Steak and Broccoli Stir Fry
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On the busiest of nights, this steak and broccoli stir fry can be on your table in under 30 minutes. The homemade sauce has so much flavor and none of the junk! You’ll love this restaurant-style Asian skillet meal.
I really enjoy making my family’s favorite takeout foods at home. Especially Asian dishes like orange chicken, General Tso’s shrimp, and cashew chicken. They never miss the mark.
This delicious beef and broccoli recipe is always a huge hit in my house! My kids actually ask to have the leftover steak and broccoli stir fry for breakfast! The stir fry sauce is so tasty!
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Our family loves Chinese food, and this was a healthy, delicious dish that will be made again soon (I used the flank steak). My daughter was thrilled—there weren’t any leftovers!
-Lauren
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe may be a healthier version, but it has the classic Asian flavors you get in a restaurant dish. You’ll also love that this steak and broccoli stir fry comes together in one pan, and in just 20 minutes!
It’s also an easy recipe to adapt and customize. Meaning, you can use whatever type of beef you have on hand, and if you’re in a huge hurry, you can use frozen broccoli instead of fresh.
Happy Kitchen Secrets
Here are my important mom-tested cooking tips for making this beef and broccoli recipe. I’ve made this countless times to save you from a failed attempt.
- Slicing the meat while it’s cold makes it much easier to get thin slices.
- When slicing the steak, cut across the grain (the muscle fibers) to create tender bites of beef.
- Marinate the beef for at least 30 minutes before stir frying. This adds flavor and also makes it more tender.
- Be sure to throw away the marinade after removing the raw steak from it. Don’t ever reuse marinades that have been used on raw meat or poultry.
- Be sure to use an oil with a high smoke point, like avocado oil or olive oil. High smoke point oils won’t burn over the high heat of the wok or skillet.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
If you need substitution options, there are a few listed below the image.
- steak: Flank steak and skirt steak are both pretty lean cuts of beef and their flavor and texture are similar, so I typically use whichever I have in my freezer. Sirloin strip steak is a good choice, too.
- broccoli: If you’ve never done it, here’s a tutorial on how to cut broccoli into florets.
- coconut aminos is a soy sauce substitute that’s gluten-free and soy-free. If you don’t have issues with it, you can use soy sauce instead.
- cornstarch thickens the stir fry sauce. You can use an equal amount of arrowroot as a substitute.
Steak Stir Fry Variations
To make this recipe more budget friendly, you can use hamburger meat! That’s what I use in my ground beef and broccoli recipe. It has all of the flavor of this dish, but at a fraction of the cost. I do the same thing with my hamburger stew recipe, and it always gets rave reviews!
If you want more vegetables in your stir fry, check out this beef stir fry recipe. It includes colorful bell peppers, onions, and broccoli.
If you have leftovers, put an egg on it for some extra protein! Make a few air fried eggs to serve with leftovers.
If you love Asian food, try my recipes for orange chicken meatballs or this colorful beef stir fry with peppers.
How to Make Steak and Broccoli Stir Fry
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full step by step instructions! ⬇️
- Make the marinade. Instead of mincing the garlic and ginger, I sometimes add the marinade ingredients to a tall cup and use an immersion blender to combine everything.
- Slice and marinate the steak. While it’s still cold, slice the beef into 1/4-inch thick slices. Cut your slices across the grain so that you’re cutting through the muscle fibers. Pour half of the marinade over the meat. Stir cornstarch into the other half and it will become the stir fry sauce.
- Cut and steam the broccoli. Cut the broccoli into bite-sized florets. Add 1/3 cup of water and the broccoli to a large skillet over medium heat and cover the pan. Lightly steam the broccoli until it becomes a bright shade of green, about 3 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to a plate and set it aside.
Note: Instead of steaming, you can microwave the broccoli, but it takes about the same amount of time.
- Sear the steak. Using the same pan that you steamed the broccoli in, heat the oil until it’s shimmering. Add in the slices of flank steak and sear for about 2 minutes per side.
- Assemble the dish. Add the stir fry sauce and broccoli to the skillet with the steak, stir it all together, then let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Be careful not to over cook the broccoli.
Make it kid friendly: The flavor of fresh ginger can be pretty strong, so feel free to leave it out if you’re making this meal for kids or anyone with a sensitive stomach.
Steak and Broccoli Recipe FAQs
Technically, yes, you can substitute frozen broccoli for fresh. However, I don't recommend doing this with stir fries. The water in the frozen veggies will water down the stir fry sauce, and if you thaw the frozen broccoli first, it will be very soggy.
In a covered container in the fridge, the leftover stir fry will keep for about 5 days. For the best texture and flavor, reheat the beef and broccoli in a skillet or wok over medium heat.
I'd love to hear about your experience making this recipe! Please leave a comment and rating below!
Steak and Broccoli Stir Fry
Equipment
- immersion blender (optional)
- 12-inch skillet or wok
Ingredients
Steak Marinade and Stir Fry Sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger or ginger paste
- ⅓ cup coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce optional
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
Steak & Broccoli Stir Fry
- 1 pound flank steak skirt steak, or sirloin strip steak
- 5 cups broccoli florets
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or other high-heat oil
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds optional, for garnish
- 1 whole green onion optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Mince the 2 cloves garlic and ½ teaspoon grated ginger. In a medium sized bowl, whisk the ⅓ cup coconut aminos, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and ½ teaspoon hot sauce (if using) together, then stir in the ginger, garlic, and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper.
- Divide the marinade in half. Whisk the ¾ teaspoon cornstarch into one half to make the sauce. Cover the bowl and refrigerate.
- While it's still cold, slice the 1 pound flank steak into ¼ inch thick slices against the grain.
- Place the steak strips into a large zip top storage bag or container with a lid. Pour remaining half of the marinade over the beef, gently mix, and close the bag or cover the container.
- Marinate the beef at room temperature for 30 minutes, or up to 10 hours in the fridge.
- Cut the 5 cups broccoli florets into bite-sized florets. Add ⅓ cup water and the broccoli to a large skillet and cover. Bring to a simmer and lightly steam until it's just turning a bright green color, about 3 minutes. Remove the broccoli and set it aside.
- In the same pan, heat the 2 tablespoons avocado oil over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Remove the slices of beef from the marinade and transfer them to the hot oil. Sear the meat for about 2 minutes per side. *Do not use the marinade — throw it out.
- Add the reserved stir fry sauce and broccoli to the skillet and cook everything together, stirring occasionally, for about 4-5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the broccoli!
- If desired, garnish with ½ teaspoon sesame seeds and sliced 1 whole green onion for serving.
Notes
- To save time, you can add the marinade ingredients to a tall cup and use an immersion blender to combine everything — no chopping required!
- Slice the meat while it's cold. It is a little easier than when it's room temperature.
Nutrition
2025 Update: This recipe is still a family favorite! It's been updated to simplify the cooking instructions and include more cooking tips for our readers. We hope you love it as much as we do!
Serving Suggestions
This healthy beef and broccoli recipe can be a meal on its own, but it's also great with sides! You can start making some Instant Pot jasmine rice as soon as the beef is done marinating, so that everything is finished at the same time.
You can finish off this Asian meal with some sweet taro buns for dessert.
Absolutely delicious, the whole family loved this!
🤩 So glad to hear it Natalie!
It’s rare to find a recipe in our home that the whole family loves…but this one got a thumbs up from all 4 of us! It was SO simple to make and just delicious, both kids wanted seconds so I’ll have to make a double batch next time.
A thumbs up from all four family members, that’s the dream! 🤩 I love that your boys wanted seconds. Definitely make that double batch next time! Thanks so much for sharing!
Our family loves Chinese food, and this was a healthy, delicious dish that will be made again soon (I used the flank steak). My daughter was thrilled—there weren’t any leftovers!
Lauren, Yay! Isn’t it a treat when the whole family enjoys a good, healthy meal? I’m so happy you and your daughter liked it! -Laura
I will do this using sirloin left over from beef Fondue Recipes dinner; think it will be fine, right with chunks of beef rather than strips?
I think that’d work great! You may have to adjust the cook time on the beef depending on its thickness, though. Let me know how it turns out! -Laura
I will be making this asap!!! Love good broccoli and beef, and it’s healthy too…yum!
Hey Jenn! Hope you love it as much as we do. Would love to know what you think when you try it out! 🙂