Skip the greasy takeout and whip up a fast and fresh recipe for Easy Beef and Broccoli in 20 minutes or less.
Yes, you read that correctly … 20 minutes! As in, you are less than half an episode of Fixer Upper away from digging your chopsticks into a big ol’ bowl of the most flavorful, tender, saucy Easy Beef and Broccoli.
The classic takeout dishes (think Orange Chicken, Pad Thai and Chicken Egg Rolls) were one of my many cravings during my second pregnancy. But rather than feel the greasy guilt often associated with the heavily salted and oil-drenched restaurant versions of those dishes, I decided a fast and fresh version of beef and broccoli was a must!
There are just two tablespoons of oil in this entire dish, and you better believe it’s still packed with all that sweet, tangy, garlicky soy sauce flavor. After all, isn’t the best part of beef and broccoli the gravy-like sauce?
It has to be thick enough to coat the tender slices of beef and the broccoli florets, without weighing down the entire dish. And most importantly, there has to be just enough sauce so that the accompanying rice also gets a chance to soak up all that glorious garlicky gravy. Want to see for yourself? Tune in below!
How To Make Beef and Broccoli
INGREDIENTS
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch, divided
- 1 pound flank steak, cut into thin 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 3 Tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 4 cups small broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup sliced white onions
INSTRUCTIONS
In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water. Add the beef to the bowl and toss to combine.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch with the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and ginger. Set the sauce aside.
Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and once it is hot, add the beef and cook, stirring constantly until the beef is almost cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate and set it aside.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan and once it is hot, add the broccoli florets and sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is tender, about 4 minutes. (See Kelly’s Notes.)
Return the beef to the pan then add the prepared sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until the sauce thickens slightly. Serve with rice or noodles.
NOTES:
To guarantee bright green broccoli, blanch the florets in boiling water then drain and dry it very well before adding it to the pan. If you opt for this additional blanching step, reduce the cooking time of the broccoli to 2 minutes.
The sauce must come to a boil in order for the cornstarch to work as a thickening agent.