Beef and Broccoli with Noodles

Stir-fried Beef and Broccoli is a fantastic family fakeaway or a great way to use leftover roast beef. Crunchy broccoli, tender beef and a thick, tasty gravy, all ready within 30 minutes. Perfect!

I’m going to be honest here, I’m gagging for a takeaway! At one point in lockdown, we were rotating our Friday date night meals, steak, takeaway, and a couple of our other favourites. 

It’s probably no surprise that we’ve both gained about 10lbs. And husband was made redundant post-furlough, so this has had to change. 

We had a Dominoes with the kids on my birthday in June, but that’s the last one.

This would make me sad if homemade curries and stir-fries weren’t so fantastic!

This Beef and Broccoli is quick, easy, and cheap to make. It also tastes incredible. Perfect Monday night food!

The beef is tender and tasty, noodles are one of my favourites, and crunchy broccoli is a great extra. A stir fry like this is also a fab way to use up leftover roast beef!

The Benefits of a Fakeaway

Chinese Fakeaways are wonderful! We make meals like this regularly. Some of the benefits of a fakeaway include:

• Cheaper than a takeaway
• Healthier
• Ready quickly
• Learn new cooking skills
• More family-friendly

What is Beef and Broccoli Sauce Made of?

The sauce for my Beef and Broccoli is so simple! It’s basically beef stock, soy, cornflour, sugar and Chinese five spices. There’s a little ginger and garlic too, and I add a tbsp of oyster sauce, but it’s not essential if you haven’t got it. 

I’ve seen other people add lime juice and mirin and use different consistencies in their Chinese beef and broccoli, but really I would say start with a recipe (mine or another you like the look of) and then add bits and take bits out until you find a gravy that works for you. 

Do You Need to Marinade the Beef?

I would absolutely advise marinating the beef for your Beef with Broccoli. 

Cut your beef into thin strips, like fingers, and they’ll only need marinading for about 20 minutes (longer if you can), but they’ll be super tender and tasty, and it’s definitely worth taking this little extra time.

What Do You Serve with Beef and Broccoli?

I serve my Beef and Broccoli with straight-to-work noodles. They are easy, and quick, and I bloody love noodles!

Different kinds of noodles or rice would work too. 

The best bit of Beef and Broccoli is probably the thick, tasty sauce, so you want something to mop it all up with, and I think rice or noodles are the best options. 

What’s the Best Cut of Beef for a Stir Fry?

So, I wouldn’t use diced beef or stewing steak. Meat like this needs to simmer to soften, and in a fast-cooked dish like this, it would be really chewy and hard to eat. 

But, apart from that, anything goes. 

You’ll read recipes that tell you that you need flank steak, but you really don’t. Sirloin is great, and I’ve even made it with a cheap rump. Get what you can and what you can afford. 

You can also make this beef and broccoli with leftover roast beef. 

I’m a big fan of using up leftover roast beef in another family meal, and this recipe is perfect. 

Slice up your leftover beef on Sunday night, and either just leave it in a sealed tub, or marinate it overnight. 

Then, follow this recipe as it is. 

Leftover roast beef with noodles is yummy, and this gravy means that your beef is soft and juicy. 

Will the Broccoli Cook?

One of the best things about Beef with Broccoli is that it cooks really quickly. But you might worry that this means your broccoli won’t cook. 

It will! Chop the florets as small as you can, discarding big bits of stalk, and they’ll cook as the sauce simmers around them. They’ll be crunchy, but that’s a good thing.

If you are worried, cover your pan while it simmers, and the broccoli will steam.

Making Beef and Broccoli with Leftover Roast Beef

I love using up leftover roast beef in a meal like this! You could add leftover broccoli, too, if you’ve got some. Or even other veggies! Throw it all in for a big leftover beef Chinese. Perfect!

Can You Freeze Beef and Broccoli?

If you are making this meal with leftover roast beef, I don’t recommend freezing, as I try to only reheat meat once.

However, if you are making it with fresh beef, then you can freeze it, but I recommend doing so before adding the noodles, as I never find they freeze very well.

Beef and Broccoli

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5 from 1 review

• Author: Donna
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4 1x

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Description

Stir-fried Beef and Broccoli is a fantastic family fakeaway or a great way to use leftover roast beef. Crunchy broccoli, tender beef and a thick, tasty, gravy, all ready within 30 minutes. Perfect!

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Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon Sesame Oil
• 500g Beef Steak – Sliced into thin strips

For the Marinade:

• 3 tablespoons Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
• 1 teaspoon Dark Brown Sugar
• 1-inch piece Root Ginger (Peeled and grated)
• 1 Clove Garlic (Crushed)
• 2 teaspoon Chinese 5 Spice

For the Sauce:

• 1 Large Broccoli (Chopped into small florets)
• 300ml Beef Stock
• 4 tablespoon Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
• 2 tablespoon Cornflower
• Straight-to-wok noodles to serve

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Instructions

For the marinade:

1. In a jug or cup, mix all of the marinade ingredients and stir well.
2. Place the beef in a bowl or tub, pour in the marinade and mix well, so the beef is covered.
3. Place in the fridge for at least 20 minutes.

To cook:

1. Heat a large frying pan on the hob and add the sesame oil.
2. For the sauce, mix the remaining cornflour, soy and oyster sauce in a jug with the beef stock.
3. Flash fry the beef in one layer (do it in two batches if you need to) for a few minutes until just browned.
4. Add the broccoli and pour over the sauce.
5. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until the sauce is thickening.
6. Taste, and add extra Chinese 5 spice or seasoning if needed.
7. Add the straight-to-work noodles and cook to package instructions.

Notes

Add extra stock or water if too dry, or simmer for longer to thicken further.

Nutritional info doesn’t include noodles or any other sides.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Additional Time: 0 hours
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Easy Midweek Meals
• Cuisine: Chinese

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 439kcal
• Sugar: 2g
• Fat: 27g
• Saturated Fat: 10g
• Unsaturated Fat: 14g
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 10g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 38g
• Cholesterol: 121mg

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