Tender, thinly sliced beef and crisp-tender broccoli coated in a glossy garlic-soy glaze with a hint of sweetness and toasted sesame; best served over steamed rice or noodles.
Skillet Beef & Broccoli with a Garlic‑Soy Glaze
Fast, glossy, and deeply savory—thinly sliced beef and crisp-tender broccoli come together in a sticky garlic‑soy sauce that’s perfect over rice or noodles on a weeknight.
Think of this as the dinner shortcut that tastes like you lingered longer: thinly sliced flank steak sears quickly, broccoli stays bright and snappy, and a simple mix of soy, brown sugar, garlic and a splash of rice vinegar turns into a shiny, savory glaze. It’s the kind of meal that hits the takeout notes without the packaging—and it’s ready in the time it takes to steam rice.
Small technique choices make a big difference. Tossing the beef briefly with a little cornstarch helps the meat develop caramelized edges during a hot sear and gives the sauce a silky cling. Reserving a bit of the soy mixture to stir the cornstarch into makes a quick slurry that thickens the pan juices into a glossy, clingy sauce—no fiddle, no fuss. Toasted sesame oil and seeds at the end add a toasty aroma and a final pop of flavor.
Cooked right, the contrast is everything: browned, tender beef against crisp‑tender broccoli flecked with minced garlic, all coated in a slightly sweet, umami-rich glaze. Finish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds for brightness and crunch. If you like, swap rice for noodles to catch every last drop of sauce.
This dish is lovely for make-ahead prep: slice the steak and whisk the sauce in advance, then finish everything in one hot skillet when you’re ready. Leftovers reheat well—gently in a skillet so the broccoli keeps some bite—and the recipe stretches easily to feed four or provide reheated lunches for a couple of days.
Ingredients
How to Make Skillet Garlic Soy Beef with Broccoli
- Trim any excess fat from the flank steak and slice it thinly across the grain into 1/8–1/4-inch strips; set the slices in a bowl and season with 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp salt.
- In a small bowl whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, rice vinegar and beef broth; reserve 2 tablespoons of this mixture for a slurry and stir the cornstarch into the reserved portion until mostly smooth.
- Toss the sliced steak with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch (from the 2 tsp total) to help it brown, then let rest at room temperature while you prepare the broccoli and aromatics.
- Heat a large heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat until very hot, add vegetable oil, then spread the steak in an even layer and sear without moving for 45–60 seconds to get color; stir and cook another 30–60 seconds until just browned but not fully cooked through, then transfer the beef to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium-high and add broccoli florets to the same skillet with a splash of water (about 2 tablespoons); cover and steam for 2 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender, then uncover and toss for 30 seconds.
- Return the beef to the skillet, pour in the remaining soy sauce mixture, and stir to combine; bring to a simmer for about 1 minute so flavors mingle.
- Give the reserved cornstarch slurry a quick re-stir and drizzle it into the skillet along with sesame oil, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 30–60 seconds.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining 1/4 tsp salt and more pepper if needed, then remove from heat and sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
- Serve immediately over steamed rice or noodles, or cool and refrigerate leftover portions within two hours for quick reheating; leftovers keep 3–4 days.
Recipe Card
Skillet Garlic Soy Beef with Broccoli
Tender, thinly sliced beef and crisp-tender broccoli coated in a glossy garlic-soy glaze with a hint of sweetness and toasted sesame; best served over steamed rice or noodles.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 12 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from the flank steak and slice it thinly across the grain into 1/8–1/4-inch strips; set the slices in a bowl and season with 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp salt.
- In a small bowl whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, rice vinegar and beef broth; reserve 2 tablespoons of this mixture for a slurry and stir the cornstarch into the reserved portion until mostly smooth.
- Toss the sliced steak with 1 teaspoon of cornstarch (from the 2 tsp total) to help it brown, then let rest at room temperature while you prepare the broccoli and aromatics.
- Heat a large heavy skillet or cast-iron pan over high heat until very hot, add vegetable oil, then spread the steak in an even layer and sear without moving for 45–60 seconds to get color; stir and cook another 30–60 seconds until just browned but not fully cooked through, then transfer the beef to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium-high and add broccoli florets to the same skillet with a splash of water (about 2 tablespoons); cover and steam for 2 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender, then uncover and toss for 30 seconds.
- Return the beef to the skillet, pour in the remaining soy sauce mixture, and stir to combine; bring to a simmer for about 1 minute so flavors mingle.
- Give the reserved cornstarch slurry a quick re-stir and drizzle it into the skillet along with sesame oil, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, about 30–60 seconds.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining 1/4 tsp salt and more pepper if needed, then remove from heat and sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
- Serve immediately over steamed rice or noodles, or cool and refrigerate leftover portions within two hours for quick reheating; leftovers keep 3–4 days.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 12
- Saturated Fat
- 6.5
- Sodium
- 950
- Fiber
- 3
- Unsaturated Fat
- 14
- Protein
- 30
- Fat
- 21
- Cholesterol
- 85
- Trans Fat
- 0.3
- Calories
- 420
- Sugar
- 5