minutes.)
- Add the broccoli back into the pan and stir into the beef. Serve over white rice.
