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!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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:
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……
Sylvia says
Nagi, you are amazing! You are beautiful inside and out! You have inspired me to be a better cook! Thank you for all the beautiful meals!!! I have tried many of your recipes and they have all been delicious! As for the beef and broccoli, it was very tasty but why did my sauce turn like a ‘jelly’ consistency? Also, I tried the baking soda method on eye of the round roast, but it was still very tough and chewy? Should I have sliced the meat thinner?
Nagi says
Hi Sylvia, sorry you had issues here – sounds like you may of used a little too much cornflour that thickens the sauce. Your meat needs to be sliced thin to use the velveting method – or were you using it on a whole piece of meat?
Tali says
A great recipe! I added some onion and tablespoon of hoisin sauce. Highly recommend, Thank you!
Marcy says
Hi! Can Tamari be substituted for Dark Soy Sauce? It’s so hard to find from where I am but I have Tamari. 🙂
Nagi says
Hi Marcy, Tamari isn’t quite the same – subs are in the recipe notes! N x
Helena says
Did with eye fillet 2 pack from Woolworths about $14.00 very cheap dinner. Very tender. And yum probably came at $7.50 – $$8.00 per person. When I was little in the 80’s my immigrant father wouldn’t let us eat out as he said he could cook better for less. Every dinner we had he would make us guess what we would pay for such quality in a restaurant. This meal would be right up my dearly parted dad’s alley😜
Mims says
Hello! How can I make this with frozen broccoli?
Nagi says
Hi Mims, thaw the broccoli and cook as per the recipe 🙂 N x
Shanon says
Wow I’ve been looking for a great beef stir fry recipe for ages now I have found it! My girls can’t eat soy so I substituted the soy sauce for equal amounts of coconut aminos and oyster sauce, delicious, just like good take away!
sherry says
Correction to my post. “I’m surprised I DIDN’T rate it 5 stars etc…” Sorry about that.
Nagi says
😂 Thanks Sherry!
sherry says
We loved this recipe when I first made it. I’m surprised I rate it 5 stars at the time. I didn’t think it could be improved on until I tried your velveting method of tenderising the meat last night. What a revelation! It took it to a whole different level. Thanks again Nagi.
Nagi says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Sherry, thanks so much for letting me know! N x
Sandra Molieri says
Is rib eye steak good to make Chinese broccoli beef
Nagi says
Yes, very VERY good 🙂 N x
Robbie from New Zealand says
Just made the beef and broccoli. Smashing recipe. Love it. Made the sesami chicken the other day. Equally as good. Thank you Nagi. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.
Kim says
Made this last night and it tasted better than any Chinese restaurant I’ve ever eaten at. Delicious!!!!! Thank you very much. So far everything I’ve made since I’ve found your site is amazing. Only thing I did differently was I use corn starch in the meat to keep it tender. Last week I made boneless pork ribs in gravy and used corn starch. I just rub into meat. The pork was so tender just like the beef in this recipe. Thank you for sharing another winning dish!
Nagi says
I’m so glad you loved it Kim, that’s wonderful to hear!
Corrie says
I’m eating this right now, and it is delicious! Made it as is, but added a chopped thai chili to the sauce, because everything is better with thai chili!
Nagi says
I love a bit of chilli, sounds great Corrie!
Catherine says
Hi Nagi, I have made this recipe several times now and just love it. I am making it this weekend for a friend. She is allergic to sesame (which is optional in the recipe) I love the flavour the sesame oil gives so I was wondering if I could sub peanut oil for it? If not, no worries I will just leave it out. Thanks for all your amazing recipes 😊😊
Nagi says
Hi Catherine, nothing really comes close to sesame oil unfortunately so I’d just leave it out – N x
Catherine says
Thanks Nagi. I am sure it will still be delicious x
LS says
Yum! We ate this tonight! The velveting method with baking soda is such a game changer! I love it! Thank you!
Nagi says
I’m so happy you loved it LS!
Mary says
You make me look like a star,Nagi. Great recipe (aren’t they all)? 😂😂. Thanks for another great dinner. xxxooo
Dors says
Made it tonight… the I-got-nothing-to-cook-with night! Thawed out some pre-diced scotch fillet and followed the rest of your recipe. Cooked in mins, ate it on its own, not even with rice!
Nagi says
That’s awesome Dors!
Kathy Marie Behunin says
I made mine more American by doubling the recipe, using regular soy sauce only, oyster sauce, fish sauce; then grape juice instead of wine and no sugar. Finally to sweeten it enough instead of sugar I added just enough of Mr. Yoshida sauce. Perfect balance for my family. I love your technique for tenderizing meat without msg (ugh) but rather baking soda. Thanks for a great recipe, I love your site!
Nagi says
I’m so glad it worked out for you Kathy!
Bec says
Made this a few nights ago! Used rump (& tenderized).. I fell in love!! Made your fried rice to serve with it! Perfect combination!
Nagi says
Wooo! That’s great!!
Connie Slawecki says
So, I made this before and it was awesome. Went here to do it again, and I always print a hard copy so I can take it with me to the stove — and usually there is an icon that says “print” Right now, it’s just a faded out gray. I took a chance that the gray spot was the printer icon,, and it worked.
Nagi says
Hi Connie, what browser are you using, there is a big “print” button under the number of servings. – N x
Agill says
Great recipe! Easy to put together and of course love the fresh green veggies. I added some green onions at the end.
How can I make it saucier?
Nagi says
Hi Agill, you could always increase the ingredients using the serving slider to add more sauce (just keep the beef the same amount) – N x