Beef And Broccoli 30 Min Meal

There’s something so ridiculously fabulous about the combination of sweet, savory and spicy in this easy beef and broccoli recipe!

When you order takeout from your favorite Chinese restaurant, do you have a favorite dish? For me, it’s a toss-up between cashew chicken, fried rice and beef and broccoli.

What Cut of Beef Is Best for Stir Fry?

I’m a big fan of using flank steak for homemade takeout-style meals like this beef broccoli recipe or my almost famous and Easy Mongolian Beef. Once it’s cut properly, flank steak becomes so melt in your mouth tender!

To properly slice flank steak, you’ll need to examine the meat first. You’ll see lines running along the length of the beef. That’s called the grain, and it looks very similar to the grain on a piece of wood. If you cut alongside those lines (or WITH the grain), the steak becomes very tough and chewy. So instead, you’re going to cut across the lines (AGAINST the grain), which breaks down the connective fibers and gives you super tender pieces of meat.

To Tenderize Beef

In this recipe the beef is tenderized 2 ways.

Helpful Tip: It’s MUCH easier to slice flank steak thinly when the beef is partially frozen, so pop them in the freezer for 30-45 minutes before slicing!

Marinating: adds great flavor and breaks down some of the tough proteins in the beef.
Slicing: cut the beef very thin, cut across the grain

How to Make Beef and Broccoli

It is easy to learn how to cook beef broccoli inspired by a favorite Chinese take out dish. Flank steak is cut against the grain, then marinated in three simple ingredients at room temperature. This helps to tenderize and flavor the beef.

Prep Beef: Thinly slice and add to the marinade
Prepare Sauce: While the meat is marinating, a homemade beef and broccoli sauce is prepared. This sauce is super flavorful, making this beef and broccoli recipe tasty as can be!
Stir Fry Beef & Broccoli: Cook the beef, cook the broccoli and cook the garlic and ginger. Then the magic happens, when everything is added together in this easy beef and broccoli dish. It’s that simple!

This can be made in a wok if you have one or just a regular skillet. Keep in mind, a non-stick pan won’t give a good sear.

To Serve

The rice is optional in this recipe, but I find it goes so well with the dish. You could also serve it on cauliflower rice or easy fried rice.

More Homemade Favorites

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Lemon Chicken
Sesame Ramen Noodles
Chicken Lo Mein
Easy Pepper Steak
Egg Roll in a Bowl
Pork Stir Fry