Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry is a popular, delicious Chinese dish that you can quickly make at home. Beef is marinated, stir fried with crisp broccoli in a savory brown sauce that is cooked in less than an hour.
If you frequently order this Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry from your favorite Chinese restaurant or Panda Express for a quick bite, try this recipe. You can choose whatever cut of beef you prefer to use and in no time you can serve it at the dinner table.
What cut of beef to use with Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry?
I prefer beef with some marbling. Tri tip steak works well with this dish. I trimmed some of the surrounding fat and beef is sliced thinly in an angle against the grain. Cut the same sizes so they cook evenly.
You can use a leaner cut like sirloin or tenderloin.
- Tri tip Steak
- Flank Steak
- Chuck Steak
- Top Sirloin Steak
- Other expensive cut like Rib Eye, Fillet Mignon.
Beef Marinade
Beef is marinated for at least 30 minutes for a tastier and tender meat.
This marinade uses only 3 common Chinese ingredients.
- Shaoxing Rice Wine
- Soy Sauce – use dark soy sauce if you like a darker sauce. I used regular soy sauce.
- Cornstarch
Ever wondered when ordering this dish or any other Chinese dish, their beef or meat is so tender and silky in texture?
Chinese use a cooking technique called velveting. They marinate the meat for flavoring mixed with cornstarch. Meat is lightly coated with cornstarch which acts as a protective covering when stir-frying.
It keeps the meat tender and not overcooked. Cornstarch also helps thicken the sauce.
I don’t always do it for other stir fry especially if I am in a rush or if I only have a small amount of meat in my dish but it makes a difference.
Marinate for at least 30 minutes and you will surely enjoy a moist, tender and tasty meat.
Note: This marinate is enough to lightly coat a 1 ½ pound beef. Some people might think it’s not enough, but it is.
When you stir fry, your wok or pan should be smoking hot plus you don’t want extra liquid that’s why I just make enough marinade. It should fry, not steam.
Also, always be mindful to have your cookware hot before pouring oil.
Beef and Broccoli Stir fry Sauce
If you have been cooking Chinese food, I bet, you have all these ingredients. They are commonly used in most Chinese food.
They are easily available in your local grocers in the Asian or Ethnic aisle. I have seen all these ingredients at Walmart.
If you are limiting yourself from running an errand during this crazy time, I have included links to Amazon.
- Oyster sauce – sweet and salty
- Brown sugar
- Shaoxing rice wine
- Cornstarch
- Hoisin sauce – sweet and salty
- Water or broth - if using water add ½ teaspoon Knorr Beef or Chicken Boiullon Powder
Note: Double the sauce recipe if you have kids or you simply like more sauce. This Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry Sauce is very versatile.
You can slightly tweak the measurements to your liking. If you think adding brown sugar is too sweet for your taste, reduce it or even eliminate it. Oyster and Hoisin sauce are both sweet, so skipping brown sugar might suit your taste well.
Cooking is about tweaking it your liking. Get creative and experiment.
How to Prepare Broccoli?
Cut broccoli florets the same sizes so they cook at the same time. Wash and leave it in the colander to drain water.
The main stem of broccoli is edible. Peel the cover with a peeler or knife since it is tough. Slice it the same sizes and you can add it to the dish which unfortunately, I forgot to show in my video. By the time I realized it, my stir fry was already cooked.
This is a one pan dish but if you think you won’t be able to keep the broccoli crisp and crunchy, there are 2 other ways of cooking it.
- Blanch – Boil 6 cups of water, drop and cook broccoli for 1 ½ to 2 minutes until tender but crunchy.
- Microwave – Place broccoli in a bowl with 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Cover bowl with a damp paper towel and cook for 1 ½ to 2 minutes.
If you decide to do it this way, add broccoli once the sauce is cooked.
Tips How to Make this Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Cut beef the same sizes in an angle against the grain and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Combine all the sauce ingredients before cooking. You can always double the sauce recipe if you like.
Cut the broccoli florets the same sizes so they cook evenly.
Cooking will be quick so you want everything to be ready before you start stir frying.
Get your wok or pan smoking hot before you pour the oil. Beef should fry, not steam.
Stir fry broccoli for a minute then push it to the sides. Don’t overcook broccoli. It should be tender, crisp and crunchy.
Pour sauce in the center. It doesn’t take long to cook then mixed it with beef and broccoli.
Turn off heat and transfer right away to a serving plate. Broccoli can get soggy if you leave it in the pan.
Don't like beef, try a similar Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe.
Delicious, moist & tender chicken and broccoli stir fry.
Try Other Delicious Healthy Stir Fry Recipe
- Shrimp and Mushroom Stir Fry
- Chinese Celery with Tofu Stir Fry (Ginisang Kinchay at Tokwa)
- Chicken Celery and Tofu Stir Fry
- Chicken Chop Suey with Shrimp Stir-Fry
- Stir-fry Bulgogi Eggplant
- Stir Fried Green Beans with Pork and Asparagus
- Panda Express Kung Pao Chicken Recipe (Copycat)
- Tofu Veggie Stir-Fry in Peanut Garlic Brown Sauce
- Shredded Beef with Worcestershire Sauce
Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Ingredients
Marinate
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 ½ pounds tri tip steak slice thinly in an angle against the grain
Sauce
- 2 ½ tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice cooking wine
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 cup water or broth if using broth, don't add Knorr boiullon powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Knorr beef or chicken boiullon powder
Stir-Fry
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ cup onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 - 5 cups Broccoli florets
- salt to taste
Garnish
- sesame seeds optional
- a few pieces of julienned white onion optional
Instructions
- Marinate beef in Shaoxing rice cooking wine, soy sauce and cornstarch for 30 minutes in the fridge.
- Cut broccoli florets the same sizes. Wash and drain water in a colander.
- Make sauce. Combine oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, Shaoxing cooking wine, brown sugar, cornstarch, Knorr beef or chicken boiullon powder and water. Set aside.
- Get your wok or pan smoking hot over medium to high heat then pour oil and sesame oil.
- Stir-fry beef on both sides for a total of about 3 to 4 minutes depending on your preference. This is quick since beef is sliced thinly. Remove from pan and set aside.
- Saute onion, garlic and ginger for 1 1/2 minutes.
- Toss-in broccoli and cook for a minute then push it on the sides. It will continue to cook.
- Pour beef and broccoli sauce. Stir and in a few minutes it will simmer and thicken.
- Add beef and combine all the ingredients until coated with sauce.
- Turn off heat and transfer to a serving platter right away. Broccoli will get soggy if you leave it the pan.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and julienned white onion.
Video
Notes
- In the blog, I have tips that might help you cook this delicious dish.
- Double the sauce, if you like.
- The marinade is enough for a 1 ½ pound beef. I don’t suggest adding more. Beef should fry, not steam.
- Soy sauce is salty, add salt only if needed. I did not.
- If using broth in sauce, no need to add Knorr beef or chicken boiullon powder.
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