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What You Need to Make Chinese Beef and Broccoli
If you make only one recipe from my blog and are a fan of beef and broccoli… you have GOT to make this. Like go to the store and buy the ingredients and make it ASAP! It is so good that it will be the biggest hit at the dinner table. You will make it again and again, just like we do!
- Beef chuck roast:Â Boneless and sliced into thin strips before adding to the crockpot.
- Beef consomme or beef broth: Adds flavor and liquid and covers the meat while it cooks.
- Low sodium soy sauce: Adds a great salty flavor.
- Dark brown sugar: I love the sweetness from the rich molasses in the brown sugar.
- Sesame oil: Combine with soy sauce and broth to make the liquid to cook the beef.
- Garlic cloves: Minced garlic will add a pungent spice flavor.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce.
- Frozen Broccoli Florets: About 3 cups (I used one 14 oz bag)
- White or brown rice:Â This broccoli and beef is amazing served over cooked rice!
Quick and Easy Steps to Make Beef and Broccoli
Making this recipe again today reminded me of how BOMB it is. Wow! The flavor is incredible. There is something about cooking this meat all day in the slow cooker that makes it so tender and melt in your mouth. It cooks perfectly. And the flavor of the sauce is amazing. Just like you would expect in a restaurant.
- Whisk sauce: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the beef consume, soy sauce, dark brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic.
- Add beef to Crockpot: Lay the beef strips in the crockpot and pour the sauce over, tossing the strips to coat.
- Cook: Turn the crockpot on low and cook for about 6 hours. Mine was ready at 5. You don’t want to cook the beef too long or it will start to shred.
- Make a slurry and add to crockpot: When it is just about done, take 4 Tbsp of the sauce and whisk it in a small bowl with the cornstarch. Slowly stir this into the crockpot.
- Add in broccoli and continue to cook: I added the broccoli right after the slurry so that it could get heated through. You want to let it cook an additional 30 minutes so that the sauce can thicken and frozen broccoli can cook. You don’t want to add the broccoli until the very end or it will be mushy.
- Serve: It is great alone or over white rice. Enjoy!!
Do I Need To Thaw the Broccoli if I Am Using Frozen?
You do not need to thaw it. Add it directly to the crock pot after you add in the cornstarch mixture and allow it to heat up for about 30 minutes.
Can I Make This Recipe Ahead?
This recipe can be made ahead! Allow it to cool completely before storing and do not leave out at room temperature longer than 2 hours. It will keep well if properly stored in an airtight container for 2-4 days in the refrigerator or 2-4 months in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight then use within 3-4 days of thawing. If you thaw in the microwave, eat immediately then discard.
More Slow Cooker Beef Recipes
Slow cooking beef is one of the best ways to get incredibly tender beef every time. It allows the fibers to break down tenderizing the meat. Adding sauces and flavorings and then slow cooking them over time infuses the meat with flavor. Slow cooking beef is still one of the best ways to cook it. Give these tried and true favorites a try tonight!
Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
Description
This Beef and Broccoli takes just minutes to throw in the slow cooker. The beef melts in your mouth and the flavor is out of this world! My top five favorite recipes on the blog!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pound beef chuck roast boneless, sliced into thin strips
- 1 cup beef consomme or beef broth
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- Frozen Broccoli Florets about 3 cups (I used one 14 oz bag)
- White or brown rice cooked
Instructions
-
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the beef consume, soy sauce, dark brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic.
-
Lay the beef strips in the crockpot and pour the sauce over, tossing the strips to coat.
-
Turn the crockpot on low and cook for about 6 hours. Mine was ready at 5. You don't want to cook the beef too long or it will start to shred.
-
About an hour before it is done, take ¼ cup of the sauce and whisk it in a small bowl with the cornstarch. Slowly stir this into the crockpot. Add in the broccoli the last 30 minutes and let the broccoli cook through. You don't want to add the broccoli until the very end or it will be mushy.
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Serve over white rice and enjoy!!
Recipe Notes
Updated on March 7, 2021
Originally Posted on November 21, 2012
Nutrition Facts
Serves: 6
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Could you add fresh snow peas and canned water chestnuts? If so, when would you add these?
or would you just top it with these?
Yes, of course! That sounds delicious! I would add them at the end with the broccoli. Hope that helps! I can’t wait to hear how it turns out! XOXO
Just found your recipe and would like to make it tonight. What is the recommend time if cooked in high?
Usually if you are cooking on high I recommend 2-3 hours. Make sure your meat is cooked through and the vegetables are softened. Hope that helps! XOXO
Hi there! we want to try this but are confused when you say “take 4 Tbsp of the sauce”. What sauce? Thanks!
The sauce is from the: 1 cup beef consumme or beef broth, ½ cup low sodium soy sauce,
â…“ cup dark brown sugar, 1 tbsp. sesame oil and 3 garlic cloves minced.
The liquid that’s in the slow cooker
Can I brown the strips and then put in crock pot for a few hours?
Yes, that is what I do.
Why not fresh broccoli?
I found a couple of packages of flank steak in my freezer that I need to use. Normally I would make fajitas, but it’s too cold to even think about grilling outside. Do you think I could make this using that meat?
Yes, totally! You are always welcome to substitute any meat! Good luck! Let me know how it turns out! XOXO
What is the nutrion specs on this? Sodium,sugars,carbs,etc
I have found the best way to get nutritional info on all of the recipes is through MyFitnessPal.com. You just type in the recipe and it tells you! Skinnytaste.com is also a great resource for healthy and delicious meals and provides nutritional info. Hope this helps! XOXO
This was delicious!
I am making this today and using fresh broccoli, omitting cornstarch. Fingers crossed.
I use kuzu to thicken broth rather than cornstarch. I cannot eat any corn products in my diet.
Excellent! I used stew meat to save time, and added sliced water chestnuts. Great, easy recipe!
What size crock pot did you use? It looks like a small one.
I usually use a 8 quart slow cooker. I have a larger family to feed and sometimes will double recipes for left overs. Hope that helps and you can make it soon! XOXO
Can a pressure cooker be used for this recipe?, if so how much time you think?
These recipes look wonderful!
I tried it with chicken. I kept everything else the same. The family enjoyed it so much!
YUM! That sounds great! Thank you so much for sharing! XOXO
Hi. Is there a way to get nutritional information? Doing Weight Watchers and love beef and broccoli. Thanks.
I like to use skinnytaste.com or myfitnesspal.com for any nutritional information. Weight Watchers may have their personal point system too to help with recipes. Thanks so much for following along with me! Good luck! XOXO
If using fresh broccoli, when would you put it in?
You will want to put the broccoli in at the very end or it will be very mushy.
This is in my crockpot right now and I can’t wait to try it.
I am always on the lookout for something quick and easy so crockpot meals are always my go to. I will let you know how it turns out!
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Just wondering if the sesame oil is toasted?
There is plain sesame oil but if you prefer the toasted sesame oil or have that on-hand you are welcome to use that. It may alter the taste a bit but it will taste just as good!
I’m out of beef but I do have chicken breasts. How would I adjust this recipe by substituting the beef for chicken?
You will have to let me know how it turns out! That sounds fun! I would recommend cooking it all the same just longer for the chicken to cook through. XOXO
Do you have a recipe for chicken and broccoli? This looks devine, can’t wait to try it!!
I don’t at this time but I will keep that in mind for my future posts! Thanks for the idea! XOXO
There’s an excellent recipe called chicken divan it uses chicken,brocolli,cheese and cream of mushroom soup Imy family loves it
Such a great recipe! A new family favorite!
We tried this today. It is delicious. Thanks for sharing we love new recipes. Please keep posting them.
My crockpot setting choices are 4 and 6 hours on high or 8 and 10 on low. Do you think 6 hours on high is okay?
Yes, that should work great! Mine was ready at 5 hours but you can check it around that time. Enjoy! XOXO
Delish recipe, I added onions red & green peppers with water chestnuts. Oh sooo goooood.
Will I want to stir the broccoli into the beef and sauce once I add it?
Yes, that is perfect! Enjoy! XOXO
Hi Alyssa! I would like to use beef tenderloin, do I need to reduce cooking time?
I also would like to use fresh broccoli, do I need to cook it more or less time?
Thank you, Judy
I would recommend cooking the fresh broccoli a little longer to get it the right softness. The beef tenderloin would need to be reduced in the cooking time but not by much. You will want to check it half way through and see how much time is needed to keep it moist.
I only have light brown sugar. Will that still work the same?
Yes, it just won’t have as strong of taste but will still be delicious! Enjoy! XOXO
I just made this and the beef was incredibly tender. I followed the recipe nearly exactly–used a whole 10-ounce can of beef consume instead of just a cup, but otherwise as written–and I found the taste quite salty. (Yes, I used the low-sodium soy sauce!) Maybe I need to use low-sodium beef stock instead?
Yum
Can I use blackstrap molasses instead of brown sugar?
Yes, that sounds great! Enjoy! XOXO
Can I speed up the cooking time by heating the Crockpot on HIGH?
Also, I have fresh brocolli. How long does it need to cook and any instructions on when to add the fresh brocolli?
Yes, you can. You will want to add the broccoli at the very end so it does not get mushy. Hope that helps! XOXO
I made this in an Atkins/Keto Friendly manner. Instead of dark brown sugar, I used Truvia brown sugar and instead of rice, I added mushrooms and sliced onions. I also used fresh broccoli instead of frozen.
Here is how I prepared it:
INGREDIENTS
• 1½ lb. boneless, beef chuck roast, sliced into thin strips
• 1 cup beef consume or beef broth (I used broth)
• ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. and 2 tsp. of Truvia Brown Sugar
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil (for meat)
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• Fresh Broccoli Florets, about 3 cups
• Sliced Yellow Onion
• 1 8oz. package of sliced mushrooms
• Sesame Oil (for mushrooms)
• Black Pepper (if desired)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the beef broth, soy sauce, Truvia brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic.
2. Lay the beef strips in the crockpot and pour the sauce over, tossing the strips to coat.
3. Turn the crockpot on low and cook for about 3 hours. You don’t want to cook the beef too long or it will start to shred.
4. In a skillet, sauté the mushrooms in Sesame Oil for about 8-10 minutes (or until tender). Add the broccoli florets and cook for another 4-5 minutes (add black pepper at this point), then add the sliced onions. Cook until broccoli and onions are crispy-tender.
5. When the beef is just about done, take 4 Tbsp of the sauce and whisk it in a small bowl with the cornstarch. Slowly stir this into the crockpot. Let thicken for about 15 minutes then add the vegetables to the pot and mix well coating the vegetables with the sauce.
6. Enjoy.
I come from a broccoli hating family, so I added chunked cut green peppers, onions and other vegetables like corn spears and bamboo shoots. It was just like the Steak and Peppers we get from our local takeout
Every time I get a chuck roast, it is so fatty. I am wondering why you selelcted that cut of beef. You must have spent time trimming yours as I dont see any fat! 🙂
Can u add minced or fresh ginger to the recipe
Yes, that sounds delicious and an added flavor!
Making this today, for girlfriend and myself. I’ve cooked a few Asian-inspired recipes from an app called FitMenCook before and decided to substite some of the ingredients for what seems to me healthier alternatives. Instead of brown sugar, I’m using coconut palm sugar and instead of cornstarch – arrowroot starch. I did add some crushed red peppers to the sauce with the beef as well. It smells great, and we can’t wait to try it.
What’s the calorie count on that dish?
I like to use skinnytaste.com or myfitnesspal.com for any nutritional information. Hope you find what you are looking for.
What to use to make it spicy?
This dish was incredibly easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Thank you!!
Thought this turned out very tasty. Will definitely be making again!!
Really great base recipe. A little too sweet though so i made it a second time and added some freshly grated ginger, a little sirarcha, and cut the sugar to 1/3 cup. PERFECTION!
OMG I just tasted the beef and wow. If I was not on Weight Watchers and needing to have some left for the BF, I would eat all of this at once. It is amazing! I browned my meat for a minute and did low for 3:30 and it is perfect. Thank you!
I can’t find sesame oil, what can I use instead?
Will it change the taste?
You can use light olive, peanut, canola or sunflower oil.
I added a 1/2 cup of cooking wine to this recipe and Wow! Delish!
This is one of our go to meals when the weather starts cooling down. Found it last year when my husband started keto. We don’t add the brown sugar or thicken the sauce with cornstarch and it’s still just as good! Thanks for the recipe.
I made this tonight. Contrary to my instincts I didn’t brown the meet as I normally would. I did substitute a couple of the brown sugar with some cherry juice and bring as I had no cornstarch I used AP flour. I also added some diced onion, green bell pepper, carrots, celery, white pepper and Chinese five spice. I was a little short on time so I put the cooker on high for 3 hours. It was a little too sweet for me, but had a good taste.
Oh, also added some snow peas.
I would love to use fresh broccoli. How much and where in the cooking time would I add it to the crockpot? Thanks so much. Can’t wait to try it!
Making this for a 2nd time. So good! This time I’m using a frozen stir fry vegetable mix. Double the vegetables (2 bags).
This was amazing and I will never order this out again! I used low sodium soy sauce and beef broth and added water chestnuts and snow peas about 15 minutes before serving and the snow peas were bright and still had a crunch to them. I also used remaining beef broth to cook and flavor the basmati rice. What a great dish to entertain with. I spent pre-dinner time enjoying my guests with minimal time cooking. Thank you so much!
Hi!
I have all the ingredients for this recipe except for the sesame oil, we have never cooked with that before. If I don’t include the oil in the recipe will it make this dish taste any different? Should I try to substitute it with something else?
Thanks!!
-Cait
Hi Cait,
Yes, your beef and broccoli will taste a little different but it won’t alter the recipe so much. It will still be delicious if you omit the sesame oil.
My familylovesthis and it’s so easy to make.
Do you have recipe for green pepper steak. Would love to have if you do.
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful recipes