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:
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soy sauce;
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Chinese cooking wine OR Mirin (see recipe for subs);
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sugar;
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cornflour/cornstarch for thickening; and
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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
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Spring Rolls – better than egg rolls!
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Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork)
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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:
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……
Shirley Rurak says
Could you share your recipe for sweet and sour sauce using Charlie. Also I believe you had mentioned that you were coming out with a new recipe book where these different sauces would be found. Will this recipe book be available in Manitoba, Canada. Thank-you.
Nagi says
Hi Shirley – it’s on the cards!!! I will share the sweet and sour using Charlie when I launch the book. It is taking much longer than I expected because there are so many recipes and because they are all “from scratch” creations, I am testing them over and over!! Yes it will be available in Canada as it will be an ebook – no waiting for delivery!
Nancy R. says
Since we moved to South Carolina from New Jersey we have been unable to find great Chinese Take-Out. Your recipe for Beef and Broccoli was wonderful and made our relocation even better! We even used left-over rib roast and it came out beautifully. Thank you so much. We will follow the rest of your recipes.
Nagi says
Thank you Nancy! I am so thrilled you enjoyed this, and thanks for coming back to let me know! N x
Annette Murray says
Hi,
I love this Beef & Broccoli recipe but my sauce won’t thicken. I followed the recipe exactly, what am I doing wrong.
Nagi says
Hi Annette! Did you add the cornstarch? It’s what thickens the sauce 🙂
Marika Barber says
I love this beef and brocolli receipe! All my friends who have children have asked me how I got my 5 year old boy to eat brocollli and I send them the link to this. Thanks Nagi for sharing this extremely favoursome dish.
Nagi says
YAY! Secret weapon to sneak greens into kids diets – awesome!!! 😉
Vanessa Baggio says
Last night’s dinner – Scrumdiddilyumpcious ! So easy to make, the boys said it was even better than your Sticky Mongolian Beef, and that’s saying something!
Nagi says
Woah! I was sure that boys would like Mongolian beef more!!! Thanks for letting me know the boys enjoyed this Vanessa! N x
Vanessa says
They love EVERYTHING that I make from you Nagi! I’m constantly hearing “That was the best meal I’ve ever had” – Until I serve another of your recipes then there they go again!
Nagi says
Vanessa, you’re so sweet, thank you for your lovely message!!! You totally made my evening! 🙂
The Hungry Mum says
Ohh la la! Extra saucy, eh? Sounds a bit risque 🙂 This would be waaaay better than anything you could round these parts.
Nagi says
BA HA HA!!! Cheeky bugger! ❤️
darcy says
Thank you, thank you, thank you…YUM!!! …enough said 🙂
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Awww…..so GLAD you enjoyed it Darcy! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know!!
Lisa says
Can shrimp be used in this recipe instead of beef? I’m wondering if the sauce would be just as good with seafood.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
This is FAB with shrimp! Thanks for the idea for another recipe to share! 🙂 I’ll share my shrimp broccoli stir fry soon!
Brian says
Can you post a photo of the brand of the light and dark soy sauce. Thank you so much for posting this recipe
Leonard Turner II says
Just got through making the broccoli beef. WOW! I put some carrots in mine and very little onion. I left the grated ginger in, that’s the way the local restaraunt dos it. Thank you for being awesome NAGI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Oooh, I’m so glad you enjoyed this Leonard! Thanks for letting me know! N x
Rick Bauer says
What do you do for people who cannot have corn, or the wheat flour that is in the soy sauce?
Nancy says
If you can have the soy, but not the wheat, you could use Tamari, which is gluten free. If you are avoiding soy, you can use coconut aminos.
For the corn starch, you could skip it entirely, but be aware that the sauce will be more “runny”. Or you could try arrowroot powder.
Barbara says
Use Arrowroot as a substitute for the cornstarch.
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Rick! Hmm, that’s a tricky one. There is definitely gluten free soy sauce but I don’t know what the best substitute is for cornflour. I’m terribly sorry!
Chris says
Looks like my dinner is sorted! My mouth is watering already….
Nagi | RecipeTin says
YESSSSS!!!! 🙂
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Makes my mouth water every time I see the photos too! 🙂
Telma says
Hi Nagi,
Wow! Just stumbled upon your blog and found this recipe! So excited to try it tonight. I just realized that I don’t have Chinese wine or dry sherry. What can I use in place of this? Again, thank you!!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Telma! I would substitute with chicken broth in this recipe. 🙂 I hope you love it!!
Doris Lee says
I have been searching for a broccoli and beef recipe that I could make at home instead of always going out and buying it, but I was never satisfied with the results of the recipes I’ve tried. I’m very discriminate about this dish and know that the sweet soy and the extra sauce are the defining elements I am looking for. I will definitely give this recipe a try very soon, if not tonight!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Doris! I hope you do try this. The source of this recipe is very reliable – a blog run by a Chinese family who used to own a Chinese restaurant. Doesn’t get anymore reliable than that!! N x
Angelito Cuna says
i work in a reataurant and i prep the beef this way before you cook it …..
mix beef egg salt water and cornstarch and baking powder and let sit overnight …
Yogicfoodie says
Hi Nagi,
I was wondering if you could recommend some other spice over the five spice. My family isn’t the greatest fan of it and plus, I don’t think it’s going to float my morning sickness too well. ??. Should I just omit it all together?
Thank u!!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi! Just omit it 🙂 You will barely notice it! N x
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks for the tip Angelito! Love getting insider tips 🙂 What kind of restaurant do you work at? The baking powder is an interesting addition!
Angelito Cuna says
im sorry baking soda not powder…:)
Nagi | RecipeTin says
🙂
Marc says
Beef and Broccoli is a wonderful dish. What Angelino is referring to is a process in Chinese cooking called “Velveting”. It makes chicken and beef shiny and gives it a nice coating. I am attaching a link that explains it all. When I make beef and Broccoli, mongolian beef, beef and snow peas, chicken and borccoli, I always velvet the beef or chicken. http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/07/chinese-velveting-101-introduction-water-velveting.html
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thank you for the reference Marc! I sometimes velvet, it definately makes a difference. Often with chicken stir fries. I find that when I make things with thinly sliced beef / chicken etc, it is not as necessary. Bit with bite size pieces, it makes a big difference! N x
Ernest Dunegan says
I’ve been searching for recipies and books for 20-yrs. I’m very discriminate. Your recipies are awesome as is or they can be slightly tweeked for individual tastes. I’m blown away. Thanks for sharing. Ernie
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Hi Ernie! I’m so glad you like the look of my recipes, thank you very much for your lovely message! – Nagi
Jim says
Wow this is excellent Nagi, super tasty, thank you very much for this recipe
Nagi | RecipeTin says
You are more than welcome Jim! So glad you enjoyed it! (Or if you haven’t tried it yet, I hope you enjoy it!)
Kevin | keviniscooking says
Nagi this looks almost too good to eat! I said, “almost” because I would in a heartbeat. Beautiful and the sheen and placement with chopsticks is stellar!
Nagi | RecipeTin says
He he!! That’s a first – a comment on chopstick placement!! 🙂
Kevin | keviniscooking says
Well I guess I should re-phrase, the “action” shot with the chopsticks picking up the Beef and Broccoli, NOT just the chopsticks – LOL. That would be a little strange, right?
mira says
Beef and broccoli is one of my favorite Chinese dishes! Love the amount of sauce it this recipe 🙂
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks Mira!! It’s aaaaallllll about the sauce for me….. 🙂
Kathleen | HapaNom says
Ooo… I just love how the sauce on that beef glistens! We always do family style when we go out for Chinese, and we always make sure someone orders Beef and Broccoli. Now I can make my own 😉
Nagi | RecipeTin says
Thanks Kathleen!! That sauce…that sauce….!! 🙂