Quick & Tasty Easy Beef and Broccoli Recipe for Busy Nights!
Ever have one of those nights when you swear you have no time and even less patience—but your tastebuds are grumbling for something way better than takeout? That’s me nearly every Thursday. This Easy Beef and Broccoli Recipe is my weeknight lifesaver. Loads faster than delivery, honest. You pretty much blink and it’s on your plate.
By the way, if you love a classic twist, you might wanna check out the Chinese beef and broccoli recipe that got me started down this whole delicious rabbit hole.
Easy Beef and Broccoli Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Okay, confession: I’d eat beef and broccoli every week if my family let me. Why do I keep coming back? Because it’s just so blasted simple, it makes me look like some kind of food wizard without any real magic required. It tastes like a five-star restaurant entrée but you made it in your own weird kitchen (bonus points if your stove clicks).
You can tweak the veggie-to-meat ratio if you’re feeling rebellious. Prefer more crunch? Dump in extra broccoli. Craving something cozier? Double up on the beef. And the sauce—oh man, don’t get me started on that. Sweet, salty, savory all at once (dangerously spoon-licking stuff). It puts limp takeout to shame… you’ll see.
“I tried this recipe after a long, crummy workday—cannot believe how quick it came together. Tastes like actual restaurant food. My picky teenager even asked for seconds. Winner!”
— Julie R., home cook (total rookie)
Easy Beef and Broccoli Recipe
The Best Cuts of Beef for Stir-Fry
Don’t get fancy here—seriously, no need. My go-to for a quick stir-fry like this Easy Beef and Broccoli Recipe is flank steak. It slices easy and doesn’t get rubbery (unless you totally forget it’s on the stove while you stress-scroll social media). Honestly, though, sirloin or even flat iron steak work fine, too. Just avoid stew meat; that stuff needs hours to get tender.
Slice your beef thinly and across the grain for the most tender bites. Freezer tip: sticking the steak in the freezer for 20 minutes makes slicing way easier and less of a squishy mess. My first time, I skipped that step. Regret.
Keep your patience when cutting—thick strips turn chewy and sad. Thin equals happy! Plus, everything cooks so much faster.
Easy Beef and Broccoli Recipe
Tips for Stir-Frying Beef
Let me spill the beans. Stir-frying sounds fancy but it’s just speedy cooking, really. You crank up the heat, drop your beef in a hot pan, and don’t move too far (seriously, it’s fast).
A couple of my must-do moves:
Let your skillet get screaming hot. Not just warm, not just “eh, good enough.” More like, “should I be worried?” You want the beef to hit and sizzle right away. Don’t crowd the pan or the meat will steam instead of getting that tasty sear. Sear in batches if you’re doubling up; takes a minute longer but oh-so worth it.
And don’t overcook! This beef cooks up fast. It’s better to underdo it and let the carryover heat finish the job than to gnaw on beef jerky (save that for air fryer beef jerky recipe). Trust me.
Easy Beef and Broccoli Recipe
The Best Stir Fry Sauce for Beef and Broccoli
This part? Totally where the flavor explosion happens. If you want the kind of sauce that coats every bite perfectly, you wanna mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, a bit of brown sugar, and a splash of sesame oil. Garlic and ginger—pretty much non-negotiable. Nothing lasts on your plate when these flavors come together (my household inhales it).
You can make it a little spicy with chili flakes or a dash of sriracha. And adding a teeny bit of cornstarch helps the sauce thicken up so it clings to the beef and broccoli instead of puddling at the bottom of your pan.
Not a fan of oysters (yeah, I know a few folks like that)? Just use a tad more soy sauce with a drop of hoisin. Still dreamy. Sauce should taste bold and a little sweet. Taste it while you go. Who’s gonna know if you sample a spoonful?
Easy Beef and Broccoli Recipe
Make Ahead and Storage
Love prepping ahead like I do? This recipe totally plays nice with a little planning. You can slice up the beef and chop your broccoli in advance. Heck, mix your sauce in a jar and stick it in the fridge. When it’s go-time, you just throw it together in minutes.
Leftovers? They’ll keep a couple days in the fridge.
I like to pop mine in a glass container—makes microwaving safer. It actually reheats well, the sauce keeps things juicy. Freezing works in a pinch, but honestly, broccoli gets mushy (just a heads up).
So if you do somehow avoid eating all of it right away (good luck), this dish is ready for round two, even in tomorrow’s lunchbox.
Easy Beef and Broccoli Recipe
Here’s how I like to serve, by the way:
- Ladled straight over steamy white rice. Never gets old.
- Tossed with ramen noodles for a real stick-to-your-ribs dinner.
- Next to a crisp side like broccoli caesar salad recipe. Crunch-tastic.
- Or hey, just eat it out of the skillet when no one’s watching. No judgment.
Wanna make your weeknight meals even easier? If you crave even more beef and broccoli inspo (or you want a superfast version), check out this Easy Beef and Broccoli (20-Minute Recipe!) from Just a Taste. Swear you’ll be hooked. And if you ever want to branch out to something sweet with your meal, that easy apple coffee cake recipe is a crowd-pleaser in my house, too. Nobody’s hungry when there’s beef, broccoli, and cake in the mix. Bon appétit!
Easy Beef and Broccoli Recipe
PrintEasy Beef and Broccoli
A quick and flavorful beef and broccoli stir-fry that brings restaurant-quality taste to your dinner table in no time.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stir-frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Diet: None
Ingredients
- 1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over high heat until very hot.
- Add sliced flank steak in batches, searing for 1-2 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add broccoli and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until vibrant and tender-crisp.
- In a bowl, mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch. Pour over the broccoli and stir well.
- Add the beef back to the skillet, tossing everything together until heated through.
- Serve hot over rice or noodles.
Notes
You can adjust the veggie-to-meat ratio according to your preference. Try adding chili flakes for a spicy kick.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
Easy Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
Method
- Heat a large skillet over high heat until very hot.
- Add sliced flank steak in batches, searing for 1-2 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add broccoli and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until vibrant and tender-crisp.
- In a bowl, mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch. Pour over the broccoli and stir well.
- Add the beef back to the skillet, tossing everything together until heated through.
- Serve hot over rice or noodles.
