Homemade Beef and Broccoli over Brown Rice is a savory, stir-fry dish that has thin-cut strips of lean, flank steak, crisp, bite-size, broccoli florets, a savory, garlic-infused brown sauce over steaming hot, brown rice. Make this popular Chinese-American cuisine take-out dish at home!

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Homemade Beef and Broccoli over Brown Rice

Hi Everyone, as you may have seen on my Instagram Stories, I've been recipe testing Beef and Broccoli for a few weeks now and I decided to have 2 versions, this one, which is pretty saucy, and a super saucy version which I will share later.

This first one is a more typical way to make Beef and Broccoli using one pot (preferably, a wok, if you have one) and the brown rice is made separately in a rice cooker.

Drawing on Family Knowledge for this Homemade Beef and Broccoli over Brown Rice recipe

Make sure to check out my "Tips for Success" down below where I dish on several family secrets I learned after interviewing my mom when developing this recipe.

My maternal grandfather, was part owner in Chinese restaurants when he had his career, so I asked my mom if she knew any stir-fry tips she could remember from him.

My mom's side of the family has Chinese-American heritage, so I grew up with so many different stir-fry dishes.

This way of cooking, stir-frying over high heat, was the norm when we got together for family dinners and my mom would also cook stir fry dishes in addition to American and Chinese-American fusion dishes at home.

I'm happy to share a version that I've come up with based on those taste memories, plus memories of my favorite take-out dishes, that my kids can now have if they ever want to make this dish. 

RELATED: Pork Cabbage Potsticker Wonton Dumplings (Steamed or Fried)

A Balance of Flavors

Once you try this recipe, you can adjust the flavors as you want.

If you feel like it needs more salt, add salt or soy sauce, if it needs more sweet, add more brown sugar.

These stir-fry-type dishes are all about having a balance of flavors.

A Vegan/Vegetarian Version of Beef and Broccoli?!

I would also love to develop a vegan/vegetarian (yes, it's possible!) version of Beef and Broccoli.

I asked a vegetarian friend of ours who comes to our house for dinner and took some notes on possible ingredients that I could use to replace the beef in this dish.

My husband, Eric, and I love Beef and Broccoli and we frequently like to do vegetarian nights at our house.

If you would like to also see a vegan/vegetarian Beef and Broccoli recipe, let me know in the comments below.

The Rice

As for the brown rice, it's just an effort to be a little healthier.

You can absolutely substitute the brown rice for long-grain white rice, as per your preference.

I suggest using a rice cooker, it's a must if you make rice fairly regularly.

It also frees up your stovetop so you can solely focus on the stir-fry. I link to my preferred rice cooker in the recipe card below.

RELATED: How to Make Rice in a Rice Cooker

Should I Add Onions to Homemade Beef and Broccoli over Brown Rice?

This is a question, that I asked myself over and over again when developing this recipe.

For this particular one, I left them in but I make the onions optional.

I think purists would agree that Beef and Broccoli do not include onions.

I have had versions with onions and in our household, we add onions to almost everything we make for dinner so I thought why not?

The onions definitely add to the flavor.

The recipe does include garlic, however, and I think it's just fine without the onions so it's your call!

Tips for Success for Homemade Beef and Broccoli over Brown Rice

Chinese 5-Spice Blend - This is an essential spice blend if you are making any Chinese/Chinese-American style recipes, it's going to make it have that extra something that you would expect from a really good take-out. There are many brands, I linked to one I found on Amazon.com in the recipe card ingredients list that I like by Frontier Co-op.

How to get Tender Beef

Okay, this is really key when making any stir-fry that involves beef, especially a tough, lean cut like flank steak.

You must cut THIN strips, bite-size, across the grain, which means that the meat fibers will be short.

Having an acidic element in the marinade will help start to break down the meat, resulting in more tender meat.

Making sure not to over-cook the meat.

When I interviewed my mom when developing this recipe, she suggested cooking the meat to medium (turn off that heat when the food is done and remove the pot from the stove to a trivet and serve immediately).

There's also another method to getting the meat tender.

You can "velvet" the meat by adding about ¾ teaspoon baking soda for every 1 pound of beef, sprinkling it to coat, I also add (for this recipe) 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and up to ¼ cup of the sauce to act as a marinade but sometimes if I am pressed for time, I don't bother with the marinade but it will make for a better tasting dish if you marinade it.

Another thing is adding the whiskey or sherry in the marinade, my mom told me she would add a little bit of whiskey to her beef marinades for a stir-fry and that was her way of making the meat more tender because it starts to break down the meat.

I let the meat marinate for a ½ hour which should be enough but you can marinate for longer, if you wish, however, it's not necessary to go beyond 24 hours.

Helpful Kitchen Tools for Homemade Beef and Broccoli over Brown Rice

Here is a list of helpful kitchen tools for this homemade beef and broccoli over brown rice recipe (I linked to all the kitchen tools in the recipe card at the end of the post as well):

Web Story

• large wok or large frying pan with lid
• chef's knife
• cutting board(s)
• mixing bowls
• measuring spoons and cups
• wet measure
• spatula
• plates
• rice cooker
• serving platter

If you made this Homemade Beef and Broccoli over Brown Rice Recipe and liked it, please give the recipe a rating in the recipe card and let us know in the comments below, thank you for reading and following along!

I added a "Stir Fry Kitchen Tools" list on my Amazon.com storefront, here

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Homemade Beef and Broccoli over Brown Rice

Yield: 4 servings

Marinade Time: 30 minutes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Homemade Beef and Broccoli over Brown Rice is a savory, stir-fry dish that has thin-cut strips of lean, flank steak, crisp, bite-size, broccoli florets, a savory, garlic-infused brown sauce over steaming hot, brown rice. Make this popular Chinese-American cuisine take-out dish at home!

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Ingredients

Brown Rice

• 1.5 cups brown rice, rinsed
• 3 cups water (for the brown rice)

Veggies

• 1 broccoli crown (4-5 cups), cut into medium, even-size florets
• 1 (½ cup) medium yellow or white onion, thinly sliced, optional
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt, optional
• 1-2 tablespoons Canola oil (for frying)

Beef

• 1 pound flank steak, thin cut, bite size pieces, cut across the grain
• ¾ teaspoon teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch (you do not need to dissolve it)
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons Canola oil (when frying)

Marinade Sauce

• 3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1-2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinese whiskey (or other whiskey or the same amount sherry)
• ⅛ Chinese 5-Spice blend
• 1-3 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• ⅛ fresh ground black pepper, plus more for serving, amount to taste
• 2 cups water (add when doing the stir fry to make the sauce) *you can add as little as 1 cup of water but if you want it more saucy, add 2 cups
• 1-2 tablespoons cornstarch (for thickening the sauce)

Optional Toppings

• 1 bunch sliced scallions/green onions
• fresh ground black pepper or white pepper
• roasted sesame seeds

Instructions

Cook the Brown Rice

1. Rinse the brown rice, add it to the rice cooker with the water, and set to cook on the "brown rice" setting.

Prepare the Marinade/Sauce

1. In a medium mixing bowl add 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger, 1-2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, ½ cup soy sauce, brown sugar, 1 tablespoon whiskey, ⅛ Chinese 5-Spice blend, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, and whisk to combine. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in 3 tablespoons of water and add to the marinade sauce when it's dissolved. Whisk to incorporate, set aside.

Prepare & Tenderize the Beef

1. Without Marinade: ½ hour before cooking the beef, slice the flank steak, thin slices, across the grain (so that the fibers are short). Add all the slices to a medium-large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the beef with ¾ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon corn starch, and a generous pinch (about ¼ teaspoon) Kosher salt. Using a large spoon, mix the beef until it's coated with baking soda and cornstarch. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
2. With Marinade: After preparing the sliced beef in step 1, add ¼ cup of the prepared marinade to the beef and mix until coated. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator for a minimum of ½ hour and no more than 24 hours.

To Make The Stir Fry

1. Cook the Broccoli & Onions: Add 1-2 tablespoons of Canola oil to the wok or large frying pan at medium-high heat, add the onions, using a spatula to stir, fry until the onions are translucent. Add the Broccoli, stir until the broccoli is coated in oil, and fry for about 4 minutes until crisp-tender. Remove the cooked onions and broccoli to a plate or bowl and set them aside while cooking the beef.
2. Cook the Beef: After the beef has been prepared and optionally marinated, using the same wok/pan as we used to cook the broccoli in, add 1-2 tablespoons of Canola oil, if needed, add the prepped beef, over medium-high heat. Stir with the spatula as it's cooking to ensure all sides of the beef cook evenly and cooked through. Adjust the heat, if necessary, if it's getting too hot. It should take about 3-4 minutes to cook the beef, make sure not to overcook because this can make the meat tougher.
3. Bring it All Together: When the beef is done cooking, add the remaining marinade, add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. The boiling temperature activates the cornstarch to make it thick, stirring to combine as it's cooking. When the sauce is thick, remove from heat, add the broccoli, stir to combine, and serve over the cooked brown rice. Alternately, you can serve this dish over noodles. Garnish with chopped scallions/green onion. Enjoy!

Notes

TIPS FOR SUCCESS FOR HOMEMADE BEEF AND BROCCOLI OVER BROWN RICE

• Chinese 5-Spice Blend – This is an essential spice blend if you are making any Chinese/Chinese-American style recipes, it’s going to make it have that extra something that you would expect from a really good take-out. There are many brands, I linked to one I found on Amazon.com in the recipe card ingredients list that I like by Frontier Co-op.
• How to get Tender Beef – Okay, this is really key when making any stir-fry that involves beef, especially a tough, lean cut like flank steak. You must cut THIN strips, bite-size, across the grain, which means that the meat fibers will be short. Having an acidic element in the marinade will help start to break down the meat, resulting in more tender meat. Making sure not to over-cook the meat. When I interviewed my mom when developing this recipe, she suggested cooking the meat to medium (turn off that heat when the food is done and remove the pot from the stove to a trivet and serve immediately). There’s also another method to getting the meat tender. You can “velvet” the meat by adding about ¾ teaspoon baking soda for every 1 pound of beef, sprinkling it to coat, I also add (for this recipe) 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and up to ¼ cup of the sauce to act as a marinade but sometimes if I am pressed for time, I don’t bother with the marinade but it will make for a better tasting dish if you marinade it. Another thing is adding the whiskey or sherry in the marinade, my mom told me she would add a little bit of whiskey to her beef marinades for a stir-fry and that was her way of making the meat more tender because it starts to break down the meat. I let the meat marinate for a ½ hour which should be enough but you can marinate for longer, if you wish, however, it’s not necessary to go beyond 24 hours.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 698Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 26gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 1441mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 45g

Please note that the Calculated Nutrition is an estimate at best.

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Sara Maniez

Owner at Life's Little Sweets

Sara is an architectural designer turned work-at-home Mom. She lives in New Jersey by way of New England and New York, with her husband and 3 kids under 8. She loves design, being creative, and spending time with family and friends. She loves checking out local businesses and eats and being apart of the local farm to table community.

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