Easy Beef and Broccoli is a simple version of the Chinese-American classic with tender beef strips and crisp broccoli florets in a delicious savory-sweet ginger and garlic sauce. Made without pork, dairy, or any shellfish ingredients.
About this recipe…
This Beef and Broccoli is a budget-friendly recipe that brings the savory-sweet flavors of the Chinese-American classic from your stove to your table in less time than it typically takes for takeout delivery.
It is a simple, one-pan meal made without dairy, pork, or shellfish, making it a delicious alternative for those avoiding these ingredients. So, it’s kosher.
Serve it over rice for a filling weeknight dinner or as a shareable meal for a potluck.
And beef has health benefits.
And so does broccoli!
A Little About Broccoli
Broccoli is part of a group called “cole” crops, which also includes Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, and collard greens.
It began growing in the Mediterranean over 1500 years ago and was grown in the Roman Empire. By the 18th century, it had spread throughout Europe and was brought to North America by Italian immigrants sometime in the 19th century.
Broccoli is considered to be a healthy vegetable. It contains vitamins, nutrients, and fiber, and it is low in calories!
What do you need to make this beef and broccoli recipe?
I hardly ever meal plan, so I like to keep a cupboard full of seasonings, spices, veggies, and canned goods in my kitchen to use whenever the mood strikes.
And this is certainly true for Chinese-American homemade takeout recipes, and these are the ingredients you need to have on hand to make this recipe even last minute!
steak beef (or meat that cooks quickly)
frozen broccoli florets
soy sauce
medium onion
dark brown sugar
ground ginger
granulated garlic
cornstarch
oil
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Easy Beef and Broccoli
1. Is this beef and broccoli a stir-fry dish?
This dish focuses on an easy, one-pan technique rather than traditional stir-fry methods, prioritizing convenience while delivering that classic Chinese-American flavor profile.
2. Can I use a different cut of meat?
Yes. While flank or ribeye is ideal for their quick-cooking properties, any tender, fast-cooking cut of beef will work. Just ensure you slice it thin (1″–1 1/2″) against the grain.
3. How can I ensure the beef stays tender?
Slicing the beef thin and against the grain is the most important step for texture. Cooking it quickly over higher heat ensures the meat browns perfectly without becoming tough.
4. Why is it important to slice the meat against the grain?
Slicing against the grain cuts through the muscle fibers, which makes the meat significantly more tender and easier to chew, especially when cooking with high-heat, quick-cook methods.
5. What can I serve this with?
This dish is best served over a bed of white or brown rice to soak up the savory sauce.
6. Does this recipe contain dairy or pork?
No. This recipe is strictly dairy-free and pork-free, making it perfectly suited for those who don’t eat those foods and also for people who adhere to kosher dietary laws.
7. Can I freeze beef and broccoli leftovers?
Yes, you can freeze beef and broccoli in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Note that broccoli tends to become very soft when frozen and reheated.
To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and warm in a wok or skillet over medium heat to maintain the integrity of the sauce and vegetables.
A little about Chinese-American Food
Chinese-American cuisine is a style of Chinese cuisine that was developed by Chinese immigrants.
These dishes significantly differ from traditional Chinese dishes because Chinese-American dishes were adapted to suit American tastes.
Chinese immigrants arrived in the United States in large numbers in the mid-19th century in order to escape the economic difficulties in China, hoping to find work during the California Gold Rush and on the Central Pacific Railroad.
They mostly settled together in ghettos, individually known as Chinatowns, and—since there were laws preventing them from owning their own land—they opened their own businesses, such as laundry services and restaurants.
Initially, the family-owned businesses catered to miners and railroad workers, and restaurants were set up in places where Chinese food was unknown. Food was based on the requests of the customers, and recipes were created to suit American tastes using whatever ingredients were available.
One major difference between traditional Chinese cuisine and Chinese-American cuisine is in the use of vegetables. Chinese-American recipes will use raw or uncooked ingredients and those not native to China. Traditional Chinese cuisine, on the other hand, rarely contains raw or uncooked ingredients and often uses Asian leaf vegetables.
While the new dishes were not traditional Chinese, these restaurants were responsible for the development of the ever-popular Chinese-American cuisine.
The little history of kosher Chinese-American Food
It is well known that Jews (especially those with ties to New York) love Chinese food. You can find at least one and, more often than not, several kosher Chinese restaurants in predominantly Jewish neighborhoods.
There is a popular joke, which has been passed around for many years, that describes the Jewish dependency on Chinese food: “According to the Jewish calendar, the year is 5749. According to the Chinese calendar, the year is 4687. That means for 1,062 years, the Jews went without Chinese food.” That was back in 1989, and who knows when the joke even started?
Jews as a group were probably first introduced to Chinese food in the Lower East Side of Manhattan, where immigrants of various cultures settled in their own neighborhoods in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
By the early 1900s, approximately one million Jews from Eastern Europe and half a million Italians from Southern Italy shared the Lower East Side of Manhattan with only approximately 7,000 Cantonese Chinese, most of whom had moved from California.
Due to anti-Chinese laws and acts, which prevented them from competing with whites, many Chinese opened restaurants.
But the Chinese food wasn’t kosher, so Torah-observant Jews couldn’t eat the food.
That was until one enlightened Jewish, kosher deli owner found a solution. That was Sol Bernstein.
In 1959, Sol opened a delicatessen on Essex Street and named it after his father, Schmulka. In the Yiddish-speaking Lower East Side, “Schmulka’s” sounded like home.
Using Cantonese Chinese recipes and substituting kosher veal, beef, and chicken livers for pork, Sol began selling the first kosher Chinese food, which was deli-Chinese.
However, as they started attracting tourists and people from uptown for their famous “Kosher Chinese,” Sol wanted a name that sounded more like a high-end Manhattan destination and then called it Bernstein-on-Essex. However, everyone still knew the place as Schmulka Bernstein’s.
If you love Chinese-American Style takeout…
If you love Chinese-American food but can’t find a restaurant or takeout place that doesn’t serve kosher or otherwise make it without pork or dairy in the ingredients, try these homemade takeout recipes!
- Duck Sauce Chicken
- Pepper Steak
- Mongolian Beef
- Corned Beef & Cabbage Egg Rolls
- Vegetarian Fried Rice
- Beef Chow Mein
- Beef Lo Mein
- Beef Chop Suey
Easy Beef and Broccoli Recipe
Quick and easy, homemade Chinese-American style beef dinner. Delicious and made without pork, dairy, or oyster sauce!
Ingredients
- 1 pound of flank or ribeye (other meat that cooks quickly,) sliced into thin 1" - 1 1/2" slices
- 2 cups (2 pounds) frozen chopped broccoli florets, defrosted
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 medium onion, sliced very thin
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (dark, if possible)
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- oil for frying
- water
Instructions
- Lightly fry onions in a very small amount of oil in a large frying pan on medium heat.
- Add meat slices and cook through while stirring.
- Add soy sauce, sugar, ginger and garlic.
- Mix well.
- Add 1 cup water.
- Cook for a few minutes until everything is mixed in well.
- Place cornstarch in a bowl and pour in a little of the liquid and mix thoroughly to create a slurry.
- Pour the slurry back into the frying pan.
- Mix well as the mixture thickens a little (if the mixture thickens more than you like and you prefer a bit saucy, add a little water).
- Turn off heat and then mix in broccoli. florets (if you mix them in too soon, they could get mushy).
Notes
To ensure this dish is kosher, make sure that not only the meat is kosher but that there is no question about any of the other ingredients as well.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1016Total Fat: 44gSaturated Fat: 20gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 177mgSodium: 3637mgCarbohydrates: 86gFiber: 11gSugar: 37gProtein: 69g