Better-Than-Takeout Beef and Broccoli — It really is BETTER than takeout and it’s definitely FASTER!! This EASY Chinese restaurant copycat recipe is a family favorite that’ll go into your regular rotation!!
Table of Contents
This recipe is adapted from my copycat P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef recipe, which is a reader favorite that comes together in less than 20 minutes.
The same goes for this recipe — it’s easy and ready in a flash. I have seen beef and broccoli recipes that require marinating the beef first, like my 15-Minute Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli, but this is not one of them, which is a real time saver.
This Chinese beef and broccoli is full of umami flavor and pairs nicely with steamed rice or cauliflower rice. It’s best the day it’s made, but leftovers can easily be reheated in a skillet and enjoyed for days afterward.
Recipe Ingredients
To make this easy recipe (including the irresistible beef and broccoli sauce!), you’ll need:
- Flank steak
- Cornstarch
- Olive oil (or vegetable oil)
- Sesame oil
- Garlic cloves
- Ginger
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Water
- Dark brown sugar
- Broccoli florets
- Green onions
Note: Scroll down to the recipe card section of the post for the ingredients with amounts included and for more complete directions.
How to Make Homemade Beef and Broccoli
This is a very simple beef and broccoli recipe that anyone can make! Here are the basic recipe steps:
- To a large bag, add the thin slices of flank steak, cornstarch, and toss to coat.
- In a medium saucepan, sauté garlic and ginger until the garlic is fragrant.
- Then add soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil and allow it to boil for a couple minutes before reducing the heat and simmering until the sauce is slightly thickened and reduced.
- While the sauce is simmering, in a separate skillet, sear the steak over high heat.
- Top the seared steak with broccoli, pour in the soy sauce mixture, and toss the beef and broccoli to coat it evenly with the sauce. Simmer for a few minutes, or until the broccoli is as crisp-tender as desired.
Garnish Ideas
I like to finish this dish with green onions and sesame seeds, but they’re optional.
How to Thicken the Beef and Broccoli Sauce
One optional step which will depend on the texture and consistency of the sauce in your pan, and personal preference, is that if the sauce on the thinner or runnier side, and you want sauce that clings better to the beef and broccoli, you can make that happen in 60 seconds.
Dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of water, which is called a slurry, and add that to the pan. Stir and simmer for about 60 seconds, and your sauce should be nicely thicker at that point.
If your steak was very well coated in cornstarch, the residual cornstarch may be enough to thicken the sauce. But if it’s not, you can thicken it up in a hurry by adding a cornstarch slurry.
If you add 6 full cups of broccoli like I did because I am a broccoli fanatic, the natural waters and juices that escape when the broccoli cooks, will thin out your sauce and you’ll likely want to use a slurry.
Recipe FAQs
I use flank steak and have not tried other cuts of beef. I have read recipes that call for skirt steak but I haven’t tried it. Be sure to cut your steak across the grain, which helps it be even more tender once cooked.
Homemade beef with broccoli is coated in an umami u0022brown sauceu0022 that has layers of flavor from the soy sauce, sesame oil, fresh garlic and ginger, and brown sugar.
No, I recommend using fresh broccoli florets for best results.
No! The cornstarch in this recipe is non-negotiable. It helps the beef crisp up a little when seared and it thickens the sauce.
No, it’s not gluten-free as written because soy sauce contains gluten. To make this recipe gluten-free, make sure your soy sauce is certified gluten-free or use gluten-free tamari.
What to Serve with Beef and Broccoli
My boyfriend LOVES this recipe. It’s his favorite meal that I make. I’m not a professional cook by any means, and this is so easy even I can make it! I also add portobello mushrooms near the end for something extra! So good!!
Theresa
Storage and Reheating Instructions
In the fridge: Let the homemade beef and broccoli stir fry cool before transferring to an airtight container. Leftovers will last up to 5 days.
To reheat: Warm individual servings for 30-second intervals in the microwave.
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Better-Than-Takeout Beef With Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 to 1.25 pounds flank steak, sliced into thin strips, no more than 1/4-inch thick
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 1 to 2 teaspoons ginger, or to taste (fresh or dried is okay, use less dried than you would fresh)
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup water
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed (light may be substituted)
- 4 to 6 cups broccoli florets, dependent on preference for broccoli
- 2 to 3 green onions, sliced into 1/4-inch long segments
- red pepper flakes, optional and to taste
- sesame seeds, optional for garnishing
Instructions
- To a large ziptop bag, add the steak, cornstarch, seal, and toss to coat. Set aside while preparing the sauce.
- To a medium saucepan, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and heat over medium-high for about 1 minute, or just until garlic is fragrant, taking care not to scorch it.
- Add the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil and allow it to boil for about 2 to 3 minutes. Then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened and reduced. While it simmers, sear the steak.
- To a large skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and the steak. Cook over medium-high or high heat until steak is cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes, flipping the pieces intermittently to ensure even cooking.
- Add the broccoli.
- Evenly drizzle in the soy sauce mixture, noting it will bubble up dramatically. Toss the beef and broccoli to coat evenly with the sauce. Simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes at medium-high, or until the broccoli is as crisp tender as desired.
- Optional — If your sauce hasn't thickened up as much as you'd like and your broccoli is done or nearly done, and you want a sauce that clings better and isn't as thin, simply dissolve 1 tablespoon cornstarch in 1 tablespoon water (called a slurry), add it to the skillet, stir for about 1 minute, or until your sauce has thickened to your desired level. Since I used 6 cups broccoli, the natural water and juices that escaped from it thinned out my sauce, so I needed to use a slurry.
- Turn off the heat, add the green onions, and stir to incorporate.
- Optionally, evenly sprinkle with red pepper flakes (makes the dish taste more authentic and gives it flavor without adding much heat), optional sesame seeds, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Adapted from P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef.
- Recipe is best warm and fresh but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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More Asian Recipes with Beef:
15-Minute Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli – EASY, HEALTHIER than going out for Chinese because it’s baked, and FASTER than calling for takeout!! So much FLAVOR in this family favorite! It’ll go into your regular rotation!!
Mongolian Beef Bowls – These EASY Chinese-inspired Mongolian beef bowls are ready in just 10 minutes!! Loaded with rich savory flavor, crisp-tender vegetables, and served over rice!
Beef Fried Rice — This better-than-takeout beef fried rice is EASY, ready in 20 MINUTES, and made in ONE skillet! Everyone loves the big juicy strips of steak and perfectly fried rice that’s speckled with bits of onions, peas, carrots, and scrambled eggs.
Teriyaki Steak Tips — Tri-tip steak tips are cooked to perfection and then topped with a thick and sticky homemade pineapple teriyaki sauce! A family favorite that everyone will love and is FAST and EASY to make!
P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef — This copycat recipe comes together in 20 minutes, it’s EASY, and makes for a great weeknight meal! Even picky eaters will love this, and any leftover sauce can be served over rice.
Easy Hunan Beef — Skip the takeout and make this popular Chinese-inspired recipe at home! Hunan-style beef is spicy, sweet, tangy, and loaded with tender slices of beef and veggies.
I didn’t know if I believed it would be better than takeout. But, it definitely was. For starters, my kids didn’t spill all over our family room, forcing me to do a carpet cleaning in Hemet, CA, which isn’t fun. All that being said, it also tasted much better than fast food. 10/10 would make it again.
I didn’t know if I believed it would be better than takeout. But, it definitely was. For starters, my kids didn’t spill all over our family room, forcing me to do a carpet cleaning in Hemet which isn’t fun. All that being said, it also tasted much better than fast food. 10/10 would make it again.
make a habit of checking a few pages for what is trending for food. we made this one night and it was amazing. Our kids knocked the pot off the stove late in the evening and we neglected to clean it up. Now my wife wants to do a and it seems she found a good option today. Amazing food. We can’t wait to have it again.
This was a great starter recipe! I would cut the sugar in half (it was very sweet), and salt the beef with the corn starch.
This was a great starter recipe! I would cut the sugar in half (it was very sweet), and salt the beef with the corn starch.
I am glad you enjoyed it overall and know how to tweak it for the next time to suit your preferences!
My boyfriend LOVES this recipe. It’s his favorite meal that I make. I’m not a professional cook by any means, and this is so easy even I can make it! I also add portobello mushrooms near the end for something extra! So good!!
This turned out to be a really tasty recipe. Totally going to make again. The only thing I’d do differently is to cut the sugar down. It was a little on the sweet side.
This turned out to be a really tasty recipe. Totally going to make again. The only thing I’d do differently is to cut the sugar down. It was a little on the sweet side.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad you will make it again! And yes by all means reduce the sugar to your tastes.
great
This tastes amazing but my sauce never thicken.
This tastes amazing but my sauce never thicken.
Did you read item #7 in the recipe instructions about thickening up a sauce. It’s almost impossible for a sauce not to thicken if you use enough cornstarch. It will bind it. You perhaps needed a bit more than I called for since all brands, broccoli with natural water content, etc. varies but just try more cornstarch next time.
Glad the taste was amazing!
everything takes a little longer for me than all recipes say, this is about an hour start to finish and was well received by my very picky teen! Husband also thought it was great and I will make it again. serve with a little rice on the side and u have a great weekday dinner.
My goodness!!!! I made this recipe for the first time today and it is definitely better than take out! It was quick, easy to make and will definitely be added to my regular rotation!!! Thanks for an incredible recipe!!
My goodness!!!! I made this recipe for the first time today and it is definitely better than take out! It was quick, easy to make and will definitely be added to my regular rotation!!! Thanks for an incredible recipe!!
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that it turned out way better than take out for you and that it’ll go into your regular rotation!
Made this and it lives up to its name. I ran out of cornstarch had just enough to coat the meat. I used frozen broccoli and as a sauce thickener I used a little flour. I will be making it again.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad the recipe lived up to its name and that you’ll make it again!
Excellent recipe thank you! My son did most of the work and learned a new recipe. It was as fast, easy and tasty as promised. We will definitely be making this one again.
Excellent recipe thank you! My son did most of the work and learned a new recipe. It was as fast, easy and tasty as promised. We will definitely be making this one again.
Thanks for the 5 star review and glad that not only was the recipe excellent, but you helped to teach your son a new recipe!