Meat & Pork 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 Stir-Fry
Thin-sliced flank steak and crisp broccoli tossed in a glossy garlic-ginger soy sauce — faster and fresher than takeout.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
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
Toss the sliced steak with 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp cornstarch; let marinate 10 minutes.
- 2
Whisk together remaining soy sauce, beef broth, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and remaining 1 tbsp cornstarch to make the sauce.
- 3
Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add broccoli and water, cover, and steam-fry 2-3 minutes until crisp-tender; remove and set aside.
- 4
Add remaining oil to the wok and stir-fry the beef in a single layer until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Add garlic and ginger and stir-fry 30 seconds.
- 5
Return the broccoli to the wok, pour in the sauce, and toss until the sauce thickens and coats everything, about 1-2 minutes.
- 6
Serve hot over cooked rice.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
58/100
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
32 g
Protein
16 g
Carbs
33 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 a Chinese American restaurant staple built from Cantonese stir-fry technique more than from one old-country recipe. The broccoli reflects North American produce habits; in Cantonese kitchens, a similar beef dish might use gai lan, the darker, slightly bitter Chinese broccoli. What makes the dish work is the same either way: quick heat, tender sliced beef, crisp greens, and a savory sauce that thickens in the wok.
Listahan note
This version keeps the takeout shape but makes the timing clearer for a home stove: steam-fry the broccoli first, brown the beef without crowding it, then let the cornstarch-thickened sauce pull everything together at the end.
Technique cues
- Slice the flank steak across the grain so the short muscle fibers stay tender after a very fast cook.
- Steam-frying the broccoli with a little water gives you crisp-tender florets without needing a separate pot.
- The sauce should be whisked before it hits the pan because cornstarch settles quickly and can clump if it is poured in unevenly.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Start the rice first, then slice the beef and whisk the sauce while the rice cooks.
- Make-ahead
- Slice the beef, cut the broccoli, and whisk the sauce earlier in the day; keep the sauce separate and stir it again before cooking.
- Leftover move
- Chop leftovers and fold them into fried rice with scallions, using any extra sauce to season the pan.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Rinse the sauce bowl and cornstarch spoon right away, then soak the wok while you eat so the glaze releases easily.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Flank steak
Main protein
Purpose: Flank steak has a strong beef flavor and a grain that is easy to see, which makes it a good cut for thin stir-fry slices.
Handling: Slice it thinly against the grain while the meat is still a little firm from the refrigerator.
Adaptation: Sirloin or skirt steak can work, but skirt cooks even faster and needs especially thin slicing.
Broccoli florets
Vegetable base
Purpose: Broccoli gives the dish crunch, color, and a surface that catches the glossy sauce.
Handling: Cut florets to similar size so they steam-fry evenly in the short covered step.
Adaptation: Chinese broccoli gives a more traditional bitter-green note; broccolini gives longer stems and a slightly sweeter bite.
Soy sauce
Salty savory base
Purpose: Soy sauce seasons both the quick beef marinade and the finished sauce, tying the meat and broccoli together.
Handling: Divide it as written so the beef gets seasoned before cooking and the sauce still has enough depth.
Adaptation: Tamari gives a rounder soy flavor; coconut aminos are sweeter and may need less brown sugar.
Oyster sauce
Glossy umami sauce builder
Purpose: Oyster sauce adds body, sweetness, and the familiar restaurant-style depth that plain soy sauce does not provide alone.
Handling: Whisk it thoroughly with the broth so it loosens before the sauce goes into the hot pan.
Adaptation: Hoisin sauce makes the dish sweeter and thicker; use a little less brown sugar if you go that route.
Cornstarch
Tenderizing and thickening starch
Purpose: A little cornstarch on the beef helps create a soft coating, while the rest thickens the sauce into a glaze.
Handling: Use it in both places as written, and whisk the sauce again right before pouring.
Adaptation: Potato starch thickens quickly and gives a slightly silkier finish, so watch the sauce closely once it hits the pan.
Garlic and fresh ginger
Aromatic backbone
Purpose: Garlic and ginger give the sauce its fresh, sharp edge so the dish does not taste flat or only salty-sweet.
Handling: Have both minced before the beef starts cooking because they only need about 30 seconds in the hot pan.
Adaptation: Garlic powder and ground ginger can cover the basic direction in a pinch, but use a lighter hand because they taste less bright.
Technique notes
- Let the broccoli leave the pan before it is fully soft; it will cook a little more when it returns with the sauce.
- Spread the beef in a single layer and leave it alone briefly so it browns instead of steaming.
- Once the sauce thickens, stop cooking quickly. Extra time in the pan turns the broccoli dull and makes the sauce gummy.
Ingredient swaps
- Chinese broccoli direction
- Use Chinese broccoli in place of broccoli florets for a more Cantonese-leaning version; slice thick stems lengthwise so they cook at the same pace as the leaves.
- Sauce depth adjustment
- Add a splash more beef broth if the sauce tightens too fast, or simmer a few seconds longer if it looks thin after coating the beef and broccoli.
- Weeknight shortcut
- Use pre-cut broccoli florets and ask the butcher for thin-sliced stir-fry beef, then keep the high-heat cooking order the same.
- Soy sauce direction
- Use low-sodium soy sauce if you want more control over saltiness, then taste the finished sauce before adding anything else.
Serve alongside
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Scallion fried rice
- Cucumber sesame salad
- Egg drop soup
- Hot jasmine tea
- Cold barley tea
- Light lager
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate leftovers with the sauce coating the beef and broccoli so the meat does not dry out.
- Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a small splash of water to loosen the glaze.
- Freeze the beef and sauce if needed, but expect the broccoli to soften after thawing.
Equipment
- Wok or large skillet
- Sharp chef's knife
- Mixing bowl for marinating beef
- Small whisk for sauce
Make this household-aware
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