Chinese Beef and Broccoli

What is this dish all about?

So this is basically THE takeout classic that I’ve been obsessed with perfecting at home for years. Chinese Beef and Broccoli is that perfect combo of tender, thin-sliced beef and bright green broccoli swimming in a savory-sweet sauce that somehow tastes better than what you get at most restaurants. I finally cracked the code on making it at home without special equipment or hard-to-find ingredients. The secret? Getting the beef super thin and that sauce just right – not too thick, not too thin, with that perfect balance of salty, sweet, and umami that makes you want to lick the plate when nobody’s looking.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s faster than delivery. Seriously, you can have this on the table in 30 minutes flat.
• That sauce! It’s got this perfect consistency that clings to the beef and broccoli without being gloopy.
• It’s actually way healthier than takeout – way less oil and you control the salt.
• The beef turns out tender EVERY TIME with my foolproof method (no more rubber meat!).
• It’s basically foolproof – even when I’m half paying attention while helping my kid with homework, it still turns out great.
• Leftover heaven – it reheats like a dream for lunch the next day (if there’s any left!).
• You’ve probably got most of the ingredients already.

The Good Stuff You’ll Need

For the Beef & Marinade:

• 1 pound flank steak (or sirloin if that’s what’s on sale)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (the regular stuff, nothing fancy needed)
• 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry (honestly, I’ve used white wine in a pinch)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda (THE SECRET to tender takeout-style meat!)
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

For the Sauce:

• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth (beef works too)
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce (find it in the Asian section – worth buying!)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (dark if you’ve got it)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil (a little goes a long way)

For the Stir Fry:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 large head or 2 small ones)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or more, I won’t judge)
• 1-inch piece ginger, grated (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, for a little kick)
• 2 green onions, sliced diagonally for garnish
• Sesame seeds for sprinkling (totally optional but looks fancy)

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Let’s Do This

Prep the Beef (10 minutes + 15 minutes marinating):

1. THE MOST IMPORTANT STEP: Slice your beef SUPER thin across the grain. The easiest way? Pop it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes until it’s firm but not frozen solid. Then you can slice it paper-thin with a sharp knife. Cutting across the grain is key – look for the lines in the meat and cut perpendicular to them.
2. In a bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients (soy sauce, rice wine, baking soda, cornstarch, sugar, and oil). Toss the sliced beef in there and mix it around with your hands to make sure every piece gets coated. Let it sit for at least 15 minutes while you prep everything else. The baking soda is doing some science magic to tenderize the meat!

Prep Everything Else (5 minutes):

1. Whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Make sure the cornstarch is fully dissolved with no lumps.
2. Cut your broccoli into bite-sized florets. Not too big (they won’t cook through) and not too small (they’ll overcook and get mushy).
3. Mince your garlic, grate your ginger, and get your other ingredients lined up. Once we start cooking, this goes FAST.

Time to Cook (10 minutes):

1. Heat a large wok or skillet over HIGH heat until it’s smoking hot. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat.
2. Add the broccoli and stir-fry for about 30 seconds. Then pour in 2 tablespoons of water and immediately cover with a lid. Let it steam for about 2 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender. Transfer to a plate.
3. Return the pan to high heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. When it’s shimmering hot, add the marinated beef in a SINGLE LAYER. DON’T TOUCH IT for 1 minute – let it get a good sear. Then stir-fry for another minute until it’s mostly cooked but still a little pink.
4. Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Your kitchen will smell AMAZING at this point.
5. Return the broccoli to the pan. Give your sauce mixture another quick whisk (the cornstarch settles), then pour it in. Stir constantly as the sauce thickens, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
6. Once the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, you’re done! Turn off the heat. The beef will finish cooking in the hot sauce.

Get It on the Table:

Transfer everything to a serving plate, sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if you’re feeling fancy. Serve with hot steamed rice and watch everyone demolish it in minutes.

Serving Suggestions

• Obviously, this needs to be served over rice. Jasmine rice is my go-to, but any white rice works great.
• Want a lower-carb option? Cauliflower rice works surprisingly well with these flavors.
• Need to stretch it for more people? Serve with a simple side of egg drop soup or hot and sour soup.
• If you’ve got an extra 10 minutes, some quick cucumber salad on the side adds a nice cool crunch (just slice cucumbers, add rice vinegar, a pinch of sugar, and a dash of salt).
• Fortune cookies for dessert are mandatory. I don’t make the rules.
• For a proper takeout experience at home, serve it family-style in the middle of the table and eat while watching a good movie.

Switch It Up

• Chicken and Broccoli: Just swap the beef for thinly sliced chicken breast. Marinate and cook it the same way, but it only needs about 2 minutes total cooking time.
• Vegetarian Version: Replace the beef with 1 pound of firm tofu, pressed and sliced, or use thick slices of portobello mushrooms. So good!
• Spicy Lover’s Edition: Add 1-2 tablespoons of chili garlic sauce to the stir-fry sauce. Or squirt in some sriracha at the table.
• Veggie Explosion: Throw in some sliced carrots, snow peas, or water chestnuts along with the broccoli. The more the merrier!
• Garlic Lover’s Dream: Double the garlic. Triple it. I won’t tell anyone.
• Saucy Version: If you’re like me and live for the sauce, 1.5x the sauce ingredients. More to soak into your rice!

Make-Ahead and Storage Tips

• The BEST thing about this dish is you can do all the prep ahead of time. Slice the beef, make the marinade and sauce, and cut the broccoli earlier in the day. Store everything separately in the fridge, then just throw it all together at dinnertime.
• This keeps great in the fridge for 3-4 days. The flavors actually get better on day 2!
• To reheat, microwave gently at 50% power to keep the beef from getting tough. Or even better, reheat in a skillet with a splash of water.
• Freezing: Honestly, the broccoli gets a bit sad when frozen and thawed, but the beef and sauce freeze fine. If you must freeze the whole dish, expect softer broccoli when reheated.
• Meal prep hero: Double the recipe and portion it out with rice for easy grab-and-go lunches all week.

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Questions People Actually Ask

Q: I can’t find oyster sauce! What now?
A: You can substitute hoisin sauce in a pinch, though the flavor will be a bit different. Or make a quick substitute by mixing 2 tablespoons soy sauce with 1 tablespoon honey and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.

Q: Why is my beef always tough and chewy?
A: Three game-changers: 1) Slice it SUPER thin across the grain, 2) Don’t skip the baking soda in the marinade (it’s science!), and 3) Don’t overcook it – the beef only needs about 2 minutes total cooking time.

Q: Can I use frozen broccoli?
A: You can, but I wouldn’t. It gets mushy too easily. If you must, don’t thaw it first, and reduce the steam time to about 30 seconds since it’s already partially cooked.

Q: My sauce always turns out too thick/thin/lumpy!
A: For perfect sauce: 1) Make sure cornstarch is fully dissolved before adding to the pan, 2) Keep the heat high, and 3) Stir constantly once you add it. If it’s too thick, add a splash of broth; too thin, mix a little more cornstarch with cold water and drizzle it in.

Q: What’s the best pan to use if I don’t have a wok?
A: A large cast iron skillet is amazing for this. The key is something that can get really hot and hold that heat when you add the ingredients. Non-stick works too, but you won’t get quite the same sear on the beef.

Q: My local Chinese restaurant’s beef is so tender it’s almost velvety. What’s their secret?
A: That’s called “velveting” and the baking soda trick in this recipe is a simplified version! Restaurants typically marinate meat in a mixture of egg white, cornstarch, and rice wine before blanching it briefly in oil or water. The baking soda method is easier for home cooks and gets you 90% of the way there.

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