Broccoli Beef
This succulent beef and tender broccoli, smothered in a flavorful sauce is better than a restaurant! And it is FAST. It is SIMPLE. And it is utterly tasty.
So let’s be real here for a second. I eat a lot of food. And I eat a lot of really great food. So when I declare something the best – you have to know I mean business.
It’s not every day that I say something is “the best” and then cancel the previously requested meal (this and this and this) for my upcoming birthday and insist that my husband make this instead. Seriously, this beef and broccoli is that good!
The succulent beef and tender broccoli, smothered in a flavorful, rich sauce, is one of those meals that leaves you wondering how on earth something so good, better than a restaurant even!, could honestly come out of your homely little kitchen.
And here’s the bonus – it is FAST. It is SIMPLE. And it is so utterly tasty, you may or may not stab your husband with your fork trying to spear the last piece of meat.
I would say the only downfall to this recipe is the fact that flank steak can be a bit pricey but if you look for it on sale or buy a large package and freeze half, it really isn’t so bad. Plus, consider this a meal worth splurging on. It’s worth it, my friends, completely worth it.
Speaking of The Best – I’ve recently updated my Best Recipe section with new headers, sub-categories and a few lost treasures I forgot belonged there. Enjoy!
What To Serve With This:
Baked Brown Rice, Stovetop Brown Rice, or hot, cooked white rice
Cut up pineapple or other fresh, seasonal fruit
Asian Noodle Salad or a simple green salad
One Year Ago: Homemade Chocolate Dessert Cups
Two Years Ago: Chicken and Dumpling Soup
Three Years Ago: Lemon and Garlic Grilled Chicken
The Best Broccoli Beef
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
- 5 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Beef and Broccoli:
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 ½ pounds flank steak, cut into 2-inch-wide strips with the grain, then sliced across the grain into 1/8-inch-thick slices
- 6 medium cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press or minced (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon peanut oil or vegetable oil, plus extra for cooking
- 1 ¼ pounds broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ⅓ cup water
- 3 medium scallions, sliced 1/2-inch thick on diagonal, optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine beef and soy sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour. Meanwhile, whisk the sauce ingredients together in a liquid measure or small bowl. In another small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon peanut oil. Set aside.
- Heat 1-2 teaspoons peanut oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and rippling. Add half of beef to skillet and break up clumps; cook, without stirring, for 1 minute, then stir and cook until beef is browned around edges and cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. Don’t overcook the meat – cook until just barely cooked through so the meat stays tender. Transfer beef to a medium bowl and cover with a lid and tin foil. Heat another 1-2 teaspoons peanut oil in the skillet and repeat with remaining beef.
- Add 1 tablespoon peanut oil to now-empty skillet; heat until rippling and hot. Add broccoli and cook 30 seconds; add water, cover pan, and lower heat to medium. Steam broccoli until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Push the broccoli to the sides of the skillet and add the garlic/ginger mixture. Cook, mashing the mixture with a spoon, until fragrant, about 15-30 seconds. Stir the mixture into the broccoli. Add the beef back to skillet and toss to combine. Whisk the sauce to recombine and add to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and evenly distributed, about 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, sprinkle with scallions, and serve – or be like me and serve it straight out of the skillet!
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from America’s Test Kitchen 10th Anniversary Best Recipes Magazine (found at Sam’s Club a few years ago)
172 Comments on “Broccoli Beef”
Made this for my boys tonight – they finished it without complaint and the adults had seconds. That’s a winner!! We did use bottled ginger paste and minced garlic and that was a nice time saver too!
I just made this recipe for the first time and was disappointed. I thought there was way too much garlic in it for my liking. I didn’t notice it while eating but after – holy cow! I feel like I had been chewing a clove of garlic. But I also need to say I forgot to add the brown sugar, so maybe that made a big difference in the flavor. Anyway I don’t know if I would make it again.
Really yummy and came together pretty fast! Thanks Mel!
Is there a non-seafood substitution for the Oyster sauce? We have a sea food allergy at our house but I’d still LOVE to try this recipe.
You could try a combo of soy sauce + BBQ sauce. Nothing will quite get the same flavor as oyster sauce, but it’s worth a try.
I use 2 TBSP soya sauce and 3 TBSP hoisin sauce to replace the oyster sauce. It is still yummy delicious according to my grandsons!
Is the call for rice wine vinegar the same as Shao Xing cooking wine which I saw at the Chinese market? When I made this dish at home, it had a slight vinegar smell that did not agree with me during the cooking process. The other flavors were spot on especially the flavor of sesame oil.
You could try subbing in a cooking wine for more balanced flavors.
This was delicious and I’ll definitely make it again! Anything that can be done to cut the saltiness? I know oyster and soy sauces are both loaded with sodium, so I’m thinking probably not.
Low sodium soy sauce will definitely help.
Hi! I’ve made a few of your recipes and have enjoyed them all. This was easy and so delicious, definitely will make again! Thank you for making my evening meal planning easier!
Hi. I”m about to make this. Was putting together the sauce ingredients. The Oyster sauce is pretty thick and contains some corn starch. Do I still need to add 2 t of corn starch then?
Yes, I still add it but you can leave it out if you want the sauce thinner.
I ended up using the cornstarch. The flavors were great, I might add some acid at the end next time to brighten it up. I am also not a huge fan of garlic so I’ll reduce next time as well. Thank you!
Mel how do you feel about adding a few other veggies to this dish? I have some cabbage, carrots, and mushrooms I need to use up.
This sounds delicious and I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks!
Tami
I think that’s a great idea!
What other cuts of steak can you use if you can’t find any flank steak?
Skirt steak can work as well as sirloin steak sliced thinly (may not be quite as tender as flank)
I’ve tried many broccoli beef recipes and this one is *the* keeper! I’ll reduce the sugar in the sauce by half next time (personal preference), but I believe in following a recipe precisely the first time I make it. Thanks Mel… you’ve done it again!
(Also, for those concerned over oyster sauce… my fish/shellfish-HATING daughter was bothered knowing this ingredient was in there, but flipped with excitement over how much she loved the overall dish.)
Made this and it tasted great but kudos to the person who can peel and chop that much fresh garlic and ginger, slice all the meat, wash and cut up over a pound of broccoli, gather and mix all the sauce ingredients in twenty minutes, and then actually cook it ten. Apparently there are some kitchen super heroes out there but I’m not one of them!
Mel,
This recipe is fantastic. Whole family loved it. Will be making again, that’s for sure
Love your site. My go to site for family meals!
I am confused it says mix beef and soy sauce together. But then it says after to mix all the sauce ingredients. I am just confused about the amounts of soy sauce. Are the 3 tablespoons to me used to marinate the meat or to be used in the sauce?
Nevermind. I misread instructions. I feel dumb haha.
Mel how do you feel about adding a few other veggies to this dish? I have some cabbage, carrots, and mushrooms I need to use up.
This sounds delicious and I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks!
Tami
Hi Mel! Do you own a meat slicer and does it work for this meal? I am making 10 meals of this this week and am dreading the slicing already!
I don’t have a meat slicer…but I do often use my food processor slicer attachment and it works great (I partially freeze the meat for easier slicing).
I made this for a family get together with egg rolls from a local Chinese restaurant we all like. It was THE BEST BEEF AND BROCCOLI EVER. Absolutely amazing. I will never make another recipe. Love the garlic, love the ginger. It is a lot easier if you prep cook everything because it comes together so quickly. Thank you Mel for this dish.
Fantastic recipe! I wish I would have tried this long ago. I will definitely make it again. Thank you Mel!
I made this last night and it’s a delight! Thanks for the always fail-safe delicious recipes!
I made this last night, and WOW it is being put in the binder for keeps. It did not last long in my house. Made it as is, and it was perfect.
So I made this recipe quite awhile ago, and I remember I did not like the smell or taste of the oyster sauce, so ended up leaving it out. I was wanting to make this again, but am hesitant to go buy it again, but I am one of those who tries best to follow the recipe. 😉 So do u think it could’ve been the brand I used or does this stuff have a very distinct unique taste. I wondered if it cooked in and maybe u don’t notice, idk…just wondering. I usually love everything I make of yours and no one else has commented on this.
Hey Bethany – it might just be the oyster sauce. It definitely has a distinct taste and flavor and smell. You might try subbing in hoisin sauce. It’s like Chinese BBQ sauce.
Thank u! I ended up using The dynasty brand (I saw u had mentioned in a previous comment) was totally fine, and it all tasted great! It was so long ago that I had made it before, so I don’t remember what I had bought before….glad I was able to follow the whole recipe this time! Thanks again for your site…I’ve been following you for a few years now and have just started to comment. 😉 I recommend you to so many people.
Thanks, Bethany – so happy it worked out!
Where do I find oyster sauce? I’ve never heard of it? Or is there a substitute that may be easier to find? This is one of my favorite things to order when we get Chinese, I can’t wait to make it at home!!
Hey Jennifer – oyster sauce is really easily found, usually, in the Asian foods aisle by the soy sauce.
Loved this recipe! I am pretty picky about beef stir fry dishes as many result in tough meet or not enough flavor but this recipe wins on all fronts. The beef was tender and the fresh ginger gave the sauce a delicious fresh taste. I subbed honey for brown sugar which worked well. We will definitely make this again. Thanks, Mel!
Very good, the only beef broccoli I’ll eat
I am a Mel fan. I enjoy all her recipes, but this is our family favorite. I make freezer meals of this, so I buy in bulk for it. One little bit of insider info…you can buy flank steak in bulk at Sam’s, but don’t buy what is in the cooler already. Ask for a cryo pack. It is a couple dollars cheaper per pound. The cryo packs have about 5 giant flank steaks and can make 6 meals with an extra flank steak to marinate and use on the grill. The cryo pack usually costs about $55. This is the most affordable method I have found and the meat is far superior to what is at the grocery store. I have not found a worthy flank steak at the grocery. Anyway, what I really wanted to tell you all is that I have made MANY of these. More than I can count and I still despise the cutting part (probably because it takes me so long with so many flank steaks 🙂 ) I have actually used my cunning to get my OCD daughter to do all the cutting for me as it IS her favorite meal. Well, she was at college today, so I had to do it myself. I had an epiphany. I got the electric knife down from the pantry, almost solely used for Thanksgiving, and LO AND BEHOLD! It is magical. I mean…it was so much easier to cut those 1/8″ slices. They are all even and it is beautiful. This whole meal is beautiful. Now it is easy too. Thanks Mel.
Wow! Two great tips, Beth! The cryo pack AND the electric knife. We make this ALL the time too and I’m excited to use those tips. I don’t have a Sam’s Club near me but I wonder if I could ask for the same at Costco. Thank you!
I had some thin-cut sirloin in the freezer that needed to be used and this looked great. I only had a pound, but I used 8 oz of halved baby bella mushrooms to fill in and just seared them before the beef and added them back at the end. This was amazing! Very flavorful and easy too! The meat and mushrooms were fantastic, I’ll definitely do that again. Thanks for such an easy and delicious meal Mel!
Oh, one more thing. I dislike seafood except lobster. When my husband eats tuna fish in the kitchen, it bothers me for an hour until the stench dissipates. When I’m at a restaurant and I can smell someone’s seafood order, it ruins my meal. Crab, trout, salmon, whatever. Can’t stand the smell. But I went ahead with the oyster sauce and I’m telling you… Thumbs up. Necessary addition.
I made this two nights ago. The flavor was divine. It didn’t turn out as I hoped because the meat was not cut properly. I went to the butcher counter at my local high-end grocery store to get the meat sliced exactly as written in the recipe. I wrote down the instructions and handed it to the young lad working the counter. He was a new guy and I was skeptical. So when I get home and open the brown paper, all he had done was cut the flank steak into full-length pieces with the grain. I chopped it up into smaller pieces after that with my less-than-chef-worthy knife. But I didn’t do a good job and the meat turned out tough. That’s nothing on this recipe. The flavor was as good as or better than a Chinese restaurant. We ate all the broccoli, but couldn’t finish the meat. My jaw was getting sore from chewing. I’m mad at that butcher for ruining this exquisite recipe. The way the meat is cut is SO important in stir fry. I’m discouraged from trying my hand at stir fry beef again, but if I did, I’d use this scrumptious recipe.
What brand of oyster sauce do you use? I want one without MSG and caramel color. All the ones I look at at least have caramel color. Thanks!
You might have to try an authentic Asian market to get oyster sauce without caramel color. I usually use the Dynasty brand.
Dumbest question ever … Do you include the soya marinate when cooking the beef? Thanks!
No dumb questions! Just lift the beef out of the bowl with the soy sauce mixture. You don’t need to pour the marinade in the pan but you don’t need to pat the beef dry either. Does that help?
There are lots of recipes for beef and broccoli in slow cooker . Have oyu adapted this before?
I tried once and it was a disaster (the beef was pretty much mush – gross). So I don’t have a tried-and-true yet.
What can I do for the sauce to replace the brown sugar? My family needs to cut out all sugar right now. We can have honey and agave.. Any ideas?
You could experiment with honey or other alternative sugars. Good luck.
This was to die for! You’re the best Mel.
So i had takin out a London Broil for dinner (yuk) but since it is only 7 degrees here i didnt want to put on BBQ, so i was looking for a Beef and Broccoli recipe. Dear Lord Have Mercy lol it was Delish!!!! I am a avid cook, always home made and never boxed or canned, and had so many Asian ingredients in pantry figured this would work out great I sliced the meat so paper thin and marinated it for about a hr omg my house smelled so wonderful. so thank you this will be a keeper for sure. I wish i new how to post some great recipes i have would love to share them. 🙂 Good Job, Great Dinner ps for your readers, when you have some extra cash at food store and love Asian Cuisine get some sauces Oyster, Soy, Tamari, chili, ect.and always sesame oil (my fav) this was you will always have it for last minute meals.
Can you substitute something for the oyster sauce; don’t normally have this on hand? Thank you.
You might try googling for substitutions and see what comes up – I’ve never tried subbing anything for the oyster sauce and don’t want to lead you astray.
Oh, PS. Since I hate garlic, and since I don’t want to be offensive in public with garlic breath, I substituted shallots . It was amazingly delicious as I said before , YUMMY!!
Mel
This was AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS, just like you said !!! So, so very yummy !!! Thank you!!!
I had everything purchased to make this last night but then wasn’t feeling so great -my husband and six year old son worked together in the kitchen to make this (keep in mind our little boy is not the best eater and very picky). They both gobbled this up!!! I have never seen my husband so excited about a meal -just wish I would have made it 🙂 Thank you for your wonderful site (and I LOVE the “what to serve” ideas -so incredibly helpful to me).
To die for! Excellent!
Looks and sounds great, what can I sub for oyster sauce, went to store today, before I saw this, have everything but oyster sauce, hate to go to store more than once a week.
By the way love all your recipes, have tried a lot and love everyone, your my go when I want to make something new
I’ve never subbed out the oyster sauce so I’m not sure – any sub will change the flavor. Could try more soy sauce; reading through the comments may help, too, since others may have varied it. Good luck!
Love the web site and your recipes. My husband has CHF and I need the nutritional info. Do you have that for your recipes anywhere?
Keren – I don’t currently provide the nutritional info but hope to in the future. Meanwhile there are several online nutritional calculators you could plug the recipe into if you need the info on it.
Dynamite! Awesome meal! All the great comments are right on target. Better than what you are served at your favorite Chinese restaurant! Thanks for the recipe!
P.S. My husband had a work lunch today at PF Chang’s (I didn’t know that – or I’d have planned a different meal for tonight!) and he said your Beef and Broccoli was far superior to his lunch meal!
That’s awesome, Holly!
Mel, I finally tried this after having it on my “to try” list for over two years. My husband DEVOURED it! It was fun to watch. He and my oldest son loved it. What a great meal! I served it with your Asian Noodle Salad (I left out the noodles and told my son it was Asian Coleslaw!) and jasmine rice. Thanks for another outstanding recipe!
Oops just noticed the previous post, will try it!
Would fish sauce be an ok sub for the oyster sauce? I have all the ingredients but that one until next shopping day. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your website! almost all of our meals are from your recipes and my hubby loves you to!
I just made this last night and it was sooo good! My whole family (4 kids) enjoyed it. We eat gluten free at home and I thought I would share my substitution for the oyster sauce since oyster sauce is not gluten free. I looked at the ingredients of the sauce in the grocery store and the main ingredients are water and sugar. So, instead, I put in:
2 TBSP of honey
1 tsp. fish sauce
3 TBSP of Tamari (wheat free soy sauce)
This worked very well but the sauce did not thicken up enough (still tasted great). So, next time I will add at least another tsp. or 2 of corn starch.
Thanks for the great recipe, I will definitely make this again.
I made this tonight, and it was FANTASTIC. We couldn’t believe how tender the flank steak was or how delicious the sauce was. Exactly the right amount of ginger and garlic. I can’t wait to make this for friends…. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
I made this for dinner. My younger adult son & I thought it was great. My husband, who is not a Chinese food lover, ate it but did not enjoy. Thanks for a delicious recipe.
Amazing. That’s all there is to say. Oh and even my ultra picky middle son loved it 🙂
This was outstanding! The only change I made was adding a little meat tenderizer, but that probably wasn’t necessary. (We had tried a similar meal the night before with pork and it was inedible, so I didn’t want a repeat of 5 way distaste. 🙂 This was full of flavor and tenderness!
I made this tonight for the second time and it was just as delicious as I remembered. It was so much better then any takeout I have ever gotten! My husband couldn’t stop saying how good it was, I am surprised we have any leftovers! Thank you for a wonderful recipe, I knew if you labeled it best, it would be one awesome dish
This recipe is freaking amazing! Idk why, but the whole thing smells like it’s full of peanut butter even with ordinary vegetable oil! I even replaced the oyster sauce with a vegetarian replacement I had on hand, and it was STILL awesome. Thank you so much!!
Mel, you’re amazing. Just found your site and I think I have quite a few things to try. First up was your Beef Broccoli. Even my 14-yr. old daughter, who is normally very picky and dislikes when food is combined, raved about this one. Really, really delicious. Thank you for everything you’ve created here. 🙂
I made this last night, and it seriously tasted just like Take-Out! No kidding. I’ve never said that about a recipe before, cause usually it’s always “almost as good” or “close”, but this was spot on. I think if I had a plate of take out and this version next to each other, I don’t think anyone could tell. It was great! I was lucky to find some “stir fry” beef already cut into strips on sale at the grocery store cause it would expire in a few days, so I got it at a great price and didn’t have to slice it, that was the best part! 😉 I bought oyster sauce for the first time ever, and I really think that was key in getting the right flavor. Thank you for this recipe, I will definitely make again! My family loved it too.
I should add that my 11 year old daughter begged, and I do mean begged, me to make this. It is her favorite. Thanks again!
Third time making this and as usual it did not disappoint. So very delicious, thank you!
Mel,
Just want to thank you for this awesome recipe. I came across your blog last week while searching for a fudgy brownie recipe. I’ve made those twice already. I’ve been inspired to try some Asian cooking, but have always been somewhat intimidated. For dinner tonight, I made your beef broccoli and sweet and sour chicken. I CANNOT believe how incredible they were. Both of us looked at each other and exclaimed that it tasted like we had gotten take out from our favorite restaurant. I can’t wait to make it again for the rest of our family…it is a completely PERFECT! Thanks again.
PS. I don’t usually comment on blogs, but had to on this one! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Is there a way to do this in the slow cooker? Found another B&B recipe for the slow cooker, but the sauce was completely different. I like yours better, but I am pressed for time.
Natalie – I’ve never tried this in the slow cooker – good luck if you try it!
This looked great but was so salty, my husband and I couldn’t eat it.
Made this for dinner tonight. Delicious! Thanks for a great recipe!
Tuesday night dinner!
Made this last night and it was excellent! Thanks for explaining how to cut the steak… that’s the first “stir-fry” I’ve made where it wasn’t overly chewy.
I might use a little less soy next time, or marinate less, or pour some out before I re-add the beef. I didn’t think it was salty or anything, but the flavor was a little heavy and I’m wondering if that’s why my toddler didn’t seem to like it :\
Holy OMG!!!! Made for dinner tonight. Only change is I added crushed red pepper flake to the steak marinade, used flat iron steak & a bit of garlic-pepper sauce to the sauce. Super yummy!!!! Thanks so much!!!!
Mel,
This was very scrumptious! It tasted so much better then our local Thai restaurant’s Beef Broccoli. It received 10 thumbs up out of 12 ( our 2 year old’s taste still developing). This recipe is going in our rotation. I almost licked the plate but my kiddo’s were watching me.
is there any sub for the rice wine vinegar some of the ingredients are hard to find
Hi Nichol – I wouldn’t sub the vinegar and sesame oil. Both are important to the flavor of the dish. I’m surprised you couldn’t find them as they are both widely available in the Asian foods section of grocery stores and even Walmart. By the way, scallions is just another name for green onions in case that helps.
I went to get the ingredients and failed to find the scallions red wine vinegar or the sesame oil. Now i”m worried it won’t turn out right. Is their anything i can add in the place of the missing items?
Made this several times — my hubby and I can’t get enough. Broccoli is so crazy good for you but can feel boring after the fourth bite. This dish is a great way to get me to eat a huge plate of it. Oh, and if there’s one veggie I absolutely love to buy organic when it’s available, it’s broccoli. What a difference! Incredible. Thanks for the recipe Mel!
Kim, I’ve added red pepper flakes to taste with great results! A fresh chile would probably work as well. The Srirachi, although delicious, has a very distictive taste, and would most likely change the flavor profile of the dish. I imagine it would be good too, just different from the intended recipe. Have fun experimenting!
Looking for a beef and broccoli with a kick! Should I just add a couple of chilies or Sriracha or both !;). Recipe looks great, thanks!
Hi Megan – sorry for the delay in getting back with you. I’ve used the Marukan rice vinegar with great results.
Hi Mel. I’d like to make your beef broccoli, tonight actually, and wonder if you can steer me in the right direction on the rice wine vinegar. I checked my pantry and have Marukan brand rice vinegar, shao hsing cooking wine and Mitsukan Mirin – which is sweet so not likely what I need. Are any of these okay?
Dawn – peanut oil has better flavor for a hot stir fry in my opinion but if you are going to sub I’d definitely go with canola oil over EVOO. Either a lid or tin foil would work to cover.
Sounds delicious!! Flank steak might be a little expensive, but its still a lot cheaper than spending $50-$60 eating Chinese out.
Just a couple questions though.
1. Do I have to use peanut oil or can I substitute with EVOO or canola oil?
2. Am I supposed to cover the bowl of beef with a lid AND tin foil, or is it one or the
other?
Incredible! I used the trick mentioned above of coating the meat with a bit of cornstarch, and it gave the meet a nice glossy coating. Thank you for this better than take-out dish!
Mmmmmmm! Umami
Made this one night last week. (The days run together… Can’t remember which night…) I wasn’t convinced I had done a good job, but my wife (who I teasingly call a food snob) absolutely loved it. Want proof? She cleaned her plate and she NEVER cleans her plate. And after everything was gone, she went back for more and cleaned her plate again! She didn’t have to say anything: I knew. This is another fabulous recipe from Mel which is now on our ‘must do often’ list.
Thank you so much for this recipe! My boyfriend was going to get Chinese takeout but I decided to try this instead and we were both very impressed. I don’t know what exactly you adapted from the ATC recipe, but someone needs to get you a bigger skillet so you don’t have to do the meat in two batches! You deserve it!
YUM!!! These will stay on the monthly menu:) Thanks!
I just finished making this for supper tonight and have to say its UNBELIEVABLE!! Thanks for another great one!!!
Super delicious. My kids were excited to take this in their lunches today. On the other hand, the Mr. was bummed that there wasn’t enough left for his lunch.
This was by far the best beef broccoli I have ever tasted. I had all the ingredients on hand because I make chinese dishes often. I would make this for company any time. It is now in my file of family favorites
I just cooked this recipe and doubled the sauce. I tasted it and it was good. I made it for dinner tonight. I tried the trick with the cornstarch. The meat was sooooo tender! I used some thin sliced beef steak. I just had to cut it into strips. I put strips of carrots in there and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. DELISH! Thank you!
Just wanted to say. I made this meal last night. By far, on of the best ones I have made. I will not be going out to a restaurant for this meal. Thank you for posting!
This was VERY good! I wish I would’ve made twice the amount because my kids couldn’t get enough! 🙂 Thank you for the recipe.
This is amazing!! Anyone have any idea of the nurtional info or even WW points? I am trying to follow WW and would like to know how much to count this as. Thanks! 🙂
I’ll cut back on the ginger and oyster sauce next time, was a bit much for my taste.
Flank steak and broccoli are perfect for stir fry tho..
I found this recipe in Cook’s Illustrated years ago. I LOVE IT!!!! Incredibly delicious, and very, very easy. Get the butcher to slice the meat for you, and it’s even easier. Haven’t made this in a while –thanks for reminding me of it!
we’ve probably made this a dozen times now! we LOVE it. thanks so much!
Ive been wanting to do a broccoli beef recipe for a while, but a lot were super time consuming. Found you through Pinterest. I’m excited to try this tonight for my New Food April! Come over to my blog to check out my results in just a few days!
Made it tonight. I doubled the recipe and it was still delicious .
I just found your website recently. Cooked your Kansas city chicken last night and your beef and broccoli tonight. I am amazed that my 3 picky eating sons loved both! Woo hoo! Thanks!
Hi–I’ve just recently discovered your blog, and just had to comment on your beef and broccoli recipe. I made it last night and it was FANTASTIC!!! Totally declicious. I added some sliced mushrooms I had on hand. I also made your banana bread yesterday, and that was great, too! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes–thanks for a great blog!
This dish is amazing! Living in Australia, I was unable to find flank, skirt, or hanger steak, so I used “stir fry ” beef instead. Still good, but I am sure it would be even better with the flank steak. Thank you!
I have never used oyster sauce before but knowing that Mel’s verdict of “BEST” would never fail, I ventured out, bought all the ingredients (even the right cut of meat), and tried this out. It was really delicious! The meat turned out so moist! (Freezing the meat for a bit really helped while slicing it) The amount of sauce was just right, and my only regret was that there wasn’t too much left over for a second meal!!! Thanks again for another wonderful recipe Mel!
I made this last night and we loved it! I used some top round steak slicked thinly and it was perfect.
Dee – well, it’s worth a try if you really don’t want to buy the flank steak but I am nearly sure that your results will be better using the flank steak based on the fact that the recipe was tailored to that cut of meat. Good luck!
Had it tonight with some friends & 4 out of 4 kids loved it! Including the broccoli!
It was a hit with everyone. Thanks for the great recipe! I did the trick that Brooke shared about adding the cornstarch to the beef & I do think it made a difference..made the beef more silky, tender & similar to what you get at a Chinese restaurant. Give it a try Mel & see what you think! It was an easy extra step!
Hi Mel,
I know that the type of beef here important…..but I had a question…. I have stew beef in my fridge, and if I slice it thin like you recommend…will it work?
DEE
Awesome! Added some red bell pepper at the same time as the broccoli. Took only 30 minutes from start to finish.
Thanks Mel.
Just wanted to say thank you for sharing yet another deeeeeee-licious recipe!!! I seriously make your recipes three times a week, thanks lady!
This seriously was “the best” beef and broccoli I have ever had. I had given up on making it from scratch and had just started buying the seasoning packets for it. I will use up the packets I have eventually, but this will be a staple in our house. I made it exactly like the recipe said and it was spectacular!! Thanks.
Just wanted to let you know this recipe works great with venison! I used round roast that I had on hand and no one was the wiser. Thanks, Brooke, for sharing the tip on mixing a couple of tablespoons cornstarch with the meat before cooking–worked sooo well!
wow! this was delicious! i can always count on you for a fantastic meal!
This was so good! I made two changes –
I strained the beef and let it come to room temperature before cooking.
Thanks again for all your hard but edible work! 🙂
made it tonight and LOVED it!!
Micaela – I haven’t tried freezing this so I have no idea how it would fare. I suppose you could try it! Let me know if you do.
Fantastic! Took a bit of time to prepare between the slicing and chopping but once everything was cut up, it was quick. Really great flavor, smiles all around the table.
I’ve heard A-MAZ-ING things about this recipe. =) Would it work as a freezer meal? Trying to add recipes to my freezer meal repertoire…
Valerie – I just made basic steamed white rice. I don’t have a recipe for it – just 2 cups water for every cup of long grain white rice.
Sounds perfect for a quick “Sunday Dinner” What rice recipe do you use with it?
Oooo! I just made Broccoli Beef last night. I’ve tried a few recipes & have been making my current one for about 5 years. I’m going to give this one a try & see how it compares. Thanks!
Wow. I made this last night for dinner and it was a huge hit. Better than a restaurant. Quick and easy too. Thanks!
I couldn’t find oyster sauce today so out of curiosity I looked on Amazon. Apparently you can get vegetarian oyster sauce, which is mushroom based. Thought I’d mention it for the people who commented about allergies.
I can’t wait to try this! I love broccoli and beef together. I am saving this recipe. 🙂 And your pictures are so scrumptious!
Ty ty ty I love this food and absolutely appreciate all the details. I could never get it quite right and now I know why. I’m certain this will become a family favorite. You’re right. Sometimes going the extra expense is worth it when every bite of food is gobbled up and there’s no waste!
I made the beef and broccoli for dinner last night and thought it was fantastic! I doubled the sauce because we like extra to put on our rice, but I don’t think I needed to. I’ll make it again for sure. (Perhaps adding some schirachi for a little heat!) Thanks for sharing this recipe! 🙂
Made it last night for the missionaries (don’t ask me why my husband signed up to have the over on a FRIDAY!!). It was really good. The oyster sauce is the secret here. Got lots of compliments on how it was better than take-out.
I LOVE beef & broccoli! It’s my favorite thing at PF Chang’s! So glad to have a version to try at home!
I WILL be making this. Looks absolutely fantastic…and take-out food at home is always a good thing!
I always love your recipes so I figured I couldn’t go wrong with this. I strongly dislike seafood so I was admittedly nervous about the oyster sauce but i went out to purchase some today. I see my worries were unfounded. Delicious and we’ll certainly be enjoying this in the future again! Thank you for a winner!
This is one of my husband’s favorite dishes but I’ve never actually made it at home. Thanks for sharing this inspiring and delicious looking recipe, Mel! I’ll be pocketing this to try soon.
Mel, I love all your chinese food inspired recipes and I wanted to share something with you that I learned from a Chef who specializes in this type of food. If you add a few tablespoons of cornstarch to your meat right before cooking it, it tenderizes the meat in such an amazing way. I had never heard of this but she said all Chinese restaurants use this technique, it’s why their meat is ‘melt in your mouth’ good. So I went home and added this step onto all my Chinese food recipes…. AMAZING! Have you ever heard this?
I made this last night and it was a huge hit. I told my daughters I was making a “Mel” dish and they both said “yes!” Your recipes have been a hit in my home since I discovered your blog in January of 2008! I’ve actually printed most of your recipes and arranged them in a notebook. Thanks for sharing with us! It is very appreciated.
Mel, if you say anything is the best, then I believe you! Adding this to my “to make” list! 🙂
I was looking for a broccoli beef recipe earlier this week and couldn’t find one. I made this for dinner tonight and we enjoyed it. My husband ate all the broccoli last night so I used a bag of frozen oriental veg mix and it was very good (broccoli, carrots, snap peas& water chestnuts). Love the sauce and cooking technique. I will make again.
This was really yummy. My son ate ALL of what I put on his plate. Next time I will add sesame seeds too! And next time I will wait until flank steak is on sale;-)
Karen – I don’t think there are many substitutions for oyster sauce, unfortunately. It has a unique flavor and the things that come to mind to sub it with are also fish-based. I googled it and it looks like some people have subbed a mix of teriyaki and hoisin sauce. It will change the flavor but may still be yummy. Good luck!
Easy and so tasty! The family loved it. Adding it to my repertoire. Thank you for sharing!
Made it tonight.
My husband is severely allergic to shellfish, so I can’t use oyster sauce. Any suggestions for a good substitute? Thanks. 🙂
Marcela – that’s a good question because the directions are a bit confusing. I’ll edit the recipe, but yes, it is the soy sauce in the recipe (there is no additional soy sauce in the “sauce” ingredients). Thanks for the heads up!
Reading through the directions, you say to put the beef in the soy sauce. So is it extra soy sauce or is it the soy sauce that’s in the sauce recipe? Thanks!
It’s that oyster sauce. I think any veggie in oyster sauce is delicious!
Since you titled it “best” I guess I’m going to have to give it a try. I have yet to find a beef broccoli recipe worth saving.
i made beef and brocolli the other day and it was sordive bland. I know the oyster sauce is what makes it tasty. But I can’t stand how much sodium they put in oyster sauce. Its like 750 mg of sodium per Tablespoon. I retain salt bad and under my eyes get really puffy when I go overboard. I wish there was a way to make this meal without the oyster sauce or other asian sauces that are so loaded. This looks good though. I love your recipes.
The sauce alone sounds delicious. I can’t wait to test this out in the kitchen!
This is calling my name! I was pretty sure it would be from ATK-their recipes are always so good. Thanks for posting it.
I’ve been making the beef and broccoli recipe found in the Steamy Kitchen cookbook for a couple years now, and it’s one of my husband’s favorite dinners. So delicious! I think the oyster sauce is really a must, even though it might sound like a pain to buy (and I can’t think of anything else I use it for). But I love LOVE sesame oil, and my current recipe doesn’t include it. So I’m going to try this out sometime soon. Thanks, Mel!
This looks great. We just made veggie stir fry the other night with lettuce wraps. I have a birthday coming up too! The 18th. I can’t decide what dessert I want to make. My husband and kids would make something for me, but I enjoy doing it so much and it is a great excuse to try a new recipe. (I think I would do better at it anyway, sshh don’t tell them. :-)) Can’t wait to check out your new best recipes. I have made numerous things from that list. I think the frosting and the cornbread are still my favorite. Yummy! That could be my bday cake! The cornbread with the frosting! Ha! Thanks Mel.
SO EXCITED to try this. I LOVE flank steak!
Great work. Beef and broccoli could sustain a person for life if necessary.
This is probably going to be added to my menu very soon. It looks so wonderful…and I don’t even like broccoli.!
This is almost exactly the recipe I’ve been using for years, from a cookbook from the Kauai (Hawaii) Homemaker’s Council. The sauce/cooking method are good for lots of other combinations too – pork and carrots/cabbage is another favorite we do with eh same ‘beef broccoli’ ingredients. 🙂
Good thing I’m already making Asian food tonight! I’d def be craving it after seeing this even if I wasn’t!
Thank you so much for posting this. I was looking for a good recipe last night and couldn’t find one that I thought I would love. I love all your recipes and if you say it is the best…then I am really excited! Thanks so much!
We love beef and broccoli, and I have always wanted to try and make it at home, but I have never found a recipe that looked authentic to me (well, authentic as in what my local Chinese restaurants sell!). This recipe looks like the perfect recipe, and if you say it is “the best”, Mel, I know it will be! How sweet that Brian will cook this for you for your birthday dinner! 🙂