Beef and Broccoli Recipe: Takeout-Style Stir-Fry at Home

The short answer: this beef and broccoli recipe sears 1 pound of thinly sliced flank steak in two batches, cooks 4 cups of broccoli until crisp-tender, and coats both in a glossy oyster-soy sauce. The steak reaches 145°F with a 3-minute rest. It serves 4 in about 30 minutes, over rice.

• Key numbers: 1 lb flank steak · 4 cups broccoli florets · 3 tbsp oyster sauce · 2 tsp cornstarch · serves 4
• Top moves: slice against the grain, sear in batches, steam the broccoli, sauce last
• Free and paid next step: get the free recipe book starter pages (we email it to you), or save your sauce ratio in the Family Recipe Binder ($6.99).

Tender beef comes from three things: slicing direction, a thin cornstarch coat, and a pan hot enough that each strip browns before it releases its juices. The sauce is mixed before the stove goes on, because the cooking itself takes under 10 minutes. Cooking takeout favorites at home also cuts fast food runs; when you do order out, these are the healthiest fast food orders.

Beef and broccoli ingredients

Serves 4.

Optional: a pinch of red pepper flakes, sliced green onions, or sesame seeds to finish.

How to make beef and broccoli

1. Slice the beef. Find the long lines running through the flank steak; that is the grain. Cut the steak lengthwise into 2-inch-wide pieces, then slice each piece across those lines into 1/4-inch strips. Twenty minutes in the freezer firms the meat and makes thin slicing easier.
2. Coat the beef. Toss the strips with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Let them sit while you prepare everything else, up to 30 minutes in the refrigerator. The FDA says to always marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the counter.
3. Mix the sauce. In a measuring cup, stir the cold beef broth, oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, brown sugar and 2 teaspoons cornstarch until no lumps remain. Keep it next to the stove.
4. Sear the beef in batches. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until it shimmers. Add half the beef in a single layer and leave it alone for 1 minute, then flip and cook about 1 minute more. Move it to a clean plate and repeat with the rest. A food thermometer in the thickest strip should read 145°F; FDA lists 145°F with a 3-minute rest for beef steaks. The strips rest on the plate while the broccoli cooks.
5. Cook the broccoli. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the broccoli to the pan. Stir 1 minute, add the 3 tablespoons water, cover and steam 2 minutes, until bright green and crisp-tender. Uncover and let any water boil off.
6. Add aromatics. Push the broccoli aside, add the garlic and ginger to the open spot, and stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
7. Sauce and combine. Stir the sauce again (the cornstarch settles), pour it in and simmer about 1 minute, until glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon. Return the beef and any plate juices, toss to coat, take the pan off the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Serve over rice.

Why takeout beef is so tender

Restaurant beef and broccoli often uses a step called velveting: the sliced beef is coated in cornstarch, sometimes with egg white or a small pinch of baking soda, before a fast sear. The coating protects the surface from drying out and helps the sauce cling. The tablespoon of cornstarch in step 2 is the home version.

If you want to try baking soda, use no more than 1/4 teaspoon for a pound of beef, let it sit 15 minutes in the refrigerator, and rinse and pat the strips dry before the cornstarch goes on. Too much leaves a soapy taste.

The other two factors are slicing and heat. Cutting across the grain shortens the muscle fibers, so each bite breaks easily. A crowded or lukewarm pan pulls the temperature down; the beef then simmers in its own juices and turns gray and tough. Two batches take an extra 2 minutes and prevent that.

Cuts of beef for beef and broccoli

Raw steak keeps in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days, or in the freezer for 6 to 12 months, according to the Montana State University Extension beef fact sheet, which also says to keep beef below 40°F in the refrigerator. Buying a flank steak on sale and freezing it flat makes this a fast pantry dinner later. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, or slice it while it is still partly frozen.

Swaps and variations

• Chicken instead of beef: the method and timing change, and chicken must reach 165°F. Use the chicken and broccoli recipe for that version.
• More vegetables: add sliced bell pepper, snap peas, carrots or mushrooms with the broccoli. The vegetable timing chart in our stir fry guide shows which go in first.
• Peppers and onions instead of broccoli: that is closer to pepper steak, which uses a similar sear-and-sauce method.
• Gluten-free: use tamari in place of soy sauce and a gluten-free oyster sauce; check labels, since many oyster sauces contain wheat.
• Less salty: low-sodium soy sauce and unsalted broth, then taste before adding more.
• Spicy: red pepper flakes with the garlic, or a spoon of chili crisp at the table.
• Sweeter, darker sauce: replace the brown sugar with 1 tablespoon honey and add 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce for color.

Troubleshooting beef and broccoli

What to serve with beef and broccoli

Steamed white or brown rice is the standard; start it before you slice the beef. The cooked rice page has ratios and times for stovetop and rice cooker. For a bigger takeout-style spread, add fried rice made with yesterday's cold rice, egg rolls, or a simple cucumber salad. Lo mein noodles also work: toss cooked noodles in at the end with an extra splash of sauce.

Make ahead, storage and reheating

• Make ahead: slice and coat the beef, mix the sauce, and cut the broccoli up to a day ahead. Keep the raw beef covered on the lowest refrigerator shelf, away from the vegetables.
• Refrigerate leftovers promptly: the FDA says to refrigerate cooked food within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if it is above 90°F. Use a shallow container so it cools quickly, and eat leftovers within 3 to 4 days.
• Reheat: in a skillet with a splash of water, or covered in the microwave, until it reaches 165°F, the FDA reheating temperature for leftovers. Stir halfway so the middle heats through.
• Freeze: the beef and sauce freeze well; broccoli turns soft. Freeze the beef and sauce alone and add fresh broccoli when reheating.

Beef and broccoli on a budget

Takeout beef and broccoli is one of the pricier items on most menus, and the home version uses ingredients that stretch: one flank steak feeds four once broccoli and rice fill the plate. A few ways to keep the cost down:

• Buy whatever lean steak is on sale that week; sirloin and top round both slice well.
• Use 3/4 pound of beef and 5 cups of broccoli. The sauce stays the same.
• Oyster sauce, soy sauce and cornstarch last for months, so after the first purchase each batch costs only the beef, broccoli and rice.
• Freeze half a family-pack of steak in a flat, labeled bag for a second beef and broccoli night.

For a full week of meals built around sale proteins, see meal planning on a budget.

Plan the shopping and save the recipe

Put stir-fry night on the weekly plan so the steak, broccoli and oyster sauce land in the same shopping trip.

• Meal Planner & Grocery List, $3.99. A weekly menu and an aisle-sorted grocery list.
• Family Recipe Binder, $6.99. Write down your cut, slicing thickness and sauce ratio so the next batch matches.

Browse more kitchen printables in the printables shop.

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