Easy and Delicious Beef and Broccoli

Beef and Broccoli is one of my family’s all-time favorite meal. It’s healthy, delicious, and incredibly easy to make. Broccoli is my family’s favorite vegetable. One common mistake people often make is not blanching the broccoli first, which can leave a bitter mustard-green taste. Blanching helps bring out the broccoli’s natural sweetness and makes it tender yet crisp. This recipe is an easy, healthy, and delicious dish — perfect for any occasion!

Note on cuts of beef:

I'm using New York steak because it was on sale, but this recipe works well with other tender cuts like Flank, Ribeye, Sirloin, and more.

If you're using a tougher cut of beef, which is often more budget-friendly, you may need to tenderize it with baking soda before marinating for best results. Check out this blog for a step-by-step guide on how to properly tenderize beef with baking soda without any lingering aftertaste.

Notes on ingredients:

Chinese white rice wine (米酒, mǐ jiǔ) is a clear fermented rice wine with a mild, slightly sweet flavor and a touch of umami. A staple in Chinese cooking, it’s commonly used to enhance flavors, tenderize meat, and eliminate unwanted odors from proteins like chicken, pork, and seafood. If you don’t have it on hand, you can simply omit it without a significant impact on the dish.

Dark soy sauce (老抽, lǎo chōu in Mandarin or lou chou in Cantonese) is a richer, thicker, and slightly sweeter version of regular soy sauce. It’s commonly used in Chinese cooking to enhance color, depth, and umami flavor in dishes. Unlike light soy sauce, which is primarily used for seasoning, dark soy sauce is more about adding a deep mahogany color and a hint of sweetness to your food. Dark soy sauce is optional for this recipe. While it adds a richer color, leaving it out will have little effect on the overall flavor—the sauce will just be slightly lighter.

White pepper (白胡椒, bái hú jiāo) is a staple spice in Chinese cuisine, prized for its sharp, earthy heat and slightly fermented aroma. Compared to black pepper, it has a milder yet spicier profile, offering a quick, lingering heat without being as overpowering as chili peppers. It also subtly enhances umami, giving dishes a more balanced and rounded flavor. I personally add white pepper to almost all my dishes, but it’s completely optional—feel free to skip it if you find it too spicy or don’t have it on hand.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the Beef:

• 1 pound (450g) of beef, sliced ¼-inch thick (more on this below)

• 12 ounces (340g) of broccoli florets

• Ginger 1 tsp, finely minced

• Garlic 1 ½ tsp, finely minced

Marinade:

• 1 egg white

• ⅛ teaspoon white pepper

• 1 teaspoon rice wine (optional)

• 3 teaspoons cornstarch

• 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce

  
  

Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce (optional)

• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper (optional)

• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

• 1 tablespoon water

Step 1: Marinate the Beef

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, add the beef, and massage the marinade into the meat for about 2 minutes. This step helps the beef absorb all the flavors. Set it aside while we prepare the sauce.

Step 2: Prepare the Sauce

In a small bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients until smooth, ensuring there are no lumps. Set this aside.

Step 3: Blanch the Broccoli

Blanching removes bitterness and keeps the broccoli vibrant and crisp:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a little bit of salt.

2. Add the broccoli florets and let them boil for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, depending on how tender you like them.

3. Drain and set aside.

   
   

Step 4: Cook the Beef

We’ll cook the beef in two batches for even searing:

1. Heat a wok or large pan until smoking hot.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of oil (I used peanut oil, but any high-heat cooking oil works).

3. Add half the beef and cook for about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly until browned. Remove and repeat with the other half. Set aside.

Step 5: Bring Everything Together

1. Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the wok.

2. Quickly stir-fry ginger and garlic until fragrant.

3. Return the cooked beef to the wok.

4. Pour in the sauce and mix well.

5. Add the blanched broccoli and stir-fry everything for about 30 seconds, until the sauce thickens and evenly coats the meat and vegetables.

And that’s it—your Beef and Broccoli is ready to serve!

Time to Eat!

This dish is a complete meal on its own, packed with protein and vegetables. All you need is a bowl of rice to make it even more satisfying.

Watch our Youtube video for more detailed instructions: