Chinese Beef and Broccoli
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This delicious Chinese Beef and Broccoli recipe comes together in just minutes. Perfect for busy weeknights and WAY better than Chinese takeout, this is sure to become a favorite in your home!
One of our favorite take-out dishes along with General Tso’s Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, and Mongolian Chicken!
What is Beef and Broccoli?
Something of a fusion of Chinese and American cuisine, it likely originated from Chinese chefs in the United States. It has since become one of the most popular Chinese takeout dishes, featuring succulent beef with broccoli, onions and bean sprouts tossed in a phenomenally delicious sauce!
One of the things I love about Chinese food – aside from the fact that it tastes so darn delicious – is how quick it is to make. Once you have the prep work of all the chopping done – and that can conveniently be done in advance – it literally takes 5 minutes or less to actually cook. Another thing I love about Chinese food is that it’s such a great way to get in those healthy veggies. Stir-fries are perfect for using up veggies you have on hand – onions, bell peppers, carrots, celery, zucchini, broccoli, snow peas, etc. Just throw ’em all in, give ’em a fry, stir in the sauce, and voila!
Broccoli is one of our favorite vegetables, and one my kids are always happy to eat. Here is a delicious Chinese Beef and Broccoli stir fry that is ready for the table, including prep time, in just the amount of time it takes you to steam the rice!
Can I Make Sugar Free Beef and Broccoli?
Yes! If you’re looking for a low sugar alternative, simply substitute the brown sugar with a 1:1 alternative brown sugar of your choice.
Beef and Broccoli Recipe
Let’s get started!
Chop up the veggies, slice the beef, mince the garlic and ginger, and wash the bean sprouts. Toss the beef in the soy sauce and sherry. All of this can be done well in advance to save you time come dinner.
Heat the oil over high heat in a wok or large heavy skillet. Once very hot, add the beef and fry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
Add the onions, garlic and ginger and fry for another minute.
Add the broccoli and fry for another minute.
Stir in the bean sprouts.
Stir in the sauce and simmer for one minute.
Serve over steamed rice.
Enjoy!
Looking for more great Chinese recipes? Be sure to try my:
- Mongolian Chicken
- Mongolian Beef
- Egg Foo Young
- Sesame Chicken
- Kung Pao Chicken
- General Tso’s Chicken
- Orange Beef
- Orange Chicken
- Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Hoisin Sauce
- Black Bean Sauce
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Chinese Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak or other lean beef ,cut against the grain into thin strips
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sherry (can substitute dry white or red wine)
- 2 tablespoons oil for high-heat frying
- 1 small yellow onion ,halved and then sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 4 cups fresh uncooked broccoli florets in bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- For the Sauce:
- 1/3 cup soy sauce (paleo: substitute coconut aminos)
- 1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth or water
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- or brown sugar alternative (for low sugar option)
- 1 tablespoon sherry (can substitute red wine)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seed oil
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Optional: For an amazing boost in flavor add 1-2 tablespoons Chinese Black Bean Sauce
- Homemade Chinese Black Bean Sauce
- OR store-bought Chinese Black Bean Sauce
Instructions
- Toss the beef strips with the soy sauce and sherry. Set aside until ready to use.
- Combine the sauce ingredients until the cornstarch is dissolved. Set aside until ready to use.
- Heat the oil over high heat in a wok or large heavy skillet. Once very hot, add the beef and fry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and fry for another minute. Add a little more oil if necessary. Add the broccoli and fry for another minute or until crisp-tender. Stir in the bean sprouts. Stir in the sauce and simmer for another minute.
- Serve immediately with steamed rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published on The Daring Gourmet July 7, 2015
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
I’m making this dish tomorrow. I read the comments before I make a recipe because sometimes they are helpful. I’m going to follow this recipe exactly. I suspect that it was too salty for some people because they didn’t use low sodium broth and because they used cooking sherry, which is not the same as regular sherry. Cooking sherry has some salt added to it. Kimberly never said cooking sherry. She said sherry or a dry wine.
I’ll be back with my rave review after I make my dish tomorrow. Kimberly is one of my most reliable recipe bloggers that I subscribe to in how her dishes turns out.
Thank you so much for that kind compliment, Diana, I appreciate it and likewise your support in subscribing to my blog <3 Happy cooking and I hope you enjoy this recipe!
It was not too salty at all. My husband and son loved it. I used low sodium broth and regular sherry. Five stars
Fantastic! I’m so glad it was a hit, Diana, thank you!
WAY TOO SALTY! I doubled the sauce because we like a lot of sauce when served. No need to double as it was way too much sauce too, which is on me. I would recommend skipping the chicken stock and trying low sodium soy sauce. I will try again with these tweeks and I would say try this recipe.
The calorie content shown,Is that per person, or the total amount for 4 people?
Flavour yummy …
Hi Lorna, I’m glad you enjoyed it, thank you! The calorie count is per serving.
Delicious, but my sauce was way too salty. Should I use water instead of broth?
Hi Stella, you’ll lose flavor that way. Instead I’d either recommend low sodium chicken broth or/and cut back on the soy sauce.
Really good overall. Low sodium chicken broth will help if too salty. If you can get it, strongly recommend using actual Chinese broccoli (kai lan). Really elevates the dish.
I have made this a couple times and I love it. My family loves it too.
This sauce is delicious! We have made it three times. It has become our go to stir fry sauce! Works well with meat or chicken or veges.
Which part is for “sauce” Not clear.
Stephen
The ingredients for the sauce are listed. In the instructions it says to “Combine the sauce ingredients until the cornstarch is dissolved. Set aside until ready to use.” The last step is “Stir in the sauce and simmer for another minute”.
I missed it too but it says it right before soy sauce it says for the sauce on the ingredients list I know this comment is a year late sorry haha
This was really great- I used left over grilled ribeye steak and sliced it very thin and added it at the last minute. I tossed in cashews as well.
Fantastic, Marcia, thanks so much!
This is such an amazing recipe, tastes so authentic and has become a firm family recipe. I also use your black bean sauce recipe and permanently keep some in the fridge. I also add yellow bean sauce to the beef and broccoli and use shaoxing rice wine instead of Sherry . Absolutely delicious.
That’s fantastic, Keith, I’m so glad it’s become a family favorite, thank you!
Hi Kimberly, I used your stir fry sauce for this recipe for an entirely different preparation- scallops, noodles, and stir fried vegetables, and it turned out very delicious. I felt like the sauce was missing a little something and I couldn’t put my finger on it, though. I had some leftovers today for lunch and dabbed some oyster sauce on it. I’m telling you, it made a world of difference. Took the flavor to another level, completely.
I love your recipes and your blog.
Awesome, Valerie, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you! Yeah, what you’re describing as missing is the umami element – beef is packed full of umami but scallops have none so adding the oyster sauce (a fermented umami product) was a good call.