I make this Beef And Broccoli on weekday nights when I want something fast, saucy, and reliably comforting. It hits the same sweet-savory balance as the restaurant version, but you control the salt and the quality of the beef. The technique is straightforward: quick-marinate, flash-sear, and a glossy cornstarch-thickened sauce that clings to every piece.
This recipe is practical. There are no mysterious ingredients and it comes together in one pan if you plan ahead. The steps below follow the exact order and quantities I use, and they produce a tender, well-coated stir-fry every time.
If you like a little crunch in your broccoli and slices of beef that are juicy in the center, follow the timing closely. Read through the ingredients and the notes before you start so the cooking goes smooth and fast.
Ingredient Notes
Below are quick notes on the ingredients and why each one matters. These tips help when you’re shopping or making small swaps.
Ingredients
- 1 pound sirloin steak — sliced thin against the grain and cut into 3–4 inch long strips; slicing against the grain keeps the beef tender when quickly seared.
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch — used in the beef marinade to give the meat a slightly velvety coating and help it brown without drying out.
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce — in the marinade for salt and umami without overpowering the flavor.
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar — brightens the marinade and helps tenderize the beef a touch.
- 2 tablespoons oil — canola oil, avocado oil or light olive oil work best for high-heat searing.
- 4 cups fresh broccoli florets — about 2 medium broccoli crowns; fresh broccoli steams quickly and keeps a pleasant bite.
- 1 cup water — used to steam the broccoli so it becomes crisp-tender while you prep the rest.
- 1 cup beef broth or beef stock — forms the flavorful base of the sauce.
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch — whisked into the beef broth to thicken the sauce; keep this separate from the marinade cornstarch.
- 2/3 cup low sodium soy sauce — main seasoning for the sauce; low-sodium prevents it from becoming too salty once reduced.
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar — balances the soy and gives that signature glossy, slightly sweet finish.
- 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic — aromatic backbone of the sauce; use freshly minced for best flavor.
- green onion and sesame seeds — optional garnish to add color and a nutty finish.
Beef And Broccoli (Copycat Panda Express!) in Steps
- Slice the 1 pound sirloin thin against the grain into 3–4 inch long strips (about 1/4 inch thick or thinner). Place the steak in a large bowl and add 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar. Toss gently to coat, cover, and refrigerate to marinate for 20–30 minutes.
- While the steak marinates, heat a wok or large deep pan over medium heat. Add the 4 cups fresh broccoli florets and 1 cup water, cover, and steam for 2–3 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender. Remove the broccoli from the pan, drain any remaining water, set aside, and wipe the pan dry.
- Add 2 tablespoons oil to the wiped pan and heat over medium-high. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add the marinated steak strips in a single layer and sear about 1 minute per side, until browned. Transfer the browned steak to a bowl and continue until all steak is cooked.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup beef broth and 2 tablespoons cornstarch until smooth.
- Reduce the pan heat to low and pour the beef broth/cornstarch mixture into the pan. Add 2/3 cup low sodium soy sauce, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic. Whisk to combine.
- Increase heat to medium-high and cook the sauce, whisking frequently, until it thickens and bubbles across the surface (the sauce should be visibly coating the whisk).
- Add the browned beef and steamed broccoli back to the pan and toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Cook just until everything is heated through, about 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with green onion and sesame seeds if desired.
Reasons to Love Beef And Broccoli (Copycat Panda Express!)
This version delivers the signature restaurant-style sauce without complicated steps or hard-to-find ingredients. It’s balanced: savory from soy and beef, sweet from brown sugar, and bright from a touch of rice vinegar in the marinade. Texture matters here—tender slices of beef and broccoli with a slight snap.
It’s fast. Prep once and the active cooking time is short. Marinating for 20–30 minutes is optional but worth it for more tender, more flavorful beef. Also, you can make most of this ahead: steam the broccoli and refrigerate, or slice the steak and keep it marinated until you’re ready.
Vegan & Vegetarian Swaps
If you want to make a plant-based version, swap the beef for extra-firm tofu, seitan, or tempeh. Press and slice extra-firm tofu, then toss it with the 2 tablespoons cornstarch and the small marinade of 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar before searing—this creates a crispy exterior.
Replace the 1 cup beef broth with vegetable broth for a vegetarian sauce base. Keep the rest of the sauce ratios the same so the texture and shine of the sauce remain.
Toolbox for This Recipe
- Wok or large deep pan — for quick, high-heat searing and sauce reduction.
- Sharp knife and cutting board — thin, even slices of beef depend on a good knife.
- Large bowl — to mix and marinate the steak.
- Small bowl and whisk — for the beef broth/cornstarch slurry and to finish the sauce.
- Spatula or tongs — to turn the beef quickly while searing.
- Measuring spoons and cups — accurate amounts matter for texture and seasoning.
Errors to Dodge
Don’t overcrowd the pan when searing. If the strips sit on top of one another or are too close, they’ll steam rather than brown, and you’ll lose texture. Work in batches if needed.
Don’t skip wiping the pan between steaming the broccoli and searing the beef. Leftover water will lower the pan temperature and prevent proper searing.
Don’t rush the sauce. When you add the cornstarch slurry, keep the heat at medium-high and whisk frequently. Too hot too fast can break the shine and cause clumping; too cool and it won’t thicken properly.
Make It Your Way
Adjust the sweetness by altering the 3 tablespoons brown sugar—reduce if you prefer the sauce more savory, or add a touch more if you like a sweeter glaze. Swap part of the soy sauce for tamari if you need it gluten-free (use a certified gluten-free tamari).
For more heat, add a small pinch of red pepper flakes to the sauce as it cooks, or finish with a few drops of chili oil at the end. For extra aromatics, stir in a splash of toasted sesame oil off the heat right before serving.
Insider Tips
- Slicing tip: Freeze the sirloin for 20 minutes before slicing. It firms up and gives you much cleaner, thinner slices.
- Marinade timing: 20–30 minutes is ideal—any longer and the texture can change because of the vinegar. Shorter is fine in a pinch.
- Broccoli timing: Steam until bright green and crisp-tender—oversteamed broccoli will go mushy when tossed back in the sauce.
- Batch searing: Aim for quick, high-heat browning. One minute per side as instructed gives a good sear while keeping the interior juicy.
- Sauce sheen: When the sauce is thick enough to coat the whisk visibly, it’s ready. That glossy cling is the signature look and mouthfeel.
Freezer-Friendly Notes
Sauced stir-fry doesn’t always freeze well because the broccoli softens. If you want to freeze components, freeze the cooked beef and sauce separately from the broccoli. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently in a pan until warmed through. Add freshly steamed broccoli when reheating for best texture.
Alternatively, freeze the raw marinated beef (in a sealed bag) for up to a month. Thaw overnight, sear as directed, and finish with fresh broccoli and sauce.
Quick Questions
Q: Can I use flank steak instead of sirloin?
Yes. Flank steak works well but slice it thin against the grain and watch the quick cooking time—flank can become tough if overcooked.
Q: Can I use frozen broccoli?
Yes, but thaw and drain it thoroughly and pat dry before steaming to avoid watering down the pan. Texture will be softer than fresh.
Q: Do I have to marinate the beef?
The 20–30 minute marinade improves tenderness and flavor, but if you’re short on time you can sear immediately—the cornstarch in the marinade also helps the beef brown better.
Q: My sauce clumped—how do I fix it?
If clumping happens, remove the pan from heat and whisk vigorously off the stove, or strain the sauce and return it to the pan with a splash of warm broth to smooth it out. Prevent clumps by whisking the cornstarch into the broth until fully dissolved before adding to the pan.
Next Steps
Serve your Beef And Broccoli over steamed jasmine rice or alongside fried rice or noodles. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3–4 days if stored in an airtight container. When reheating, do it over medium heat in a skillet so you can refresh the sauce and prevent the beef from drying out.
Once you’ve nailed the basic technique here, experiment with small changes: different sweeteners, a splash of citrus in the marinade, or a handful of toasted sesame seeds at the end. Those tiny tweaks let you make this copycat your own without losing what makes it work.
Beef And Broccoli (Copycat Panda Express!)
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 poundsirloin steaksliced thin against the grain and cut into 3-4 inch long strips
- 2 tablespoonscornstarch
- 1 tablespoonlow sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoonrice vinegar
- 2 tablespoonsoilcanola oil avocado oil or light olive oil work best
- 4 cupsfresh broccoli florets – about 2 medium broccoli crowns
- 1 cupwater
- 1 cupbeef brothor beef stock
- 2 tablespoonscornstarch
- 2/3 cuplow sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoonsbrown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoonsminced garlic
- green onion and sesame seedsoptional garnish
Instructions
Instructions
- Slice the 1 pound sirloin thin against the grain into 3–4 inch long strips (about 1/4 inch thick or thinner). Place the steak in a large bowl and add 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar. Toss gently to coat, cover, and refrigerate to marinate for 20–30 minutes.
- While the steak marinates, heat a wok or large deep pan over medium heat. Add the 4 cups fresh broccoli florets and 1 cup water, cover, and steam for 2–3 minutes until the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender. Remove the broccoli from the pan, drain any remaining water, set aside, and wipe the pan dry.
- Add 2 tablespoons oil to the wiped pan and heat over medium-high. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add the marinated steak strips in a single layer and sear about 1 minute per side, until browned. Transfer the browned steak to a bowl and continue until all steak is cooked.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup beef broth and 2 tablespoons cornstarch until smooth.
- Reduce the pan heat to low and pour the beef broth/cornstarch mixture into the pan. Add 2/3 cup low sodium soy sauce, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic. Whisk to combine.
- Increase heat to medium-high and cook the sauce, whisking frequently, until it thickens and bubbles across the surface (the sauce should be visibly coating the whisk).
- Add the browned beef and steamed broccoli back to the pan and toss to coat evenly in the sauce. Cook just until everything is heated through, about 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with green onion and sesame seeds if desired.
Equipment
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Sharp knife
- 1 Measuring spoons
- 1 Measuring Cups
- 1 Large Bowl
- 1 deep skilletyou can also use a wok if you have it
- 1 Wooden spatula
- 1 Medium Bowl
Notes
Flank steak or skirt steak are also great cut choices for this recipe. You want a cut that has a good flavor, tender texture when cooked quickly and a moderate amount of fat marbling.
Cuts like chuck roast, shank, or brisket have a lot more connective tissue which becomes more tender when you cook it lower and slower. These cuts typically won’t be as tender in this recipe.
Sometimes I’ll add a little ginger to the sauce also. My husband and I like it but I’ve found if I add too much my kid isn’t a fan. I tend to give it a light hand if I add ginger but you can add more as you like.
If you like extra sauce, you can double the sauce ingredients.
