Easy Beef and Broccoli

We all need an easy beef and broccoli recipe up our sleeves. What’s not to love? It’s better than takeout, made in 30 minutes or less and is full of good for you nutrients.

This post has been sponsored by Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner on behalf of the Beef Checkoff Program. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Kroll’s Korner running!

You’ll love this recipe for many reasons but most of all because of the tender and nutritious beef.

I recommend using flank steak for this recipe and slicing it into very thin strips. It results in the most tender, flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth beef. But more on this later…

You guys know that I am all about no-fuss and realistic recipes and this recipe is just that. Perfect for beginners or even if you’re experienced in the kitchen too.

I’m taking you step by step on how to make this easy beef and broccoli recipe and I hope you love it!

If you’re wanting to add some other easy Asian-inspired meals to your dinner rotation, check out my Chicken Fried Rice, Cashew & Chicken Stir Fry, and Crock Pot Teriyaki Steak Bites as well!

Ingredients you need to make this easy beef and broccoli recipe:

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)

Flank Steak: You’ll want to cut the flank steak into thin strips, ~ ¼ inch thick. It’s lean and boneless with lots of intense beef flavor which is perfect for beef and broccoli.

It’s delicious when marinated but also perfect for slicing thinly for recipes like this and when stir-fried.

Other cuts of beef you can use for this easy beef and broccoli recipe would be a Flat Iron Steak or Skirt Steak.

Nutritionally speaking, a 3 oz. serving of Flank Steak is an excellent source of protein (23 grams), Niacin, Vitamin B6, VitaminB12, Zinc, Selenium and a good source of phosphorus and Choline – all in 160 calories.

This ingredient is an excellent source of Protein, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Phosphorus, Zinc, and Selenium; and a good source of Choline.

Cornstarch: You will add cornstarch to both the beef and to the sauce to thicken the sauce to create the wonderful glazed sauce we all know and love that coats the beef and broccoli.

Soy sauce: A regular light soy sauce works perfectly fine for this beef and broccoli recipe but if you can get your hands on dark soy sauce I would recommend using it.

Dark soy sauce is more viscous than light soy sauce and adds a deeper flavor to the dish.

Ingredients for the sauce:

Beef Broth: The flavor of the beef broth works best in this recipe. However, if vegetable broth is all you have on hand that is an OK replacement.

Dark brown sugar: The dark brown sugar is a must-have ingredient to create the sweet yet savory dark brown sauce that coats the thin slices of tender beef and green jewels of perfectly steamed broccoli.

Soy sauce: A pantry staple ingredient most all of us have that is a delicious addition to this sauce. Once again if you have a dark soy sauce, that is best. If not, light soy sauce works just as well.

Cornstarch: Cornstarch is added to both the flank steak and to the sauce to thicken it.

Garlic: 3 large cloves of crushed garlic or a heaping teaspoon of jarred crushed garlic if you have it on hand.

Ginger: Fresh ginger brings a lot of flavor to this beef and broccoli party. One small knob is all that is needed or once again, 1 heaping teaspoon minced.

Toasted Sesame oil: Adds wonderful flavor and fragrance to the dish.

Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar is made by fermenting rice wine further to create vinegar which is why you might sometimes see the ingredient listed on the bottle as rice wine vinegar. So, either or works! This recipe uses unseasoned rice vinegar.

Other ingredients needed:

Vegetable oil: To coat the pan to cook the tender flank steak strips in.

Broccoli: One head of bite sized pieces of broccoli or ~2 cups.

Water: The water is used to pour into the pan to steam the broccoli after the flank steak cooks.

Rice or Chow Mein Noodles: Delicious options to serve with beef and broccoli.

Green onions: You will need 2 stalks of green onions. One stalk goes into the dish and the other for garnish.

How to make this Easy Beef & Broccoli

(For the full recipe, scroll down to the recipe card below)

Slice the flank steak into 1/4 in. strips carefully on a cutting board using a sharp knife. Be sure to cut against the grain.

Cook the Flank Steak: Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once nice and hot, add in the flank steak strips. Using tongs, flip occasionally to cook on both sides. This won’t take long since the pan is hot and the beef is thin, ~3 minutes. Transfer beef to a plate and set aside.

Steam the broccoli: To the same pan, add in the bite-sized broccoli and turn the heat down to medium. Pour in the water and cover pan with a lid to steam the broccoli. Allow to steam for 3-4 minutes or until broccoli is bright green and tender yet still has a slight crunch.

Meanwhile, whisk together all of the ingredients for the sauce in a 2 cup measuring cup or small bowl.

Add the cooked beef back into the pan on top of the broccoli. Pour the sauce over the beef and broccoli and lastly add in the scallions. Toss this all together until the sauce thickens and coats the beef and broccoli ~1 minute.

Garnish with more green onions and sesame seeds if desired. Serve with rice or Chow Mein Noodles. Enjoy!

Tips to make the best beef and broccoli

Have all of your ingredients prepped, chopped and ready to go before you start. Beef and broccoli comes together quickly so you want to make sure you have everything you need when it is time to add it in.

Don’t skip out on the cornstarch, it thickens the sauce to coat the beef and broccoli.

Cut against the grain on the flank steak: The grain that is often referred to when cutting meat is the direction that the muscle fibers are aligned.

It’s easy to identify in Flank Steak. So, find the direction of the grain and then slice across the grain rather than parallel with it. It’s advised to cut against the grain to make the meat easier to chew and more tender.