Chinese Beef and Broccoli (One Pan Take-Out)

Introduction

Chinese Beef and Broccoli is the quintessential takeout favorite that marries tender strips of beef with crisp, vibrant broccoli in a savory, garlicky sauce. This one pan recipe brings the magic of restaurant-quality Chinese food straight to your kitchen, with flavors that taste even fresher than your local takeout—plus, it comes together in less than 30 minutes, making it an excellent weeknight dinner solution.

Why This Beef and Broccoli Is a Crowd Pleaser

This dish is a classic for a reason: the irresistibly rich sauce, the juicy seared beef, and the crunch of broccoli all come together in a single pan, minimizing both prep time and cleanup. Whether you’re meal prepping for the week or searching for a dish to satisfy everyone at the table, this recipe delivers bold flavor, satisfying texture, and unbeatable convenience.

The Secret to Perfect Chinese Beef and Broccoli

The key is marinating the beef for just a few minutes in a simple mixture of soy sauce and cornstarch—this helps tenderize the meat and allows it to soak up loads of flavor. Using fresh broccoli florets ensures the vegetables keep their satisfying crunch without getting soggy. And by cooking everything in a single pan, each ingredient gets a chance to soak up the sauce.

How to Nail the Classic Take-Out Sauce

Authentic flavor comes from a sauce made with soy sauce, oyster sauce, garlic, ginger, and a touch of brown sugar for depth. A quick slurry with cornstarch creates that luxurious, glossy finish that perfectly coats every bite. Once the beef is seared and the veggies are tender-crisp, everything is tossed back together, letting all the flavors meld beautifully.

Serving Suggestions for a Complete Meal

Serve your homemade Chinese Beef and Broccoli on a bed of hot steamed rice or noodles, and garnish with sliced green onions or sesame seeds for a restaurant-worthy presentation. This dish also pairs wonderfully with sides like fried rice or spring rolls for an Asian-inspired feast.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This recipe makes about 4 hearty servings. Each serving is approximately 325 calories (not including rice), with a protein boost from the beef and plenty of fiber from the broccoli—making it both delicious and satisfying.

Chinese Beef and Broccoli: The Ultimate One Pan Take-Out (Recap)

Make dinner both easy and impressive with this Chinese Beef and Broccoli—savory, saucy, and full of fresh, crisp flavors, all made in one pan. This weeknight favorite is guaranteed to satisfy any craving for classic takeout flavor, minus the wait or delivery fee.

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to automatically generate an organized shopping list with all ingredients sorted by store section—perfect for efficient grocery trips and simplified dinner planning.

Instructions

1. Marinate the Beef: In a bowl, toss sliced beef with 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Let marinate while you prep the remaining ingredients (about 10 minutes).
2. Make the Sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, broth, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, sesame oil, and black pepper. Set aside.
3. Cook the Broccoli: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add broccoli and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until bright green and starting to become tender. Add a splash of water, cover, and steam for another 2 minutes until just crisp-tender. Remove broccoli and set aside.
4. Cook the Beef: Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add marinated beef in a single layer and allow to sear for 1 minute undisturbed, then stir-fry until just cooked through (about 2 minutes). Add garlic and ginger during the last 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
5. Combine and Sauce: Return broccoli to the pan. Whisk the sauce, then pour over everything. Stir quickly as the sauce thickens and glazes the beef and broccoli, about 1–2 minutes.
6. Serve: Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds if desired. Serve immediately over cooked rice or noodles.

Weekly Meal Planning

This Beef and Broccoli recipe is perfect for planning your weekly dinners. Save and schedule this recipe for the week to automatically generate a smart shopping list—making sure you never forget a key ingredient and efficiently consolidate your meal prep.

Planning Benefits:

• Automatically sums ingredient quantities across all your weekly meals
• Organizes shopping lists by grocery section for stress-free trips
• Prevents overbuying and food waste by tracking what’s on your plan
• Makes batch cooking and meal prep fast, easy, and organized

Pro tip: When you schedule multiple recipes, CookifyAI calculates overlapping ingredients—so if another dish uses garlic or soy sauce, it tallies your needs for the entire week. No more midweek store runs!

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes