Chinese Beef and Broccoli (牛肉炒西蘭花)

Learn to make restaurant-quality Chinese beef and broccoli at home — it’s so easy!

flodesk gif
Prep Time
30 min
Total Time
45 min
Yields
4 servings
YouTube Tutorial

A Recipe by Daddy Lau

My dad's been cooking Chinese food for over 50 years - as a kid fending for himself in Guangzhou, as the head chef of his own restaurant, and as a loving father in our home.

Hopefully, by learning this recipe, you'll get to experience some of the delicious joy we felt growing up eating his food!

- Randy

Beef and broccoli is believed to originate from a Chinese dish called "Gai Lan Chao Niu Rou" (芥兰炒牛肉), also known as Chinese broccoli fried beef. Early Chinese immigrants could not find gai lan, a Chinese variant of broccoli, in the U.S. and so the broccoli that we know today became an easy substitute.

The origins of beef and broccoli

The story goes that the first versions of a beef and broccoli stir fry were prepared by Chinese immigrants who had settled in San Francisco sometime after the 1920s, when broccoli was introduced by immigrants from Messina. Nowadays, this dish is a staple of Chinese cuisine around the world.

Broccoli in Cantonese is sāi gaai làahn, which ironically in English, means "western Chinese broccoli." Since early Chinese immigrants couldn't find gai lan in the US, broccoli became an easy alternative.

Fun fact: Broccoli became popular in the U.S. around that time as well! Over time, this recipe became popular all around the world for its combination of tender beef with nutritious broccoli.

Using my dad's recipe, you can learn how to make beef and broccoli in your own kitchen at the same level as your favorite Chinese restaurant.

The most flavorful beef and broccoli sauce

Our recipe for beef and broccoli sauce includes oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauce, water, cooking wine, cornstarch, sugar, and white pepper. Don't forget that you also need to marinate the beef separately in baking soda, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, water, cornstarch, white pepper, sugar, and cooking wine, which adds both flavor and texture.

An expert Chinese chef’s tips for the most tender beef

There are a few techniques that my dad uses to ensure the beef has the best texture.

For max juiciness:

  • Don't neglect the water in the marinade.
  • Cook it hot and fast, before the moisture has a chance to cook out.

For max tenderness:

  • Cut against the grain of the beef.
  • Don't neglect the baking soda, cornstarch, and cooking wine in the marinade.
  • Add oil to the meat right before stir-frying.

Our secret to a perfect beef and broccoli stir fry

One of the trickiest things of stir fry cooking, whether you’re making this one or others such as our rainbow chicken stir fry, is how to keep it from getting watery. There are two common reasons you might be getting a puddle of watery sauce.

First, remember that cornstarch goes into both the beef marinade and the sauce mix. It's a crucial thickening ingredient that makes the sauce stick. Also, the broccoli will flood your dish with water if you neglect to drain it properly before stir frying it. We usually boil the broccoli for about 2 minutes, until it's perfectly bright green, then have it sit in a strainer or colander until it's time for its re-entrance.

Check out a quick story summary of our recipe!

Ingredients

Weight: US
oz
g
Volume: US
cup
mL
Servings
4

Stir Fry Ingredients

  • 12 oz beef (

    For a vegetarian option, use vegetables with low water content, such as root vegetables

    )
  • 1 lb broccoli
  • 0.50 carrot
  • 1 small piece ginger
  • 1 stem scallions
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Marinade Ingredients

  • 1 tsp baking soda (

    you can also tenderize meat physically by hammering the meat with a meat mallet

    )
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 0.25 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp cooking wine
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil

Beef and Broccoli Sauce Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp cooking wine
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 0.25 tsp white pepper

Step 1: Cut and wash beef

Find the grains of the beef (12 oz) and cut against it. Do not cut the beef too thinly because thin meat will break easily during the cooking process.

Place the meat in the bowl of water to wash the blood from the meat. To make this go faster, massage the meat in water. Once washing is completed, place the meat in a strainer to strain excess water and blood.

If you skip this step, the meat would turn black from the blood and not look appetizing.

Step 2: Prepare beef marinade

Adding baking soda to meat is a common technique in Chinese cooking. It helps tenderize the beef. Depending on the weight of the meat, you will need to adjust the amount of baking soda. In this case, add baking soda (1 tsp), oyster sauce, light soy sauce, water (2 tbsp), cornstarch, white pepper, sugar, and cooking wine.

Mix until incorporated.

Step 3: Mix beef into marinade

Add the beef (12 oz) to the marinade and massage to have the meat fully covered with the marinade. Set aside and let it sit for 30 mins.

Step 4: Cut broccoli and vegetables

Now move onto the broccoli (1 lb) and cut it into bite-size pieces. Make sure to separate the large main stem for easier cooking.

Cut the carrot (0.50 ) into thin slivers for a more colorful presentation. Chinese restaurants tend to cut the carrots into little shapes to bring a more visual impact, but feel free to keep it simple here.

Cut the ginger (1 small piece) into small cubes. A few slices will be sufficient.

Cut scallions (1 stem) into small pieces on a diagonal.

And mince the garlic (2 cloves).

Step 5: Make sauce

In a small bowl, mix together the oyster sauce (1 tbsp), light soy sauce (1 tsp), dark soy sauce (1 tsp), water (1 tbsp), cooking wine (1 tbsp), sugar (1 tsp), cornstarch (1 tsp), and white pepper (0.25 tsp).

Step 6: Boil broccoli

In a medium pot, bring the water to a boil and add a splash of oil and a generous pinch of salt (1 pinch). This helps to keep the broccoli green during cooking.

Add the broccoli to the boiling water and cook it to your preference. Do not cook it for too long if you like a crunchier texture. If you like a softer texture, you can cook it for a longer period of time. For reference, we cooked it for about 2 minutes.

Once cooked, drain the broccoli. If you aren't going to stir fry them immediately after, cool them with running water. Otherwise, you don't have to.

Step 7: Cook beef

Add some cooking oil (1 tbsp) into the marinated beef and mix until all the meat is lightly coated in oil. This will seal in the juices of the meat.

Heat up the wok to the highest heat, then add cooking oil (2 tbsp). Swirl the cooking oil around the wok to fully coat the bottom and sides. Pour out the excess oil.

Slowly lower the heat and put in the meat. Cook the beef for around 30 to 60 seconds, or when it turns brown, which is your cue to flip.

Flip the beef and cook it for 60 to 90 seconds or until it's mostly brown. It's fine if it's a little red, because we will continue to cook it with the vegetables.

Once mostly cooked, turn off the heat and take the meat out from the wok. Set aside.

Step 8: Stir fry vegetables and beef

Add the remaining oil and stir-fry the sides.

Add the garlic (2 cloves) and ginger (1 small piece) first and fry for 20 to 30 seconds. Put in the scallions (1 stem) and carrot slices (0.50 ) and cook for another 20 to 30 seconds. Once cooked, add the broccoli (1 lb). Cook for another 30 to 40 seconds.

Add back the beef. Cook everything together for 30 to 45 seconds.

Because the broccoli absorbs a lot of liquid, you can add extra water to the sauce. We suggest 1 tbsp if needed.

Step 9: Add sauce and stir fry everything

Add the sauce to the stir fry and constantly mix for about 1 minute. Add sesame oil (1 tsp). Once everything is incorporated, add a little more leftover oil to coat the broccoli — it will make it look very appetizing.

This optional last bit of finishing oil is called 'mei jau' pronounced "may-yao." This is usually practiced in restaurants.

Step 10: Taste test and plate

Taste to adjust the flavors and plate once it's to your taste! This is usually served at the center of the table and everyone can take the amount they want.

FAQ

How do you make beef and broccoli with less salt?

  • Our recipe actually doesn't use much salt at all! The savory flavors come from a variety of sources, giving the dish a lot more depth. In addition to salt, we use oyster sauce, light and dark soy sauce in both the beef marinade and the stir fry sauce. If you still need to reduce the amount of salt, we recommend trying low-sodium versions of oyster sauce and soy sauce.

Is beef and broccoli healthy?

  • Yes, it is! Both beef and broccoli are full of fantastic nutrients. You can make sure that you make the healthiest version possible by choosing good quality beef and good quality produce. Our recipe already has very little salt and sugar, and you can always reduce them further or omit them if necessary, though the dish may come out slightly less flavorful. Restaurant or instant versions may not be as healthy when they include additives and preservatives, but because you're making the beef and broccoli from scratch, you have full control over the ingredients.

Can this beef and broccoli recipe be done in a slow cooker or Instant Pot?

  • You'll notice that all the cooking in this recipe is done over rather high heat, so a slow cooker is probably not going to be the most helpful appliance in this case. The sauté function on the Instant Pot will probably be the closest thing to what we're doing, which is a basic pot and wok/pan on the stove.

Summary

Print Recipe
Made With Lau
madewithlau.com/recipes/beef-broccoli
Chinese Beef and Broccoli (牛肉炒西蘭花)
Learn to make restaurant-quality Chinese beef and broccoli at home — it’s so easy!
  • Prep Time: 30 min
  • Total Time: 45 min
  • Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

Stir Fry Ingredients

  • 12 oz beef (

    For a vegetarian option, use vegetables with low water content, such as root vegetables

    )
  • 1 lb broccoli
  • 0.50 carrot
  • 1 small piece ginger
  • 1 stem scallions
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Marinade Ingredients

  • 1 tsp baking soda (

    you can also tenderize meat physically by hammering the meat with a meat mallet

    )
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 0.25 tsp white pepper
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp cooking wine
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil

Beef and Broccoli Sauce Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp cooking wine
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 0.25 tsp white pepper

Step 1 - Cut and wash beef

↑ Jump to details

Cut the beef (12 oz) against the grain in medium slices. Wash and strain the blood out of the meat.

Step 2 - Prepare beef marinade

↑ Jump to details

Make the sauce by mixing baking soda (1 tsp), oyster sauce, light soy sauce, water (2 tbsp), cornstarch, white pepper, sugar, and cooking wine.

Step 3 - Mix beef into marinade

↑ Jump to details

Add the beef (12 oz) to the marinade and massage to have the meat fully covered with the marinade. Set aside and let it sit for 30 mins.

Step 4 - Cut broccoli and vegetables

↑ Jump to details

Cut the broccoli (1 lb) into bite-size pieces.

Cut the carrot (0.50 ) into thin slivers, the ginger (1 small piece) into small cubes, the scallions (1 stem) into small pieces on a diagonal, and mince the garlic. (2 cloves)

Step 5 - Make sauce

↑ Jump to details

In a small bowl, mix together the oyster sauce (1 tbsp), light soy sauce (1 tsp), dark soy sauce (1 tsp), water (1 tbsp), cooking wine (1 tbsp), sugar (1 tsp), cornstarch (1 tsp), and white pepper (0.25 tsp).

Step 6 - Boil broccoli

↑ Jump to details

Boil the broccoli with a little bit of oil and salt (1 pinch) and cook it to your preference. Drain once cooked.

Step 7 - Cook beef

↑ Jump to details

Add some cooking oil (1 tbsp) into the marinated beef and mix until all the meat is lightly coated in oil.

Heat up the wok to the highest heat, then add cooking oil (2 tbsp). Swirl the cooking oil around the wok to fully coat the bottom and sides. Pour out the excess oil.

Slowly lower the heat and put in the meat. Cook the beef for around 30 to 60 seconds, or when it turns brown.

Flip the beef and cook it for 60 to 90 seconds or until it's mostly brown.

Once mostly cooked, turn off the heat and take the meat out from the wok. Set aside.

Step 8 - Stir fry vegetables and beef

↑ Jump to details

Add the remaining oil and stir-fry the sides.

Add the garlic (2 cloves) and ginger (1 small piece) first and fry for 20 to 30 seconds. Put in the scallions (1 stem) and carrot slices (0.50 ) and cook for another 20 to 30 seconds. Once cooked, add the broccoli (1 lb). Cook for another 30 to 40 seconds.

Add back the beef. Cook everything together for 30 to 45 seconds.

Because the broccoli absorbs a lot of liquid, you can add extra water to the sauce. We suggest 1 tbsp if needed.

Step 9 - Add sauce and stir fry everything

↑ Jump to details

Add the sauce to the stir fry and constantly mix for about 1 minute. Add sesame oil (1 tsp). Once everything is incorporated, add a little more leftover oil to coat the broccoli — it will make it look very appetizing.

Step 10 - Taste test and plate

↑ Jump to details

Taste to adjust the flavors and plate once it's to your taste!

Step 11 - Take pictures
Whip out your camera (1). Begin taking photos (1,000,000). Pick your favorites!
Step 12 - Share and tag us on Instagram @madewithlau #madewithlau!
Did you have fun making this recipe? We'd love to see & hear about it. (Especially my dad. He would be THRILLED!)

Enjoy!

We have many, many happy memories of enjoying this dish growing up.

Now, hopefully, you can create your own memories with this dish with your loved ones.

Also, I cordially invite you to eat with us and learn more about the dish, Chinese culture, and my family.

Cheers, and thanks for cooking with us!

Feel free to comment below if you have any questions about the recipe.