Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry with Tender Flank Steak and Fresh Broccoli
By Isabella Quinn
Prep
17 min
Cook
13 min
Total
30 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Gather ingredients for beef and broccoli stir-fry before cooking. Cook a four-serving skillet dish in about 30 minutes. Use leftovers for lunch. Do not add sesame seeds to leftovers. Thin flank steak and crisp-tender broccoli are coated in a sweet and savory sauce.
Flank steak is cut thinly across the grain. Broccoli is prepared fresh and served as a side with the cooked steak. Other sauce ingredients are fresh grated ginger and garlic, hot water, low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, black pepper, and sesame oil. Preparing the brown sugar helps the skillet dish cook faster after the steak is browned.
Look for broccoli that is brightly colored and crisp and sauce that has thickened. Cook the beef in a single layer for about two minutes per side or until done. Overfilling the pan is one risk associated with this recipe. Overfilling will reduce the heat of the pan and cause the steak to steam rather than brown. Fresh broccoli, rather than frozen broccoli, will help avoid adding extra liquid to the sauce.
Serve over white rice and, if preferred, sprinkle with sesame seeds. Reheat broccoli and other stir-fried vegetables and sauce. To prepare individual portions for lunch, cool and pack stir-fried dishes separately for later. When reheating individual portions, use a skillet over medium heat and add a little water to stir-fried vegetables and sauce to make the sauce less thick. Individual portions are convenient.
Why we keep this one around
- Individual prepped components can save time: Steak and broccoli slices and the mixed sauce can be prepped one day and reheated for cooking in a pan the next day.
- Individual containers can be used to serve four servings for lunch, and the sauce holds up well when individual servings are reheated in a pan.
- Freezing the dish is possible. The recipe warns about problems with freezing: mushy broccoli that can dilute the sauce after thawing.
- A 30-minute cooking time and one-pan meal allow you to prepare fresh meals during the day, as well as pack lunches with prepped ingredients from the same meal.
- Stacks of thinly sliced flank steak will cook more quickly. A single layer prevents steaming when cooking multiple dishes.
- The sauce can be diluted with water when reheating portions of food to keep the sauce shiny when serving premeasured portions and prevent the sauce from drying out.
Ingredients
- •1 lb flank steak (very thinly sliced into bite-sized strips)
- •2 Tbsp olive oil (or vegetable oil, divided)
- •1 lb fresh broccoli (cut into 6 cups florets)
- •2 tsp sesame seeds (optional garnish)
- •1 tsp fresh ginger (grated, loosely packed)
- •2 tsp garlic (grated, from 3 cloves)
- •½ cup hot water
- •6 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce (or GF Tamari)
- •3 Tbsp light brown sugar (packed)
- •1 ½ Tbsp corn starch
- •¼ tsp black pepper
- •2 Tbsp sesame oil
- •cooked white rice (for serving)
Instructions
- 1
Start cooking white rice first so it is ready when the stir fry is done.
- 2
Cover and freeze the steak for 30 minutes for easier slicing.
- 3
Thinly slice the steak against the grain.
- 4
Combine all stir fry sauce ingredients in a bowl, stir well to dissolve the sugar, and set aside.
- 5
Place a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 Tbsp oil.
- 6
Add the broccoli florets and sauté 4 to 5 minutes, partially covered, stirring or tossing several times until bright green and crisp-tender, then remove from the pan.
- 7
If softer broccoli is preferred, add 2 Tbsp water before covering with the lid so the broccoli steams.
- 8
Increase the heat to high and add 1 Tbsp oil.
- 9
Add the beef in a single layer and sauté 2 minutes per side, or just until cooked through.
- 10
Quickly pull out a piece of beef to test for doneness.
- 11
Add the sauce, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer 3 to 4 minutes until thickened.
- 12
Add the broccoli and stir to combine.
- 13
Stir in 1 to 2 Tbsp water to thin the sauce if desired.
- 14
Serve over white rice.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
385
Calories
29g
Protein
21g
Fat
22g
Carbs
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