February 25, 2021

Sticky Beef, Broccoli, and Rice

Name: Sticky Beef, Broccoli and Rice
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 30 min
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

This Sticky Beef, Broccoli, and Rice is a superfast 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.

sticky beef, broccoli and rice in a bowl with chopsticks

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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. 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!

Ingredients Needed To Make Sticky Beef

steak of choice that can be cut into strips
broccoli
cornstarch
canola or vegetable oil
ginger
garlic
soy sauce
brown sugar
ground chili paste (I used Sambal Oelek)
green onions (scallions)
toasted sesame seeds
jasmine rice, rinsed

sticky beef and broccoli on rice — Click on the image above to PIN for later!

How to Make Sticky Beef and Broccoli

Slice the steak into thin strips and place them in a plastic bag with the cornstarch and coat all of the pieces.
Heat the canola oil to 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.
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.
Place the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, and chile paste in the pan and stir together until it comes 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.

sticky beef and broccoli in a cast iron pan

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.

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