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Beef and Broccoli is a favorite American-Chinese dish and for good reason – the tender beef and crispy broccoli is cooked with a delicious, savory sauce. I have perfected my recipe over the years and I guarantee you’ll love it even more than the restaurant versions you grew up with! Keep reading for my favorite tips and techniques for restaurant quality Beef and Broccoli!
Watch the Beef and Broccoli Recipe Video Below!
Ingredient Tips
- flank steak, cut into 1/4″ strips; see note below
- oyster sauce – my favorite oyster sauce is by Lee Kum Kee; they also make a great vegan alternative!
- light soy sauce – this is your “all-purpose” soy sauce, used primarily for seasoning
- salt
- white pepper – I love white pepper and it’s used very commonly in Chinese cooking (another “secret ingredient” for cooking restaurant quality Chinese food at home). It has an earthier, less spicy flavor than black pepper. I recommend having some in your pantry but if you can’t find it, you can always substitute with black pepper.
- baking soda – This is the KEY ingredient to super tender beef. Baking soda is commonly used in Chinese cooking to tenderize beef. Baking soda neutralizes acid and raises the pH level, which causes the meat to become more alkaline. This means the proteins INSIDE the meat will have more trouble tightening up – when the proteins can’t tighten up, the meat ends up much more tender when cooked.
- neutral oil, I used avocado oil – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can also use canola or vegetable oil! I don’t use olive oil when cooking Chinese food for two reasons: 1. It has a low burning point and 2. I find that the flavor profile does not usually go with the dish.
- cornstarch – this is used for marinating the beef and also thickening the sauce (via a “cornstarch slurry). A cornstarch slurry is a mixture of cornstarch and water that is used in cooking to thicken without powdery lumps or additional flavors/colors! This is the secret to so many of your favorite Chinese dishes. My #1 tip is make sure your cornstarch slurry has not separated before adding it in – I always try to re-stir right before!
- dark soy sauce – dark soy sauce is thicker, darker, and sweeter – primarily used to add color and a richer, more intense flavor. I love using light and dark soy sauces together, as it creates a depth of flavor that can’t be achieved by using just one.
- sugar
- sesame oil
- msg – I like to use this in moderation as a flavor enhancer; it is always optional
- chicken stock – if you don’t have chicken stock on hand, you can substitute with water
- shaoxing wine – Chinese cooking wine is one of my favorite pantry staples; if you can’t use shaoxing wine, you can substitute with sherry, mirin, or chicken stock or broth.
- broccoli, cut into 2″ pieces – I recommend you avoid the pre-cut broccoli and get crowns from the store that you can cut yourself. It’s important that the broccoli is cut to similar sized pieces (1″) so they cook evenly and are distributed equally throughout the dish. I’ve noticed that pre-cut broccoli range widely in size, which will result in some broccoli pieces being under-cooked, while others will be over-cooked.
- garlic, chopped
- ginger, chopped
Key Tip
For Tender Beef, Slice Against the Grain
Make sure you are slicing the flank steak against the grain. You’ll know which direction the grain is when you look at the meat – the lines will be running in one direction (the lines are the muscle fibers). Slicing against the grain is an easy way to ensure your meat will be tender. (Remember, the lines are the muscle fibers – cutting against the lines means you’re cutting the long fibers, so they don’t get tough when cooked!)
Recipe Instructions
Marinate Beef
Slice your beef into 1/4″ strips against the grain for maximum tenderness.
Marinate beef strips with baking soda, oyster sauce, salt, oil, and cornstarch. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Mix Sauce
In a small bowl, mix together your sauce by combining light soy, dark soy, oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper, sesame oil, msg, shaoxing wine, chicken stock, and cornstarch. This will be your sauce. Set aside.
Blanch Broccoli
Bring a pot of water to boil and blanch your broccoli 30 seconds; drain and set aside.
Cook Beef
Add about 4 tbsp of neutral oil to a hot pan. Sear marinated beef strips over high heat for 2-3 minutes until nicely browned. Remove and set aside.
Cook Vegetables
In the same pan and oil, fry ginger and and garlic for 15 seconds. Add back your broccoli and stir fry for 30 seconds.
Add Beef and Sauce to Finish
Add back the beef followed by the premixed sauce and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly and coated the beef and broccoli.
Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve with freshly steamed white rice and enjoy!
Key Tip
Expert Tips for Restaurant Quality
Avoid pre-cut broccoli – I recommend you avoid the pre-cut broccoli and get crowns from the store that you can cut yourself. It’s important that the broccoli is cut to similar sized pieces (1″) so they cook evenly and are distributed equally throughout the dish. I’ve noticed that pre-cut broccoli range widely in size, which will result in some broccoli pieces being under-cooked, while others will be over-cooked.
Blanch your broccoli! – I highly recommend blanching your broccoli before using it in a stir-fry (such as this dish) – the 30 seconds in hot water will help soften the vegetable (so it doesn’t take too long to cook in the wok and get inadvertently soggy), brighten the color, and also keep the dish from being overwhelmed by broccoli flavor.
Slice against the grain – Make sure you are slicing the flank steak against the grain. You’ll know which direction the grain is when you look at the meat – the lines will be running in one direction (the lines are the muscle fibers). Slicing against the grain is an easy way to ensure your meat will be tender. (Remember, the lines are the muscle fibers – cutting against the lines means you’re cutting the long fibers, so they don’t get tough when cooked!)
Velveting – Velveting is a key Chinese cooking technique that involves marinating the protein in cornstarch and various seasonings (such as white pepper, salt, shaoxing wine, and oils) before quickly passing it through hot oil. It’s one of my favorite ways to guarantee moist and tender meat, and it’s a trick that I don’t hear home chefs talk about often. I love incorporating it into my recipes because it’s one of the best ways to make restaurant quality Chinese food at home!
Success is in the prep! – Once you start cooking, this recipe will come together very quickly. The key to pulling this off successfully is having all of your ingredients prepped and in bowls right next to your wok or pan! Have your premixed sauce, noodles, and vegetables ready and easily accessible during the cooking process.
Cornstarch slurry – My #1 tip is make sure your cornstarch slurry has not separated before adding it in – I always try to re-stir right before adding it!
Cooking With a Wok (Alternatives)
By now, you know that I LOVE cooking with my carbon steel wok! It is my #1 most recommended kitchen tool, as I believe it is perfect for high-heat cooking and results in restaurant quality Chinese food!
If it is your first time cooking with a wok, make sure to read my “How To Season a Wok” post. There is a video included that shows exactly how to season your brand new wok and how to maintain it so it lasts for years.
If you cannot or do not want to use a wok, you can use a large pan, cast iron, or even a dutch oven.
My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan – crowding can lead to your Beef and Broccoli not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy. If you think your dish will be crowded, use a larger pan, cast iron, or dutch oven, OR cook in batches.
If you tried this Beef and Broccoli or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Beef and Broccoli (Video)
Ingredients
Beef
- 1 lb flank steak, cut into 1/4" strips
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp neutral oil, I used avocado oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Sauce
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp msg, optional
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Slice your beef into 1/4" strips against the grain for maximum tenderness.
- Marinate beef strips with baking soda, oyster sauce, salt, oil, and cornstarch. Set aside for 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix together your sauce by combining light soy, dark soy, oyster sauce, sugar, white pepper, sesame oil, msg, shaoxing wine, chicken stock, and cornstarch. This will be your sauce. Set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to boil and blanch your broccoli 30 seconds; drain and set aside.
- Add about 4 tbsp of neutral oil to a hot pan. Sear marinated beef strips over high heat for 2-3 minutes until nicely browned. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan and oil, fry ginger and and garlic for 15 seconds. Add back your broccoli and stir fry for 30 seconds.
- Add back the beef followed by the premixed sauce and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly and coated the beef and broccoli.
- Garnish with sesame seeds. Serve with freshly steamed white rice and enjoy!
Notes
- I recommend you avoid the pre-cut broccoli and get crowns from the store that you can cut yourself. It’s important that the broccoli is cut to similar sized pieces (1″) so they cook evenly and are distributed equally throughout the dish. I’ve noticed that pre-cut broccoli range widely in size, which will result in some broccoli pieces being under-cooked, while others will be over-cooked.
- I highly recommend blanching your broccoli before using it in a stir-fry (such as this dish) – the 30 seconds in hot water will help soften the vegetable (so it doesn’t take too long to cook in the wok and get inadvertently soggy), brighten the color, and also keep the dish from being overwhelmed by broccoli flavor.
- Make sure you are slicing against the grain. You’ll know which direction the grain is when you look at the meat – the lines will be running in one direction (the lines are the muscle fibers). Slicing against the grain is an easy way to ensure your meat will be tender. (Remember, the lines are the muscle fibers – cutting against the lines means you’re cutting the long fibers, so they don’t get tough when cooked!)
- Don’t skip the baking soda! Baking soda is commonly used in Chinese cooking to tenderize beef – it neutralizes acid and raises the pH level, which causes the meat to become more alkaline. This means the proteins INSIDE the meat will have more trouble tightening up – when the proteins can’t tighten up, the meat ends up much more tender when cooked (instead of constricting together aka getting tough!)
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this recipe!
I make this for my family at least once per month and we all love it!
The dish turned out delicious!!!
This was such a great weeknight meal! We served it over rice and it was delicious, even the next day!
This is a weekly demand in our house, everyone loves this. It’s easy to make and better than any take-out!
Always easy and great for any time meal!
No need to buy beef broccoli from a restaurant. This easy recipe tastes much better. The broccoli still has a little bite which I prefer and it tastes so fresh.
This recipe is restaurant quality. The perfect combination of ingredients without the dish being too salty.
SIMPLE, EASY, and DELICIOUS! Just like the take outs.
This was always my go to dish at Chinese take out restaurants! My bf loved eating broccoli this way and the sesame seeds gave it a nice flavor