This Sticky Beef, Broccoli, and Rice is a super fast and delicious meal that you can make any night of the week and tastes just like takeout! It only takes about 30 minutes to cook from start to finish and dinner will be done in no time.
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Why I Love This Recipe
This Sticky Beef, Broccoli, and Rice Recipe is just like what you would get at your favorite Chinese takeout restaurant. It tastes similar to Mongolian Beef, but only has the ingredients you decided to put in it.
This recipe turns out sweet and sticky, with a little added spice from the ground chile paste, just like my Crispy Baked Asian Chicken Wings. You can add as much or as little spice as you would like according to what you prefer.
If you need some inspiration for a side to serve with this dish, check out this list of 30 Sides to Serve with Stir Fry from The Nessy Kitchen!
Key Ingredients Needed To Make Sticky Beef
- Steak of Choice: The recipe calls for a steak that can be cut into strips, allowing you to choose your preferred cut, such as flank steak or sirloin.
- Broccoli: Broccoli is a nutritious and vibrant vegetable that adds texture and freshness to the dish.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch is used to coat the beef, helping to create a crispy texture when cooked.
- Fresh Ginger: Ginger adds a warm and aromatic flavor to the dish.
- Fresh Garlic: Garlic brings a pungent and savory taste to the recipe.
- Ground Chili Paste: Ground chili paste adds a spicy kick to the recipe. Sambal Oelek is my go-to choice, but you can use any chili oil or paste you enjoy.
*See the recipe card for the complete list of ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Sticky Beef and Broccoli
Step 1: Slice the steak into thin strips and then place them in a plastic bag with the cornstarch and coat all of the pieces.
Step 2: Heat the canola oil in a cast-iron pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the steak in the pan and cook for 1 minute, flip and cook for another minute on the other side. Remove the steak and place it in a bowl.
Step 3: Add the broccoli to the same pan and coat with the remaining oil. Fry for about 2 minutes, remove it from the pan and place it in the bowl with the steak.
Step 4: Combine ginger, garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and chile paste in the pan and bring to a boil. Add steak and broccoli, toss to coat, then stir in green onions. Serve over rice and top with sesame seeds.
Why Coat the Steak in Cornstarch?
The cornstarch forms a protective layer around the meat to keep the juices in and it prevents overcooking in a high-heat environment. This process will also keep the meat from becoming too tough when cooking.
Coating the steak in the cornstarch is an important step so don't skip it! This technique is similar to "velveting" in Chinese cooking.
How to Prepare the Rice
I made my rice in my Instant Pot and this is how to do it. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear.
Add both the rice and water to the Instant Pot, put on the lid, and close the steam valve. Set to pressure cook HIGH for 7 minutes.
Once the cooking is done, allow the steam to naturally release for 10 minutes and then carefully manually release the rest. Remove the lid, fluff with a fork, and serve.
If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can also prepare the rice on the stovetop or in the microwave according to the directions on the package.
Other Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes
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Sticky Beef, Broccoli and Rice
Equipment
- cast-iron pan or large skillet
- Instant Pot or Rice Cooker
- 2 large mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 1 pound steak
- 2 cups broccoli, cut into small pieces (about 1 medium head of broccoli)
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ⅓ cup water
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 2-4 teaspoon ground chili paste (I used Sambal Oelek)
- 4-5 green onions, green parts cut into strips (scallions)
- 2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1½ cups jasmine rice, rinsed
- 1½ cups water
Instructions
Sticky Beef and Broccoli
- Slice the steak into thin strips, as evenly sized as possible. Place them in a plastic bag with the cornstarch and cover all of the pieces. Allow the steak to rest while you are prepping the ingredients.
- Add the canola oil to a cast-iron pan or large skillet over medium-high heat and allow it to heat up. Place the steak in the pan making sure each piece has room around it (this will probably take 2 rounds). Cook for about a minute, flip and cook for another minute on the other side. Remove the steak and place it in a bowl.
- Add the broccoli to the same pan and coat with the remaining oil. Fry for about 2 minutes, remove it from the pan and place it in the bowl with the steak.
- Add the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and chile paste to the pan. Stir everything together and allow it to come to a boil. Put the steak and broccoli back into the pan and coat with the sauce.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the green onions. Serve on top of the rice and sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Jasmine Rice (Instant Pot)
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Add both the rice and water to the Instant Pot, put on the lid, and close the steam valve. Set to pressure cook HIGH for 7 minutes. Once the cooking is done, allow the steam to naturally release for 10 minutes and then carefully manually release the rest. Remove the lid, fluff with a fork, and serve. If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can also prepare the rice on the stovetop or in the microwave according to the directions on the package.
Notes
- If you don't have an Instant Pot, you can also prepare the rice on the stovetop or in the microwave according to the directions on the package.
- Always read the instruction manual that came with your Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker and follow all safety guidelines.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Andrew Holt says
Hey I like this dish but I don't want to use canola oil (it's inflammatory) so can I use another non-seed oil for example, avocado or coconut oil? And shallow fry as the oil would cost a fortune!
Emily says
Hi Andrew, yes, you can substitute the oil for sure. I like avocado oil as well. It's a pretty shallow fry, only 1/4 cup, but you could probably go with a little less if you wanted. Remember you use it for the steak and the broccoli. Hope you enjoy it!