Chinese Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Beef and Broccoli
Tender slices of beef stir-fried with crisp broccoli florets in a savory brown sauce.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Velveting the Beef: In a bowl, toss the sliced beef with 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and the baking soda. Let it marinate for 20 minutes to deeply tenderize the meat.
- 2
Blanch the Broccoli: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop in the broccoli florets and blanch for 1 minute until bright green and slightly tender. Drain immediately and run under cold water.
- 3
Mix the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, and 1 tbsp cornstarch to create a slurry.
- 4
Sear the Beef: Heat a wok over extremely high heat until smoking. Add 2 tbsp of oil, then spread the beef out in a single layer. Sear for 1 minute undisturbed, then stir-fry for 1 more minute until browned but still slightly pink inside. Remove and set aside.
- 5
Cook Aromatics: Lower the heat to medium. Add a touch more oil if needed, then quickly stir-fry the minced garlic for 15 seconds until fragrant.
- 6
Combine and Glaze: Return the beef and broccoli to the wok. Give the sauce mixture a quick stir and pour it over everything. Toss rapidly over high heat for 30-45 seconds until the sauce thickens into a glossy, savory gravy that coats the meat and veg.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
57/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving485
Calories
42 g
Protein
15 g
Carbs
29 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Beef and broccoli is another American-Chinese creation with roots in the Cantonese dish gai lan chao niu (Chinese broccoli stir-fried with beef), which traveled to the United States with Cantonese immigrants in the 19th century. The substitution of Western broccoli for gai lan (Chinese broccoli) happened in America when gai lan was difficult to source; Western broccoli's floret structure captures the oyster sauce beautifully and became so identified with the dish that the original gai lan version is now largely forgotten outside Chinatown restaurants. The combination of velvet-tender beef and bright-green vegetable in a savory brown sauce became one of the most ordered Chinese-American dishes of the 20th century.
Listahan note
This version velvets the beef in baking soda and cornstarch to achieve the silky restaurant texture that home cooks often miss, and blanches the broccoli separately so it enters the wok already bright green and hot.
Technique cues
- Velvet the beef by tossing slices with a pinch of baking soda, soy sauce, and cornstarch for 15 minutes, then rinse the baking soda off before cooking -- the alkaline baking soda breaks down muscle fiber proteins for a genuinely tender texture that no amount of marinating time alone achieves.
- Blanch the broccoli in boiling water for 60 seconds and shock in cold water before stir-frying -- this sets the bright green color and pre-cooks the florets so they do not need to steam in the wok, which would release water and dilute the sauce.
- The oyster sauce-based sauce should go in after the beef and broccoli are reunited in the wok and the heat is turned off; the residual heat thickens the cornstarch without over-reducing the sauce.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Blanch and shock the broccoli while the beef velvets; by the time the beef has rested 15 minutes, the broccoli is prepped, cooled, and ready.
- Make-ahead
- The sauce can be mixed and refrigerated up to 2 days ahead; blanched broccoli keeps refrigerated for 1 day.
- Leftover move
- Serve cold leftover beef and broccoli over a bowl of fresh ramen noodles with a drizzle of chili oil for a fast noodle dinner.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Deglaze the wok with a splash of hot water immediately after plating while the oyster sauce residue is still soft -- it sets like glue if it cools.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
flank steak
primary protein
Purpose: Flank steak has a distinct grain that, when sliced correctly against the grain, produces long, tender strips that chew cleanly after velveting.
Handling: Freeze for 20 minutes to firm up, then slice across the grain on a 45-degree bias into 1/4-inch thick strips.
Adaptation: Sirloin or skirt steak slice similarly; flat iron steak is an excellent and often cheaper substitute.
broccoli
primary vegetable
Purpose: The tight florets of Western broccoli hold the oyster sauce in their ridged surface, and the thick stalk can be peeled and sliced to add a different texture.
Handling: Cut into uniform florets so they cook evenly; peel and slice the stems into coins to avoid waste.
Adaptation: Broccolini requires a shorter blanch time; gai lan (Chinese broccoli) with its slightly bitter leaves is the original and is excellent if available.
oyster sauce
sauce body and umami
Purpose: Oyster sauce provides the dense, savory-sweet brown sauce body that defines American-Chinese beef and broccoli.
Handling: Whisk with soy sauce, sesame oil, a pinch of sugar, and cornstarch in a small bowl before starting.
Adaptation: Mushroom oyster sauce (vegetarian) is an excellent substitute that most tasters cannot distinguish.
baking soda
velveting agent
Purpose: A small amount raises the pH of the beef surface, which disrupts actin and myosin proteins and gives the meat the exceptionally tender texture of restaurant stir-fry.
Handling: Use sparingly (1/4 teaspoon per pound); rinse off after 15 minutes before cooking or the beef will taste slightly soapy.
Adaptation: Omit and use a 30-minute marinade in pineapple juice, which contains bromelain for a similar but less potent tenderizing effect.
ginger and garlic
aromatic foundation
Purpose: Fresh ginger and garlic fried briefly at the start infuse the oil with warmth that carries through the entire dish.
Handling: Mince or grate finely so they cook evenly in the 30 seconds they have before the beef goes in.
Adaptation: Ginger paste and garlic paste work in the same quantities; dried versions are not recommended as they lack the volatile aromatic compounds.
Technique notes
- The baking soda rinse step is not optional -- meat velveted with baking soda that is not rinsed will have a faint metallic off-taste that undermines the whole dish.
- Cook the beef in a single layer and do not stir for 30 seconds -- getting a slight sear before stirring adds a Maillard-browning note that straight-to-sauce cooking lacks.
- Add a tablespoon of the broccoli blanching water to the sauce bowl before adding to the wok; the starchy green water deepens the sauce's body and adds a subtle vegetable note.
Ingredient swaps
- Gluten-free direction
- Use tamari in place of soy sauce and confirm your oyster sauce is gluten-free; many brands are, but check the label.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Halve the oyster sauce and soy sauce, increasing sesame oil and a pinch of sugar to compensate for the lost body and salt.
- Vegetarian direction
- Replace beef with seitan sliced thin and velveted in baking soda, or use thick portobello mushroom slices; use mushroom oyster sauce in the base.
Serve alongside
- steamed jasmine rice
- egg drop soup
- scallion pancakes
- jasmine tea
- cold coconut water
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate for up to 3 days; the broccoli softens slightly but the flavor holds well. Reheat in a hot skillet with a splash of water to loosen the sauce rather than microwaving.
- Freeze for up to 1 month; thaw overnight and reheat in a hot pan. The broccoli texture degrades somewhat but remains acceptable in a reheated meal context.
Equipment
- carbon steel wok or large skillet
- blanching pot and colander
- wok spatula
- instant-read thermometer (optional for thick steak cuts)
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