Tender, juicy beef and broccoli smothered in a special glossy sauce. Who needs to order takeout when you have a Beef and Broccoli recipe sourced from a Chinese restaurant?
Copycat Chinese takeout recipes are a firm favourite in my world, with recipes like Chow Mein, Cashew Chicken, Fried Rice and Egg Foo Young on heavy rotation along with this Beef and Broccoli. For a full Chinese banquet, start with an appetiser of Spring Rolls or Potstickers. And don’t miss Chicken and Broccoli stir fry!
Beef and broccoli recipe
I’ve attempted on several occasions to wheedle recipes out of my local Chinese restaurant – with little to no success.
I’m beyond the age of hair flipping and lack the lashes for batting my eyes to any effect, but I do dial up the charm – full wattage smile, laying on the compliments, hitting them up after I’ve ordered a truckload of takeout.
Alas, I’ve gotten nowhere.
So imagine my delight when I discovered a Chinese cooking blog called Woks of Life run by a Chinese-American family who used to own a Chinese restaurant! And that’s where the base for this recipe came from – the Woks of Life Beef and Broccoli stir fry. An actual real-deal restaurant recipe!!
Beef and Broccoli Sauce
The sauce base for Chinese Beef and Broccoli is extremely simple. They key here is the right ratios:
soy sauce;
Chinese cooking wine OR Mirin (see recipe for subs);
sugar;
cornflour/cornstarch for thickening; and
Chinese Five Spice Powder – a hint of this is the signature flavour in Beef and Broccoli!
What is Chinese Five Spice powder?
It’s a spice mix made up of (surprise, surprise?) five spices – cinnamon, cloves, Szechuan pepper, fennel and star anise. It’s a common spice blend found in supermarkets nowadays that doesn’t cost any more than other standard spices.
The Sauce serves a dual purpose – as the main Sauce for the stir fry, as well as adding a little flavour directly to the beef. It doesn’t need to be marinated, just set it aside while you prep the other ingredients.
Best beef for stir fries
In the video and the photos of the finished dish in this post, I’ve used an economy beef eye fillet (Australia – Harris Farms sells it for $20/kg) which is beautifully juicy and tender, perfect for stir fries.
Any quick cooking cut of beef is suited to this recipe. Basically, the rule of thumb is: if you’d throw it on the BBQ and eat it as a steak, it’s great for stir fries.
But you can also make a Beef and Broccoli with economical beef – even stewing cuts (!!) – by using a little known Chinese restaurant secret method to tenderise beef using baking soda. It’s simple, highly effective and will make your beef incredibly tender in every stir fry – just like you cheerful local Chinese restaurant!
Beef and Broccoli – not authentic, and that’s ok!
I haven’t travelled extensively throughout China but in the time I did spend there, I can say with certainty that I never saw Beef Broccoli on any menu. Broccoli is actually very expensive in China!
So I’m pretty sure Beef and Broccoli is a westernised version of a Chinese dish, or just a Western Chinese dish.
Either way, it’s a big Chinese takeout favourite – with good reason. Tender beef with juicy broccoli generously smothered with a savoury Chinese brown sauce with the signature hint of Chinese Five Spice Powder, this is one of those dishes that’s a crowd pleaser for all ages!
Try the noodle version one day – Beef Broccoli Noodles. It’s everything you know and love about Beef and Broccoli – with noodles! – Nagi x
PS Update – also try the new Chicken Broccoli Stir Fry. Extra saucy!
More Chinese Takeout Favourites
Spring Rolls – better than egg rolls!
Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)
See all Chinese Takeout Recipes
PS Plenty of sauce – see? Because everyone loves the sauce!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Sometimes it helps to have a visual, so watch me make this Beef Broccoli recipe!
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Chinese Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 tbsp cornstarch / cornflour
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce (Note 1)
- 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce (Note 1)
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing wine) (Note 2)
- 1/8 tsp Chinese five spice powder (Note 3)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
- 1/8 tsp tsp black pepper
Stir Fry
- 2 tbsp oil
- 12 oz / 360g beef fillet, flank or rump (Note 4 for tenderising option)
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 4 – 5 cups broccoli florets (1 head), cooked (Note 5)
- 1 cup water
Serving:
- Sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Place cornflour and water in bowl then mix. Add remaining Sauce ingredients.
- Slice the beef into 1/4″ / 0.5cm thick slices. Place the beef and 2 tbsp of the Sauce into a bowl and set aside.
- Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Add beef and spread out, leave for 1 minute until browned.
- Stir beef for 10 seconds, then add garlic and ginger. Stir for another 30 seconds or until beef is no longer pink.
- Pour Sauce and water into the skillet and quickly mix.
- When the sauce starts bubbling, add broccoli. Stir to coat the broccoli in Sauce, then let it simmer for 1 minute or until Sauce is thickened.
- Remove from heat immediately and serve over rice. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired.
Recipe Notes:
Originally published March 2015, updated with new photos, new words, slightly more streamlined recipe and a recipe video!Nutrition Information:
Beef and Broccoli recipe original published March 2015, updated 2018 with new photos, new words, slightly more streamlined recipe and a recipe video!
LIFE OF DOZER
He’ll take the beef over the broccoli……
Excellent Recipe, easy to make but requires a few inexpensive ingredients. Served over fried rice and all loved it
Woot! So glad you loved it Scott!
Love the beef & broccoli a super delicious dish, I never order it out again, it’s better your recipe, thanks
Aww thats great to hear Laura, thanks for the feedback!
I have made this beef and broccoli many times and the only thing I’ve changed is the cornflour by half. It is soo good that I actually turned my nose up at a dish of beef and broccoli at a Chinese restaurant and I said that I’m cooking my own from now on because mine tastes so much better . Thankyou Nagi your sensational and I love your recipes
I made this for dinner with peppers instead of broccoli (what was in the fridge), and it was a hit! Three of the four of us had seconds (I made a double batch), including my son, who has never liked stir fry.
As a new comer I have only cooked the spring rolls, they were such a hit that I almost missed out. They are delicious and will make them again with a double quantity.
You are the first person that I have followed your recipes to a “tee” and I never had to substitute or put my own spin on it. Every dish that I have made from you is wonderful, including this one! Thanks so much and just in case you didn’t know… You are appreciated 🤗
Thank you so much Sameena, I truly enjoy hearing what people think of my recipes! x
I made this recipe for my family and it was a hit. The only thing I did add was some orange zest over the top of everything towards the end of the cooking. I had also squeezed the juice over the meat as a sort of marinade prior to cooking.
Mmmm that sounds lovely Lindsey! N x
My family loves your recipes and I should really post more reviews because every single one of your recipes comes out perfect and so authentic. Tonight I made your beef and broccoli and the entire dish was simple to make and tasted so wonderful. I doubled the recipe and I am glad I did because I have leftovers for lunch tomorrow. Thanks for your wonderful blog! You are my go-to what should I make for dinner. Thank you!
It was very tasty. I work slow it took double the time but still reasonable. I added a Serrano pepper to the mix. It really a nice little kick. Yum!!
Foolproof! Thank you Nagi for saving the day in terms of figuring what to cook 😀
Always delicious!
Our lives have changed since I found your blog a few weeks ago! Every single recipe we’ve tried so far turned out perfect. My parents in law are telling all their friends I should open a bakery since I made the creamy chocolate cake for their birthday. 🙂 I only use your site now for recipes because I hate it when I follow a recipe exactly and still the food doesn’t taste good. I didn’t have dark soy sauce and noticed it too late when the sugar was already added, so I added Kecap Manis and was afraid it would be too sweet but we still liked it. Thank you! Please don’t stop to post recipes.
I’m so pleased you are enjoying my recipes Annekathrin! Thank you for letting me know! N x
Nagi,
My boyfriend and I discovered your food blog a few months ago when we were looking for an authentic thai curry recipe, and we’re now die-hard fans of your recipes. We have made over two dozen of them now and have never been let down! Last night, we hosted a dinner party and served this dish over fresh wonton noodles from our local asian market… everyone was licking their bowls clean! We also added a bit of chili garlic sauce to the recipe because we like our beef spicy 😉 Such a fantastic, easy, and – most importantly – DELICIOUS recipe!
I made this yesterday and the family love it! Velveting the meat takes the meal from great to amazing. My 3 girls agreed this is the only way they want to eat broccoli from now on. Huge thanks to you.
Nagi my husband and 10 year old daughter love your recipes. Another winner! What an quick and economical way to tenderize certain cuts of meat since used flank. Question, I grated my ginger and forgot to add 2 T of sauce to meat before stir frying. I used dark soy and all purpose soy but felt like I needed more salt. Is it because I double recipe and used 1.67 lbs of flank? I see your Charlie Stir Fry uses oyster sauce should I add it next time for this recipe?
Holy moly that tenderizing tip works a treat. I gave up trying to master beef stir fry about 10 years ago as it always tasted like boot leather (possibly worse even!!). It’s definitely going to be a regular addition to my weekly menu plan, although my 10y.o. daughter said “too much broccoli” last night!!! Thanks Nagi, you’re the best!
Totally agree – this recipe is a game changer!
Thanks for the feedback Kellie! Glad you enjoyed this 🙂 N x
Another winner in our house 😀 delicious 🤤
Terrific to hear you enjoyed this!! Thanks Cara! N x
Great recipe, spot on in fact. From working in a local Italian restaurant next door to a Chinese I managed to glean a few tricks. The marinating is called Velveting here in the UK. Done just as you say for beef, for chicken they would add whisked egg white to the bicarb, then blanch it in boiling water for 30-40 seconds. This was then used in any stir frys later.
Yes! I’ve tried that too 🙂 I just find this method the easiest at home! What do you think??
Yet another delicious recipe 🙂 made this with chicken and doubled it, came out delicious. Finally i can make restaurant tasting dishes. I have now stocked my kitchen with Chinese cooking wine, sesame oil, fish sauce etc, my family and i are really enjoying all the asian recipes you have.
Your website is now part of my daily routine 🙂 Dinner time has never been for fun. Thank You Nagi! 🙂
Your Amazing!!
I just made this (and doubled because there’s 5 of us) and I wish I had planned ahead and tripled it, because the kids, my husband and I were licking our plates and there’s none leftover. Will definitely make this again! Thanks so much for the recipe! Added to my bookmarks!
Just made this for dinner tonight, I doubled the recipe because there are 6 of us – it was amazing! Served it over cauliflower rice, everyone loved it. Thanks for all the great recipes
Love hearing that Yvonne! Thanks for letting me know 🙂 Have a great weekend! N x