Description
Chinese Beef and Broccoli — a takeout-style stir-fry perfect for savory breakfast bowls and meal prep. Makes 4 servings in 25 minutes with 10 simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500 g flank steak or skirt steak, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 120 ml low-sodium soy sauce
- 60 ml beef or chicken stock
- 30 g brown sugar
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 15 g cornstarch mixed with 60 ml cold water
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp ginger, finely grated
- 450 g broccoli florets
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (canola or peanut)
- Optional: toasted sesame seeds, thinly sliced scallions for garnish
Instructions
- Slice the beef into thin strips against the grain and marinate with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, baking soda, and cornstarch for 10-15 minutes.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, blanch the broccoli for 45-60 seconds, then plunge into ice water and drain.
- Whisk together soy sauce, stock, brown sugar, oyster sauce, and sesame oil in a bowl.
- Heat a wok or skillet over high heat with oil, sear beef in batches for 60-90 seconds per side until browned, then remove.
- Add garlic and ginger to the pan, stir until fragrant, then pour in the sauce mixture and thicken with cornstarch slurry.
- Return the beef and broccoli to the pan, toss to coat, and serve immediately over steamed rice.
Notes
- Fridge (assembled): Transfer cooled beef and broccoli stir-fry to an airtight glass container and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. The dish stays fresh for up to 3 days. Note that broccoli softens over time, so eat fridge portions first before pulling from the freezer.
- Freezer: Freeze the cooked beef in sauce (without broccoli) in portioned freezer-safe bags laid flat for efficient stacking. Keeps well for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for 8 hours before reheating, and stir-fry fresh broccoli separately to maintain crunch.
- Oven Reheat: Preheat oven to 175 °C (350 °F). Spread the stir-fry in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet, cover loosely with foil, and heat for 12 minutes. This method gently warms the beef without overcooking and allows excess moisture to evaporate rather than steam the broccoli soggy.
- Microwave Reheat: Place one serving in a microwave-safe bowl, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water over the top, and cover with a damp paper towel. Heat at 70 percent power for 2 minutes, stir, then continue in 30-second bursts until steaming. Lower power prevents the beef from turning rubbery.
- Air Fryer Reheat: Spread a single serving in the air fryer basket at 180 °C (360 °F) for 4 minutes, shaking halfway through. The circulating heat re-crisps the beef edges nicely. Keep broccoli pieces toward the center where heat is gentler to avoid charring the floret tips.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stir-Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous
- Calories: 345 calories
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 890mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 78mg