Beef and Broccoli Teriyaki is thin-sliced flank steak seared in a hot skillet and tossed with tender broccoli in a glossy, sweet and savory sauce of soy, brown sugar, ginger and garlic. It takes one pan and 30 minutes, and serves 4 over rice.
How to make it: Stir together a cornstarch and soy sauce mixture, then cook the broccoli with a splash of water until tender and set it aside. Sear the sliced steak in a single layer over high heat, pour in the sauce and let it bubble until thick, then toss the broccoli back in and serve with sesame seeds over rice.
Why You’ll Love It
- 30 minutes, one pan: the broccoli, beef and sauce all cook in the same skillet.
- A simple sauce: soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes, thickened with cornstarch.
- Tender broccoli: it softens under a lid with a little water, then waits on a plate while the beef sears.
- Freezer friendly: it can be packed raw as a freezer meal kit.
Ingredient Notes
Flank steak: One pound, sliced about 1/4 inch thick against the grain. Buying it pre-sliced saves time.
Broccoli: One pound, cut into bite-size florets.
Low-sodium soy sauce: A quarter cup is the base of the sauce.
Light brown sugar, ginger and garlic: Two tablespoons of brown sugar for sweetness, a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger and 2 cloves of garlic.
Cornstarch and water: One tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup of water thickens the sauce as it simmers.
Red pepper flakes and sesame seeds: A quarter teaspoon of flakes for a little heat, and a tablespoon of sesame seeds to finish.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water, plus about 2 tablespoons for the broccoli
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 pound broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
- 1 pound flank steak, sliced thin against the grain
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- Cooked rice, for serving
How to Make Teriyaki Beef and Broccoli
1. Make the sauce. In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch into 1/2 cup of water until completely dissolved. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes, stir, and set aside.
2. Prep the broccoli and beef. Cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces. Slice the flank steak thinly, about 1/4 inch thick, against the grain.
3. Cook the broccoli. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the broccoli and stir. Add about 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and cook a few minutes to soften. Uncover and cook until the water is absorbed, then transfer the broccoli to a plate.
4. Sear the beef. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and raise the heat to high. Add the beef in a single layer and cook a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through (145°F). If the meat releases a lot of liquid, scoop it out and discard it.
5. Add the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir the sauce and pour it over the beef. Cook a couple of minutes, until it bubbles and thickens. Add the broccoli and stir to combine.
6. Serve. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice.
How to Sear the Beef Instead of Steaming It
These steps keep the steak browned instead of grey.
Slice thin, against the grain. Cut the flank steak into strips about 1/4 inch thick, slicing across the lines of the grain rather than along them.
Cook the broccoli first. Steam it in the skillet with a little water, let the water cook off, and move it to a plate. The pan is then free for the beef.
High heat, single layer. Turn the heat to high before the beef goes in, and spread the slices out in one layer instead of piling them up. Stir only now and then.
Pour off the liquid. If the steak starts to release a lot of juice, spoon it out and discard it.
For crispy edges, add cornstarch. Toss the sliced steak with cornstarch before cooking and stir-fry it in 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until golden and crisp around the edges, 3 to 4 minutes.
Tips for Success
- Lower the heat for the sauce: drop to medium-low before pouring it in, then let it bubble a couple of minutes until thick.
- Finish with green onions: sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds go on top.
Make It a Freezer Meal
Coat the sliced raw steak in cornstarch, add the sauce and the broccoli to a labeled gallon freezer bag, toss, seal and freeze flat. To cook, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, or run the bag under warm water until the beef pieces break apart. Pour everything into a wok or skillet with 3 to 4 tablespoons of hot oil and stir-fry, separating the pieces, until the steak is golden and crisp at the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes, and cooked through.
Variations
- Frozen broccoli: fresh or frozen florets both work.
- Slow cooker: brown sirloin strips, cook them low and slow with vegetables and a soy sauce mixture, and add the broccoli for the last 30 to 45 minutes.
- More heat: add more red pepper flakes to the sauce.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 3 to 4 months. Reheat to 165°F.
What to Serve With It
Serve it over steamed rice. For more stir fries, try Chinese beef and onion stir fry, chicken and broccoli stir fry or beef and broccoli ramen stir fry. For noodle nights, there is Mongolian beef stir-fry with ramen and 15-minute Mongolian ground beef noodles, and for a hands-off teriyaki, slow cooker chicken teriyaki.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use teriyaki sauce for beef and broccoli?
Yes. This recipe makes its own teriyaki-style sauce from soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and garlic, thickened with cornstarch.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when making beef and broccoli?
Piling the beef into the pan instead of spreading it in one layer, cooking it over low heat, and leaving released juices in the skillet. The recipe avoids each one: a single layer, high heat, and spooning off the liquid.
Should I marinate my beef for beef and broccoli?
Not for this recipe. The sauce goes in at the end. For crispier beef, coat the slices in cornstarch before they hit the pan.
Can I use frozen broccoli?
Yes. Fresh or frozen florets both work.
Final Notes
Cook the broccoli first, sear the beef hot and in one layer, and add the sauce last. If you make it, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Beef and Broccoli Teriyaki
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water plus about 2 tablespoons for the broccoli
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 pound broccoli cut into bite-size florets
- 1 pound flank steak sliced thin against the grain
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch into 1/2 cup of water until completely dissolved. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes, stir, and set aside.
- Cut the broccoli into bite-size pieces. Slice the flank steak thinly, about 1/4 inch thick, against the grain.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the broccoli and stir. Add about 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and cook a few minutes to soften. Uncover and cook until the water is absorbed, then transfer the broccoli to a plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and raise the heat to high. Add the beef in a single layer and cook a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through (145°F). If the meat releases a lot of liquid, scoop it out and discard it.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir the sauce and pour it over the beef. Cook a couple of minutes, until it bubbles and thickens. Add the broccoli and stir to combine.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice.
