This tasty and colorful Broccoli Beef Stir-Fry only needs to be accompanied by a bowl of steamed rice for a quick and delicious meal.
Broccoli Beef Stir-Fry is a very popular Chinese dish in the US. It makes sense since both broccoli and beef are easily available here. Broccoli can be found in the stores year round and prices do not change that much from one season to the next. Besides being a very tasty dish, it is also an attractive one with the bright green broccoli mixed in. Sometimes a little carrot and red pepper are thrown into the mix. This dish makes a complete meal served with a bowl of steamed rice.
I do not remember having had this dish when I was growing up. Beef is usually paired with green onions or scallions. For many Chinese families, pork and chicken are the preferred meats and beef is rarely cooked at home. It is considered to have a strong flavor and ginger is almost always used to mask that flavor. For some, beef is not eaten because of religious reasons. Also historically, the oxen or buffalo were useful farming animals and respected. Thus, it was believed that they were not to be repaid by being eaten.
This simple Broccoli Beef Stir-Fry can be cooked in under 10 minutes. I like to add a little green or red pepper to the dish. Sometimes, I use celery in place of broccoli. Sesame oil is best added at the end of as it tends to lose its flavor when over heated.
Similar Tools Used in Making This Broccoli Beef Stir Fry
This post contains affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy here.
• Stainless 14-Inch Stir-Fry Pan with Helper Handle and Glass Cover
• Asian Kitchen Carbon Steel Wok Stir Fry Pan, 12-inch
• Classic Series Carbon Steel Wok, 14-inch
• Stainless Steel Professional Wok Turner Spatula
Broccoli Beef Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 1 lb sirloin beef steak (still partially frozen) (450g)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shao Hsing cooking wine
- 1/8 tsp ground pepper
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 in ginger (peeled and thinly sliced) (60g)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 broccoli crown (cut into florets with stem peeled and sliced)
- ½ red bell pepper (sliced into strips)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
Instructions
- Trim fat from around beef. Slice against the grain as thinly as possible. Marinate beef with soy sauce, Shao Hsing cooking wine, pepper, and cornstarch for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or large pan. Add broccoli and red bell pepper. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- Add remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the pan. Fry ginger for 1 minute. Add garlic and fry for another 30 seconds. Add beef by spreading it out in the pan. Fry for 3 minutes.
- Add ¼ cup (60ml) water followed by cooked broccoli and red bell pepper. Stir to get everything well mixed. This should take about 2 minutes.
- Drizzle sesame oil over beef and vegetables, if using.
- Remove and serve immediately with steamed rice.
Nutrition
NOTE: This post was updated on April 21st, 2014 with new pictures and video.
Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 😎
Hyosun Ro says
Hi Biren – I love broccoli beef stir fry. This looks delicious! I didn’t know beef is rarely cooked at Chinese homes. Also, I am smiling as I look at your photo because I took photos of my next post today using the same chopstick rest. So you’ll see it on my photo soon.
PolaM says
this to me is the quintessential american chinese dish… But it tastes great. probably even better if it is home made!
Ann@Anncoo Journal says
I love this quick stir fry beef. Looks so delicious and I want to cook it tonight for dinner.
Curry and Comfort says
This dish looks wonderful!! I also cook mostly chicken and pork in my house. I love Chinese Rice Wine… I only recently discovered it and it’s great. I use it all the time now. I think stir fries are one of my favorite go to recipes because it’s a one pot dish. 🙂
The Mom Chef ~ Taking on Magazines One Recipe at a Time says
I’m so glad to see you use the broccoli stems! I’m always surprised when people throw those away because they’re really so delicious. I love stir fry and this looks absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe, Biren.
Biren says
It is such a waste not to use the stems as they make up a lot of the weight. They are really sweet and delicious especially in a stir-fry.
Lyndsey says
It looks so good, I haven’t made this in awhile. need to do it soon!
Asmita says
Hi,
This looks so flavorful. Whenever we go to a Chinese restaurant, we always order stir fry beef with broccoli. I will have to try your recipe out at home. Thanks, looks wonderful!
Angie@Angie's Recipes says
Love quick and delicious stir-fries!
Juliana says
Biren, your beef with broccoli looks delicious, one of my favorite dishes…looks pretty with the red bell peppers in it.
Hope you are having a fabulous week 🙂
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
Perfect week night dinner here. All we need is miso soup (in our home) and steamed rice! I love veggies and meat in one dish!
Biren says
I did make some miso soup and another vege dish to go with this. Miso soup is my fallback soup as it can be made in no time. 🙂
Jeannie says
Simple but delicious, I usually use pork which is more readily available at the market:)
Biren says
I know what you mean as chicken and pork are the preferred meats. This will definitely be tasty with pork. 🙂
Zoe says
I hardly eat beef when I was living in Singapore but appreciate beef better now after we moved to Australia.
Your broccoli beef stir fry looks very delicious. What a nice and priceless dish to eat at home.
Biren says
Even to this day, most Chinese families hardly ever cook beef at home in Malaysia and Singapore. I know what you mean by appreciating beef better since moving to Australia. Likewise over here is the US, the beef is really good and so I cook it every now and then.
Marsha @ The Harried Cook says
My mom makes something very similar to this! I know how delicious it must be 🙂 Nice pictures, Biren! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Raymund says
A good stir fry like this wont last a minute in our dining table
MaryMoh says
Mmmm…love this dish, like from the restaurant. Love the vegetables that give it such a nice mix of colour. Just this dish and a plate of rice would make me happy throughout the day 😀
Patty says
One of my favorites Biren, your version looks perfect;-)
Tina (PinayInTexas) says
Beef and broccoli stir fry is my family’s fave! Simple and quick to prepare but totally delicious!
tigerfish says
I see that the broccoli has a long stem, it’s good that you put the stems to use in this stir-fry! Also good that the veggies and meat are all in one-dish that saves the trouble of cooking two separate dishes. 😉