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ONE SKILLET SAUCY BEEF AND BROCCOLI

By Olivia Adriance

on Sep 08, 2023, Updated Jul 23, 2024

5 from 2 votes

We all love a good Asian-inspired meal, right? If so, you’re going to want to give this One Skillet Saucy Beef and Broccoli dish a try. My husband Kyle was begging me to make this recipe for months before I got around to it. And I’ll admit that it took a few unsuccessful attempts before I really nailed this one. But wow, this 15-minute one-pan recipe is a real winner now. 

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What takes this meal over the top is the stir fry sauce. It packs a punch with just a few staple ingredients and takes only 3 minutes to whip up. It’s sticky, slightly sweet, and has just the right amount of tang. 

That said, if you have a bottle of stir fry sauce in the fridge, don’t let me stop you from using that instead! When you’re busy and just looking to get a healthy meal on the table quickly, I’m all about taking whatever shortcuts you need!

With that in mind, the next time you’re at the grocery store, go ahead and buy a bag of pre-cooked frozen rice. It’s a staple in my own freezer and is one less thing you’ll have to worry about for this meal here. 

I hope you enjoy this quick and easy one-pan beef and broccoli as much as Kyle and I do! Let me know if you make it, and tag me in your creations on Instagram, @olivia.adriance. I always love seeing what you’ve made! 

Ingredients for Beef and Broccoli

Here’s everything you’ll need for dinner tonight. Chances are you’ve already guessed the first two ingredients!

• Beef: Let’s start with the obvious ingredient: beef. I used a pound of flank steak that I purchased from @wholefoods. You could also use skirt steak, flat iron, or flap steak. You’re looking for a lean and tender cut of meat. Be sure to cut against the grain to get the most juicy bite.
• Broccoli: Next on the ingredient list is broccoli. To make this even simpler, you can buy pre-cut broccoli florets. I’m all about taking these kinds of shortcuts if that’s what it takes to get dinner on the table faster. 

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• Avocado Oil and Sesame Oil: This recipe calls for two different types of oils. I like to sear meat using avocado oil because it has a higher smoke point than many other types of oils, including extra virgin olive oil. Sesame oil, which is found in a lot of Asian dishes has a distinct flavor. I like to use that as a finishing sauce as opposed to cooking with it. For this recipe, I add two tablespoons of sesame oil to the sauce for that slightly nutty undertone. 

• Tamari: A gluten-free soy sauce alternative gives this dish its Asian flare. You can substitute soy sauce if you aren’t gluten-free. Coconut aminos will also work, but it tends to result in a bit of a sweeter sauce. 
• Broth: The base of the delicious sauce is bone broth. I opted for chicken bone broth but you could also use beef. Bone broth is more nutrient-dense than regular broth or stock as the bones are simmered down for a much longer time. Bone broth is also great for the gut, so I always try to use it when I can. 
• Ginger: I suggest using fresh ginger here to pack the most punch. Peel the ginger using the back of a spoon or cut it off using a sharp knife. Then, use a microplane to grate the ginger right into your sauce. 

• Garlic: Smashing garlic is one of my favorite things to do in the kitchen! You’ll need three cloves for the stir fry sauce. 
• Arrowroot Starch: This ingredient thickens the sauce, resulting in a syrupy, sticky glaze as opposed to a looser sauce. Cornstarch or tapioca starch also works as 1:1 substitutes here.  
• Honey: I add a bit of honey to give the sauce a more well-rounded flavor. This natural sweetener is one of my go-tos, but you can also use maple syrup or coconut sugar. 
• Rice: The obvious pairing here is a bowl of steamy rice. I like jasmine or basmati rice, both of which I cook on the stovetop. I’m not opposed to using pre-cooked frozen rice, either! Heat it in the microwave and dinner is done! 

• Garnish: If you want to get a bit fancy, sprinkle some sesame seeds over the dish along with sliced green onion. Your family will never guess that it only took you 15 minutes to make dinner! 

How to Make One Skillet Beef and Broccoli

Let’s get cooking! To start, you’re actually going to put the steak right in the freezer for 30 or 45 minutes. I keep it in the wrapping and just pop it in and set a timer. Cold meat is much easier to slice, which is important because you’ll want to slice it thinly here. 

Take the steak out of the freezer. Using a sharp knife, slice against the grain into thin, 1/4-inch slices. 

Next, whip up the sauce. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the tamari, broth, ginger, garlic, arrowroot starch, sesame oil, honey, and pepper. Set aside until ready to use. 

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. Add the chopped broccoli and cook for about 5 minutes. Remove the broccoli from the skillet. 

Raise the heat to medium-high and add another tablespoon of avocado oil. Add the thinly sliced beef to the skillet in a single layer. This ensures each piece gets even cooking time and doesn’t steam instead of sear. Cook for 2 minutes on each side. 

Turn the heat down to medium-low and pour in the sauce. Simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken. Add the broccoli and toss to coat using a spoon or tongs. 

Remove from the heat. Serve over a bowl of steaming rice and garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and sliced green onion. Enjoy! 

Other Yummy Asian-Inspired Recipes To Try

• Firecracker Beef Noodle Bowls
• Sticky Glazed Chicken Ginger Meatballs
• 20-Minute Ground Turkey Stir Fry
• Spicy Cashew Quinoa Crunch Salad with Gingery Almond Butter Dressing

5 from 2 votes

ONE SKILLET SAUCY BEEF AND BROCCOLI

By Olivia Adriance

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An easy, saucy addition to your weeknight meal routine with total cook time under 15 minutes!

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Ingredients 

Steak:

• ▢ 1 pound flank steak
• ▢ 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
• ▢ 2 tablespoons avocado oil

Sauce:

• ▢ ½ cup tamari
• ▢ ⅓ cup chicken bone broth
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ 1 ½ tablespoons arrowroot starch
• ▢ 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup or coconut sugar)
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon pepper

For Serving:

• ▢ Cooked rice
• ▢ Sesame seeds
• ▢ Green onion, sliced

Instructions 

• Put your steak in the freezer for 30 to 45 minutes (this makes it easier to slice). Once ready, cut into thin, 1/4-inch slices.
• Whisk together the sauce ingredients (tamari, broth, ginger, garlic, arrowroot starch, sesame oil, honey, pepper) and set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add your broccoli and cook, covered, for 5 minutes.
• Remove broccoli from the skillet and raise the heat to medium-high. Add another tablespoon of avocado oil.
• Add the sliced beef to the skillet in a single layer and sear for 2 minutes on each side.
• Turn the heat down to medium-low and add the sauce.
• Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to let the sauce thicken, then add the broccoli and toss to coat.
• Remove from the heat and serve over rice with a garnish of sesame seeds and green onion. ENJOY!

Notes

This recipe serves four and can be easily doubled if you have more mouths to feed. If so, you may need to cook the meat in batches just to ensure it sears evenly and doesn’t steam. This meal is also great for lunch the next day. So I suggest going ahead and making the full recipe, knowing that lunch or dinner the next night is already taken care of.

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