About this recipe
Staring at the fridge at 6 PM while aggressively debating whether to order takeout is a universal experience. This Beef and Broccoli Skillet is your answer to the weeknight dinner panic. It gives you those exact savory takeout flavors, but you don't have to wait an hour for a delivery driver. We are using thinly sliced flank steak that sears in literal minutes. The broccoli stays incredibly bright and crisp-tender instead of turning into a mushy afterthought. The best part is the homemade sauce that bubbles up thick and glossy to coat everything in the pan—and it's completely ready in 25 minutes.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
It genuinely tastes better than takeout and is ready in exactly 25 minutes.
You only use one single pan for cooking, which makes dishwashing completely painless.
The sauce reduces down into a thick, glossy glaze that sticks perfectly to the beef.
Ingredients
Beef and broccoli
- 1 lb flank steak (thinly sliced against the grain)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp olive oil (or avocado oil)
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tbsp water
Sauce
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger (grated)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp green onions (sliced, optional)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
Ingredient Notes
Flank steak
Look closely at the meat and find the long muscle fibers running through it. You must slice perpendicular to those lines (against the grain) so the beef stays incredibly tender.
Soy sauce
Always reach for low-sodium soy sauce. The sauce reduces heavily in the pan, and regular soy sauce will make the final dish aggressively salty.
Equipment
large skillet
a wok works perfectly if you have one
mixing bowl
whisk
tongs
Instructions
Mix the sauce
In a small bowl, aggressively whisk together the soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, minced garlic, fresh ginger, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Keep whisking until the cornstarch dissolves completely so you don't end up with chalky white clumps in your final sauce.
Coat the beef
Pat your sliced flank steak completely dry with a paper towel. Toss the dry meat in a bowl with a tablespoon of cornstarch until every piece is lightly coated. This step gives the beef a gorgeous crust when it hits the hot pan and acts as a thickening agent for the sauce later.
Cook the broccoli
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the broccoli florets and a splash of water, then quickly cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Let it steam for 2 to 3 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender, then scoop it all out onto a plate.
Sear the beef
Wipe any extra water out of the skillet and pour in your olive oil. Drop the beef into the hot pan in a single layer. Let it sit totally undisturbed for about 2 minutes so it gets a solid sear, then flip. Work in batches if your pan is crowded so the meat actually browns instead of just steaming in its own juices.
Add sauce and finish
Once the beef is browned, dump the cooked broccoli back into the skillet. Give your sauce one final whisk and pour it right over the top. Toss everything constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens into a glossy glaze that coats the meat. Hit it with sliced green onions and sesame seeds before serving.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Crowding the pan
If you dump all the beef into the skillet at once, the pan temperature drops and the meat boils instead of searing. Sear it in two batches if you have to.
Overcooking the broccoli
Broccoli turns olive green and mushy incredibly fast. Pull it out of the pan the second it turns a vibrant, bright green.
Tips
- Throw your flank steak in the freezer for 15 minutes before you slice it. The firm texture makes getting those paper-thin slices much easier.
- If you want to stretch the meal further, throw some sliced mushrooms or bell peppers into the pan right after the broccoli.
- Use fresh ginger if you can. The jarred stuff just doesn't bring that same sharp, spicy bite to the sauce.
Variations
Spicy Beef
Stir a tablespoon of chili garlic sauce, sambal oelek, or sriracha right into the sauce mixture before cooking.
Chicken and Broccoli
Swap the flank steak for thinly sliced chicken breast or thighs and use chicken broth instead of beef broth.
Substitutions
- If you can't find flank steak, sirloin or skirt steak are fantastic alternatives that cook just as quickly.
- Frozen broccoli florets work fine in a pinch. Just thaw them and pat them totally dry before tossing them in the pan.
- You can swap the brown sugar for honey or maple syrup if you prefer a different kind of sweetness.
What to Serve With It
Serve it steaming hot over a giant bowl of jasmine rice to soak up all the extra sauce.
Pair it with some frozen potstickers or edamame on the side for a full fake-out takeout night.
Make Ahead
Prep the veggies and meat
Slice your beef and chop the broccoli the night before. Keep them in separate containers in the fridge so you can immediately start cooking.
Pre-mix the sauce
Whisk the sauce ingredients together and store it in a mason jar in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just shake it hard before pouring it into the skillet.
Storage
Refrigerator
Store any leftover beef and broccoli in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freezer
You can freeze this for up to 2 months, but be warned—the broccoli will definitely lose its crunch and get pretty soft when you thaw it.
Reheating
Pop it in the microwave in 30-second bursts or warm it gently in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add a tiny splash of water if the sauce looks too thick or sticky.
Recipe Notes
If you like a ton of extra sauce for your rice, double the sauce ingredients but keep the cornstarch amount exactly the same.
We sourced related Asian-inspired weeknight dinner ideas from our published recipe database to keep your meal plans interesting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size
- 1 bowl
- Calories
- 385
- Protein
- 34g
- Carbohydrates
- 22g
- Fat
- 18g
- Fiber
- 4g
- Sugar
- 10g
- Sodium
- 780mg
FAQ
Can I use ground beef for beef and broccoli?
Yeah, you totally can. It actually makes the recipe even faster. Just brown the ground beef fully, drain off the heavy grease, and then toss in your steamed broccoli and sauce to finish.
What should I serve with beef and broccoli?
White rice, brown rice, or udon noodles are perfect for soaking up the sauce. If you want to keep it low-carb, serve it over a bed of cauliflower rice.
How do I keep the beef tender?
Three rules: slice it thinly against the grain, do not crowd the skillet, and pull it off the heat as soon as it browns. Flank steak cooks incredibly fast and turns to rubber if you leave it in the pan too long.
Recipe Card
Beef and Broccoli Skillet
Tender beef and crisp broccoli tossed in a thick, savory homemade soy sauce for the ultimate fast weeknight dinner.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 4
- Category
- 30 Minute Meals
- Cuisine
- Asian Inspired
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost
- Budget-friendly
Ingredients
Beef and broccoli
- 1 lb flank steak (thinly sliced against the grain)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp olive oil (or avocado oil)
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tbsp water
Sauce
- 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup beef broth
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger (grated)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp green onions (sliced, optional)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Mix the sauce: In a small bowl, aggressively whisk together the soy sauce, beef broth, brown sugar, minced garlic, fresh ginger, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Keep whisking until the cornstarch dissolves completely so you don't end up with chalky white clumps in your final sauce.
- Coat the beef: Pat your sliced flank steak completely dry with a paper towel. Toss the dry meat in a bowl with a tablespoon of cornstarch until every piece is lightly coated. This step gives the beef a gorgeous crust when it hits the hot pan and acts as a thickening agent for the sauce later.
- Cook the broccoli: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the broccoli florets and a splash of water, then quickly cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Let it steam for 2 to 3 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender, then scoop it all out onto a plate.
- Sear the beef: Wipe any extra water out of the skillet and pour in your olive oil. Drop the beef into the hot pan in a single layer. Let it sit totally undisturbed for about 2 minutes so it gets a solid sear, then flip. Work in batches if your pan is crowded so the meat actually browns instead of just steaming in its own juices.
- Add sauce and finish: Once the beef is browned, dump the cooked broccoli back into the skillet. Give your sauce one final whisk and pour it right over the top. Toss everything constantly for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens into a glossy glaze that coats the meat. Hit it with sliced green onions and sesame seeds before serving.
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