I love a good stir fry to eat with some white rice. Beef and broccoli is a savory and tasty stir fry that you often find at Chinese takeout spots. It’s actually so quick and easy to make, so why not make it in your own kitchen?
What makes beef and broccoli such a great recipe is that you can get your protein and veggies in! It’s also packed with flavor from the beef marinade and stir fry sauce, even your kids would love it. You can even mix in some of the sauce with your rice or noodles.
Broccoli or Chinese Broccoli?
Beef and broccoli actually originates from the classic Chinese dish, “Niu Rou Chao Gai Lan”, which uses Chinese broccoli rather than regular broccoli florets.
I used regular broccoli for my beef and broccoli stir fry, but feel free to use Chinese broccoli for your recipe! You can find Chinese broccoli at your local Asian supermarkets. They may also be referred to as Chinese kale, Gai Lan, or Kai Lan.
Tips for Making the Beef and Broccoli Recipe
Prep all your ingredients first!
Stir fries typically use very high heat, and the actual cooking time isn’t very long. Slice and marinate your beef, chop your broccoli and other veggies, and prepare the sauce. Following all these steps before heating up the pan will make things a lot easier.
For the beef marinade:
To make your beef extra tender, I added baking soda to marinate the beef. This is totally optional, but if you do add baking soda, I recommend marinating just for a few minutes or else the baking soda can cause an unpleasant flavor to your beef and broccoli stir fry!
Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs (about 3 cups) beef thinly sliced
- 3 cups broccoli chopped
- 1 bell pepper thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp oil (use one with a high smoke point, like avocado oil)
- Sesame seeds to garnish
FOR THE BEEF MARINADE:
- 1 heaping tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger minced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp baking soda
FOR THE SAUCE:
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Thinly slice your beef and add to a bowl along with ingredients for the marinade. Mix and set aside for just a few minutes (do not marinate too long or else the baking soda will cause an unpleasant flavor)
- Start making your sauce with the cornstarch and water first. Whisk until a cornstarch slurry is formed and there are no bumps. Then add in the remaining ingredients for the sauce. Whisk and set aside.
- Chop your veggies, then heat your pan under medium heat until very hot.
- Add oil to pan and cook your beef. Once beef is just cooked, add in your veggies and sauce until everything is coated with the sauce.
- Add in about 1/4 cup of water to the pan and top with lid ajar for about 2 minutes so the broccoli can cook. Give everything a final mix, then take off the heat.
- Serve with rice and garnish with sesame seeds before serving.
