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This Beef and Broccoli takes just minutes to throw in the slow cooker. My top five favorite recipes on the blog!
The beef melts in your mouth and the flavor is out of this world! If you don’t have all day but are in the mood for an excellent beef and broccoli dinner, try it with garlic or only 20 Minute dinner.
Beef and Broccoli in the slow cooker.
Beef and Broccoli
I made this recipe back when I first started my blog. It is still in my top five favorite recipes here on the blog. I love beef and broccoli and I always order it whenever we go out. Well, this recipe is better than takeout and only takes minutes to throw in the slow cooker!
This recipe was due for a much needed picture update. The first picture I took was just not doing this recipe justice. Luckily people still took my word for how amazing this recipe is and it gets countless rave reviews!  Hopefully these updated photos will convince you to try this recipe out for yourself.  You will not only see how easy it is to make, but also how insanely delicious it is!

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: 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: 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.

  1. Whisk sauce: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the beef consume, soy sauce, dark brown sugar, sesame oil, and garlic.
  2. Add beef to Crockpot: Lay the beef strips in the crockpot and pour the sauce over, tossing the strips to coat.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Serve:  It is great alone or over white rice.  Enjoy!!

Adding the sauces to the beef n the slow cooker and then adding the broccoli.

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.

Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli with rice in a bowl.

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!

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Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli

4.68 from 52 votes
By: Alyssa Rivers
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!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 6 People

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 1/4 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.
  • Serve over white rice and enjoy!!

Video

Notes

Updated on March 7, 2021
Originally Posted on November 21, 2012

Nutrition

Calories: 299kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 23gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 953mgPotassium: 459mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Asian American, Chinese
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
Beef and broccoli over rice in a white bowl.

About Alyssa Rivers

Alyssa Rivers is the author of 'The Tried and True Cookbook', a professional food photographer and experienced recipe-developer. Having a passion for cooking, her tried and true recipes have been featured on Good Morning America, Today Food, Buzzfeed and more.

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Recipe Rating




293 Comments

  1. 1 star
    Not that great. Maybe with a different cut of meat it would be better but I don’t even wanna try it again because it wasn’t good. If anyone is trying to make this try a different cut. It just tasted like a pot roast with soy sauce and broccoli. Pretty disappointed:(

    1. 1 star
      This was not good at all. My family couldn’t choke down enough of it to be satisfied. Had to throw a frozen pizza in

    1. I’m wondering the same. I was looking at some steaks but didn’t know if the time would be more or less

  2. 5 stars
    Yum! This recipe was a hit in my house. My toddler loved it too. Win! I omitted sesame oil bc of personal preference, but we loved it. Super easy. Thanks for the recipe.

  3. 5 stars
    I used fresh broccoli, but cooked it in the oven before mixing it in. I spread it on a baking sheet, sprayed it with some olive oil, and stuck it on the top rack at 400 F for maybe 15-20 minutes – just long enough to get it cooked and kind of crisp on the edges. My oven is older and a bit wonky, so your time might be different. You can also steam it in the microwave or on the stove top if you like.

  4. This looks delicious!
    Two questions: (1) I’m not fond of the texture of frozen broccoli. Can I use fresh and how would I modify the recipe? (2) I don’t have sesame oil and since it is expensive and only a tbsp. is called for, can another oil be substituted, or is the sesame oil worth the investment and important for the final result?
    Thank you!

    1. Fresh broccoli will be great! It will cook a little longer. You are welcome to leave out the sesame oil. It does add a significant amount of flavor if you want that but it also is fine to leave out.

  5. We have made this before and it was soooo good. This time I doubled the recipe. Will it be ok to double the corn starch part too?

    1. You can substitute chicken or vegetable broth if needed. It will alter the taste a bit but still should be delicious!

  6. 5 stars
    I made this for dinner tonight and it is SO good! I thought I had sesame oil but didn’t – recipe still turned out so so yummy! Husband and picky toddler ate it!

  7. 5 stars
    I will absolutely make this again. I doubled the ingredients for the sauce and it was so, so good! My husband said it’s definitely going in the dinner/lunch rotation. One of the things I liked most was I could put it together in the morning and it was ready for lunchtime!

  8. I can’t wait to try this recipe. Have you ever frozen for later? I’d like to make this ahead.
    Thanks 😊

  9. 5 stars
    I am learning to cook with my crockpot. Thanks for all the good ideas! Do you think this could be made with venison instead of beef?
    Thank you!