This easy Beef and Broccoli recipe is made on the stovetop and is done in under 25 minutes. Your family will love this simple and easy recipe.
I don’t know if I can think about broccoli at all – for the rest of time – without remembering the time I convinced my daughter (age 2 at the time) to think of her broccoli as zebras running for their lives from a lion.
She was the lion.
She literally started growling at her broccoli and devoured every last piece.
Now she eats broccoli without morphing into a predator. And she absolutely loved this Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry. She devoured it. Like a lion.
This easy skillet dinner is going to become a huge win in your house too. My favorite part about it is that it is done in just under 25 minutes. That’s faster than going to get takeout! It will make you feel like no matter how busy your life is, you can create a warm home cooked meal for the family.
I have made this a couple or more times. It’s easy & quick to prepare. I like this for a quick meal. It will be my go to recipe.
How to Make Beef and Broccoli
This fast dinner comes together in a skillet right on the stove top. This is a brief overview of the recipe. For the full recipe, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Cook the beef. Heat the oil in the skillet and then add the thinly cut flat iron steak. Just stir it occasionally and cook it until it is no longer pink, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Make the sauce. I like to whisk together the sauce for this recipe while the beef is cooking. It cuts a little of the prep time on this recipe.
- Cook the broccoli. Remove the beef from the skillet. Add in the broccoli florets. You may need to add a little more oil to the skillet if the broccoli starts to brown too quickly.
- Combine everything. After the broccoli is tender, about four minutes, add the beef back in and then add in the sauce. You are going to cook just until the sauce thickens up, about two to three minutes. Serve over rice and enjoy.
Which Cut of Beef to Use for Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
In this recipe we are using Flat Iron Steak because of how tender and well marbled it is. By using this cut of meat, we are able to skip marinading it, cutting down on the time necessary for this recipe. This cut of meat is best when it is sliced into thin strips agains the grain and cooked to medium, so be careful not to over cook it.
If you are unable to find Flat Iron, you could also use skirt steak or flank steak in this recipe. In that case you will want to marinate the beef for at least six hours. Duplicate the sauce for this recipe and use that as a marinade. Remove the beef before cooking, and discard the marinade.
Budget Friendly Beef and Broccoli
If you love this recipe but Flat Iron Steak just isn’t in the budget for you, you can make this great recipe with ground beef. It is still a fast, easy, and delicious dinner that your family will fall in love with.
Ground Beef and Broccoli
A Note About Soy Sauce
Salt is that great ingredient that can pull an entire recipe together. But over do it and you have something you can’t even eat.
The same thing goes for soy sauce, the base of the beef and broccoli sauce. Because of that, you want to use a low sodium soy sauce.
If that is not something you have on hand, no need to worry, just replace some of the regular soy sauce with water.
Replace the 1/2 cup of low sodium sauce with 1/3 cup regular soy sauce + 2 2/3 tablespoons water. In other words, fill up a 1 cup class measuring cup with soy sauce to the 1/3 mark and then fill it up to 1/2 cup mark with water.
Making this Low Carb
If you are eating low carb, this dinner is a great option! But you will definitely want to replace the rice with my Cauliflower Rice. Cauliflower Rice is a great alternative to rice as long as you understand that it doesn’t taste just like rice. In this recipe, the sauce is so amazing that you will love this easy healthy swap.
Cauliflower Rice
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Leftovers should be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. As with all recipes, use your best discretion when it comes to leftovers.
To reheat, take out the portion that you want to eat, and reheat on the stove top over low heat until warmed through. Alternatively, place in a microwave safe container, covered, and heat on half power for 2 to 4 minutes.
FAQ
Flat Iron Steak. The reason for this is because it is very tender and doesn’t require marinating. For best results slice the meat thin, and cook it only to medium. You can read more about this above.
Yes, if you have a soy allergy, or use a soy replacement, you can use that in this recipe, but you will want to cut the amount to 1/3 cup and replace the rest of the amount called for with water.
Soy sauce contains gluten, and therefore this recipe is not gluten free.
Other Great Skillet Dinners
I’m on a skillet dinner kick lately, and if you want to join the party, try some of these great recipes:
If you like this easy beef and broccoli recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know!
Easy Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound flat iron steak sliced thin (read here why we use flat iron)
- 1 head of broccoli cut into florets approximately 4 cups
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce see note 1
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 – 2 teaspoons chili paste (we normally buy this) see note 2
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the beef and cook until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Remove it from the pan.
- While the beef is cooking, whisk together the soy sauce, corn starch, brown sguar, ginger, garlic, chili paste, and red pepper flakes.
- Add the broccoli and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add more oil as needed so the broccoli does not burn.
- Return the meat to the pan, and stir in the sauce. Cook until the sauce has thickened, about three minutes. Serve with rice.
Notes
- If you don’t have low sodium soy sauce on hand, use 1/3 cup soy sauce and the rest water to make 1/2 cup total liquid.
- If you like your dishes spicy, make sure to add two teaspoons of chili paste. Just 1 teaspoon will give it just a small, nice little kick.
- Please note that the nutritional information does not include the rice.
Alice says
Haven’t tried it yet, but might have on Sunday if I can find broccoli .
I hope you love it, Alice! Have a great weekend!
Susan says
Delicious
I’m glad you liked it Susan.
Joanne says
Just cannot wait to make these dinners. They are simple but look very good. I will make them for my grandaughters; they love broccoli! Thanks so much!
Becki says
Can you use sirloin?
Yes, that would be a good substitution!
Kevin says
Looks amazing
Could I use chicken instead of steak
I haven’t tried this recipe with chicken, but I’m sure it would be delicious.
Tammi says
in your easy beef broccoli recipe, is there another meat that’s tender? My son made that steak and I’m
not sure how tender that cut is? I haven’t made it yet, but I was wondering your thoughts on that flat iron steak vs. other meats as far an tenderness. Or do you have an idea on how to make that cut extra tender thank Tammi
The flat iron steak is going to be more tender than, for example, a flank steak or skirt steak (which would also work in this recipe). If you are looking to make this cut more tender, you can make the marinade the night before and marinate the meat overnight.
Donna says
You really need to cut it against the grain.
Garcia says
Hi what does chili paste look like for this recopie
This is the brand I use https://amzn.to/38Mfe5i
Yvonne Clark says
I will try this recipe for sure. I have enjoyed many of your recipes and really appreciate your sharing them. My husband and I are both in our late 80s and we share kitchen duties, so simple recipes are the best.
I have cooked turkey left over from Thanksgiving and wonder if you have a simple turkey soup recipe to share? Thanks again and I hope 2021 is a good year for you
Thank you so much for your kind words, Yvonne! Yes! I have a great Turkey Noodle Soup.
VIRGINIA T HOLLINSHED says
Can you use pork instead of beef in the beef broccoli recipe?
Hi Virginia! I’m sorry, I’ve only made this recipe with beef. I am sure it would work with pork, but you may need to adjust cooking time and add a little more oil.
Linda Workman says
Where do I find chili paste. Would like to be able to print your added suggestions but can only print recipe, how do I go about getting other information you give on recipe. Thanks