This quick and easy Beef and Broccolini Stir-Fry delivers tender, juicy steak, crisp veggies, and a savory sauce. Pile it onto a mound of fluffy rice or noodles for a perfect weeknight meal.
A Weeknight Staple
When I’m craving an easy, healthier meal with my favorite take-out flavors, this beef and broccolini stir-fry is the dish I make over and over. With just a handful of mostly staple ingredients, and on the table in very close to 30 minutes, it just can’t be beat.
Thin slices of beef and tender broccolini spears are quickly stir-fried in a bold, flavorful sauce made with soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger and garlic resulting in a dish everyone absolutely loves. In this recipe, the meat is tossed with baking soda and cornstarch before getting cooked. This step is the secret to perfectly tender, silky beef like you get from a restaurant so make sure not to skip it.
We serve this easy weeknight staple over white rice, or tossed with ramen noodles. Divine.
For more easy homemade take-out recipes, try this Cashew Chicken and Broccoli, or this Black Pepper Chicken Stir Fry.
What You Need To Know For Stir-Fry Success
This is a very simple dish but before we get into the recipe, here’s a few notes that will help you make the best beef stir-fry every time.
Use the right cut of beef: Some cuts of beef are notoriously better than others when it comes to a quick stir-fry. That said, even a cut like chuck roast will work but you have to slice it and tenderize it properly. I like to keep my stir-fries simple so I stick to a cut of beef that will not need a lot of work to taste tender and delicious. My favourites are flank, skirt and Denver. Or if I find Strip loin or Rib eye’s on sale, I might splurge and go with that.
Achieve the perfect balance of salty and sweet stir fry sauce: There is nothing worse than putting in a lot of effort (and money) to make a stir fry and have it turn out bland, or too salty. Sodium levels can be very high in a lot of stir fries so it’s important to balance the salty ingredients with something sweet and tangy. This recipe uses just enough honey to balance the salty oyster sauce and the soy sauce.
Don’t skip tenderizing the meat: There is a simple step that will make your beef extra tender, no matter what cut you have. Simply toss thinly sliced beef with a little baking soda, cornstarch, soy sauce and oil. All this needs is 15 minutes and the baking soda will do its tenderizing magic on the meat. Don’t let this sit longer than 30 minutes or it could drastically alter the texture of the meat.
The best pan to use for stir frying: Of course, we all know a wok is a great pan for stir frying. However, I find a large cast iron skillet will work just as well. Just make sure it’s a deep-ish pan so you’re able to fit and toss around all the ingredients.
Key Ingredients You Will Need
Beef – To make this beef and broccolini stir-fry I like to use flank steak, skirt steak or hanger steak. Lately I’ve also been using Denver steak which is a new-to-me cut that is relatively inexpensive and really delicious. Strip loin or rib eye steaks will be more tender but also considerably more expensive. All of these cuts will cook quickly and have a nice beefy flavor.
Broccolini – I have been buying the large bags of broccolini at Costco for a lot cheaper than the small bundles at the supermarket. Broccoli florets will be just as delicious and cooked the exact same way so use whichever is easier for you.
Soy sauce – Whether you are using Tamari or soy sauce it is imperative you use low-sodium soy sauce here. If you’d like to make this with regular soy sauce, reduce the amount by half and add a little more water and honey.
Oyster sauce – If you love making Thai and/or Chinese dishes, you likely always have oyster sauce on hand. This is my favorite tasting oyster sauce that can be easily found at most supermarkets or Asian stores. However, the ingredient list is pretty scary so lately I have been using this vegan, mushroom-based oyster sauce and quite love it. While I do feel oyster sauce contributes great flavor to this stir-fry, if you rather not use it, replace it with teriyaki sauce or hoisin sauce.
How To Make This Easy Beef And Broccolini Stir Fry
Note: This is just an overview on how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos. You can find the detailed instructions in the printable recipe card below.
- Slice the steak – Slicing at an angle, cut the beef into 2-inch strips, against the grain, into very thin pieces. TIP: If possible, freeze the steak for 15 to 20 minutes. This will make it a lot easier to slice thinly.
- Marinate/tenderize the beef – Toss the sliced beef with soy sauce, baking soda, oil and cornstarch. Set it aside to “marinate” while you prepare the other ingredients. TIP: Once you’ve added the baking soda, do not let it sit for longer than 15 minutes as this could change the texture of the beef.
- Prepare the sauce – Whisk together your sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Trim your broccolini, slice the bell peppers and set aside.
- Cook the beef – Sear the beef on both sides until crisp and golden. (If necessary, cook the beef in batches.) Transfer to a platter.
- Cook the broccolini – Sear and steam the broccolini until it’s slightly tender, but still has a crispness remaining. Transfer the broccolini to the plate with the beef.
- Simmer the sauce – Add a bit more oil to the empty pan and add the garlic and ginger. Pour sauce into hot pan, let it simmer and stir it while it thickens for just 30 seconds, or so. Add meat and broccolini and toss to coat with the sauce.
- Finish – Remove from heat and add the chopped scallions. Serve over white rice or noddles. Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
Don’t add the sauce when the pan is smoking hot. When you add the sauce to the hot pan, you want the liquid to bubble slightly so it thickens and coats everything. But if it’s too-too hot, the sauce will burn, or dry up too quickly before it has a chance to glaze the food. Make sure you lower the heat and wait for the pan to cool slightly before adding the sauce. You can always bring up the heat a little more, if necessary.
Don’t overcook the beef. We want really tender juicy beef and the small pieces will not take long to cook. Especially if using lean beef like flank, try not to overcook it so it doesn’t dry out.
Start by making your side. If serving with sides such as rice or noodles, make sure to have those ready beforehand. Like all stir-fries, this one comes together pretty fast and you don’t want to be waiting for your side to be ready.
The dish might taste slightly salty on its own. But paired with rice, or other neutral-tasting side, the salinity is perfectly dispersed and toned down.
This is not supposed to be a very saucy dish. If you want a little more sauce, add a 1/4 cup more broth or water to the sauce, along with a an additional tablespoon soy sauce and a teaspoon honey.
Variations
- Add more vegetables: You already have a very healthy vegetable in this stir-fry but that doesn’t mean you can’t add more. I often add red peppers, thinly sliced carrots, chopped green beans, onions, bok choy, or snap peas.
- Make it Vegetarian – This stir fry is also delicious with cubed or sliced extra-firm tofu.
- Make it Gluten-Free – Use low-sodium Tamari instead of soy sauce.
Can I Make This Ahead?
This dish comes together really fast but if you’d like to get some of the prep work done in advance, here’s what to do:
Broccolini: Trim and wash the broccolini up to 3 days ahead. To store it, wrap it in paper towels and place in a zip loc bag; refrigerate until ready to use.
Beef: Slice the beef early in the morning or even the day before, then store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Remove the beef from the fridge 30 minutes before you are ready to cook it so it isn’t fridge-cold. and then store them separately in little dishes, covered in the fridge. If you’d like, you can even cook the cut-up chicken a day ahead, then refrigerate until ready to use.
Serving Suggestions
Rice: My favourite way to serve this beef and broccolini stir-fry is over fluffy white rice. Easy and delicious! Also delicious with brown rice.
Noodles: If I’m not serving the stir-fry with rice, I am likely serving it with rice noodles of some kind. I particularly love this dish with Lotus rice ramen noodles. Just give them a quick boil and toss with the finished dish in the pan—so good!
Chopped lettuce or coleslaw: For a low-carb option, enjoy the beef stir-fry over a mound of chopped lettuce or coleslaw — yum!
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Thank you!~Sandra
Beef and Broccolini Stir-Fry
Ingredients
For the Beef Marinade
- 1 pound flank steak, sliced thinly (1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick *SEE NOTES)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, optional
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (I use avocado oil)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
For The Sauce
- 1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock or water, warmed
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon honey or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Sambal Oelek (optional)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
For the Stir-Fry
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 1 large bundle of broccolini (about 6 to 8 stalks), sliced lengthwise if thick
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (1-inch) piece of ginger, minced
- 3 green onions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Toss the sliced beef with baking soda, cornstarch, oil and soy sauce. Set it aside to "marinate" while you prepare the other ingredients. TIP: Once you've added the baking soda, do not let it sit for longer than 15 minutes as this could change the texture of the beef.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine broth (or water), soy sauce, honey, oyster sauce, sesame oil, Sambal Oelek (if using), and cornstarch. Whisk until smooth and set aside.
- Set a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and heat until it shimmers and is about to smoke. Add beef to the pan in a single layer and cook without stirring until the bottoms of the pieces are crisp and golden, approximately 60 to 90 seconds. (If necessary, cook the beef in batches.) Turn the beef pieces over and cook the other sides, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes more for medium-rare. Transfer to a large platter.
- Lower heat to medium-high and add the broccolini to the pan. Let cook, undisturbed, for 1 minute so the stalks get slightly browned. Flip the stalks over and drizzle in the 1/4 cup of water to help it steam. Cook for another 2 minutes or until broccolini is slightly tender, but still has a crispness remaining. Transfer to the platter with the beef.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant, 30 seconds or so. Pour sauce into hot pan, let it simmer, stirring constantly while it thickens, for just 30 seconds, or so.
- Return the beef and broccolini to the pan and toss to warm through and coat thoroughly with the with the sauce, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add the chopped scallions, if using. Serve over white rice or noddles and enjoy!
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