Beef and Broccoli with the Best Sauce

Believe me when I say this recipe is way better than takeout beef and broccoli! I am so glad I found it because beef and broccoli are one of my family’s favorite Asian takeout meals.

It is not only amazingly delicious, but healthier too because you get to control the amount of sodium, sugar, and fat that goes into it. I am sure this beef and broccoli recipe will become one of your favorite recipes of all time!

Ingredients you’ll need:

• Flank steak: this is my steak of choice, but you can also use tri-tip, beef skirt, or Flat iron steak. Cut it into ¼ inch strips.
• Cornstarch: This ingredient serves a dual purpose. It coats the steak to make it brown more evenly and it also helps thicken the sauce a bit.
• Olive oil: is used to brown the meat strips, but you could also use vegetable oil or the oil of your choice.
• Sesame seed oil: gives this meal its characteristic Asian nutty flavor. Some people find it a bit strong, but I love it.
• Garlic: I used 4 minced cloves, but you can adjust it to your liking.
• Ginger: freshly grated ginger, in my opinion, has no substitute. Using dried ginger gives this dish another flavor altogether, but if you don’t have fresh ginger by all means use ½ the amount suggested.
• Soy sauce: I think it’s important to control the amount of sodium we consume, so I use low-sodium soy sauce.
• Brown sugar: just a little goes a long way. I use ¼ cup in this recipe, but if you’re watching your calories, I would suggest you use a non-calorie sweetener like monk fruit.
• Broccoli: I use 5 cups of broccoli florets for 1.5 lbs of beef, but you can use more or less depending on your personal preference.
• Sriracha: This ingredient is totally optional. I love spicy food, so I add hot sauce to almost everything. You can choose to use it or not, and use the amount you prefer.
• Green onions: freshly sliced green onions give this dish a fresh touch.
• Sesame seeds: Adding them on top as a garnish makes your dish not only look more appealing, but I love the flavor and crunch they provide.

What is the perfect cut of beef for stir fry?

I personally love to use Flank Steak when I cook my beef and broccoli recipe, but you could also use strips of Beef Skirt, Hanger Steak, Tri-Tip Steak, Flat Iron Steak, or even Top Round. Just remember to cut your strips no larger than ¼ inch.

How to make beef and broccoli:

Prep all your ingredients beforehand, because this beef and broccoli recipe comes together in no time:

1. Combine the steak strips and cornstarch in a large ziplock bag and toss it well so that every bit of steak is covered with cornstarch.
2. Make the sauce by heating one tablespoon of olive oil and one tablespoon of sesame seed oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Saute the minced garlic and grated ginger for about one minute or until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic or your sauce will turn out bitter. Once fragrant, pour in the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and Sriracha. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens a little bit and the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat the remaining one tablespoon of olive oil and one tablespoon of sesame seed oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef strips and cook them until browned evenly on all sides.
4. Add the broccoli florets and continue cooking for about 3 minutes.
5. Pour the reserved sauce on the beef and broccoli and cook for 5-6 minutes more until the sauce has thickened a little bit and the broccoli is al dente. Serve with fresh chopped green onion and sesame seeds on top.

The best beef and broccoli sauce:

I have found the sauce on this beef and broccoli recipe to be the best:

Freshly minced garlic and freshly grated ginger sauteed in a combination of olive and sesame seed oils until just fragrant and mixed with low sodium soy sauce, water and sugar make a great sauce. But, if you want to give it a bit of a kick add a teaspoonful (or two) of Sriracha.

If your beef and broccoli recipe seems a bit watery, all you have to do is add a slurry of water and cornstarch and this will thicken it slightly (do not overdo it with the cornstarch, start with one teaspoon at a time).

What to serve with beef and broccoli:

If you don’t have time to make a more elaborate meal, plain white rice is all you need to serve with this amazing beef and broccoli recipe, but if you want to make it unforgettable, check out my Easy Fried Rice Recipe, or my Peach Cobbler and you will find a great source of inspiration!