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10-Minute Chinese Beef and Broccoli from Panda Express, Made at Home

Name: 10-Minute Chinese Beef and Broccoli from Panda Express, Made at Home
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 3
Ingredients: Non-stick wok; Spatula Silicone 3-Piece Set; Tongs; Mixing bowl; Measuring Set; Santoku Knife; Cutting Board; 1 pound • of flank steak; 2 tablespoons • soy sauce; 1 tablespoon • cornstarch; 1 tablespoon • vegetable oil; 1/3 cup • low-sodium soy sauce; 2 tablespoons • oyster sauce; 1 tablespoon • hoisin sauce; 1 tablespoon • brown sugar; 1 teaspoon • sesame oil; 1 tablespoon • 1 cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water; 2 cups • broccoli florets; 1 clove • garlic; 1/2 teaspoon • fresh ginger; • Sesame seeds; • Green onions

Lovaly drink Food February 1, 2025

Servings: 3 Total Time: 50 mins Difficulty: Beginner

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10-Minute Chinese Beef and Broccoli from Panda Express, Made at Home

Beef and broccoli from Panda Express are among my standby selections whenever we eat at Panda Express. I’m unsure if you’ve noticed the plethora of Panda Express recipes on the blog. And trust me, there are A LOT of copycat recipes out there, but Panda Express is one of my most popular sources for copycat recipes. What’s not to love about Panda Express? anything from when you walk inside, bright trays of fresh whole vegetables you know will be chopped and used fresh in the foods. We forget to order vegetables when we get fast food, but that`s so easy to get at Panda Express.

This Panda Express Beef and Broccoli is so good; it is quick and contains tender, healthy-ish 😉 beef and plenty of broccoli! It makes you feel good about the Chow Mein and Orange Chicken you ordered next to it in your two-item combo.

The recipe may use a few ingredients you do not have in your pantry. Sure, you may substitute a few things, but to get the real Panda Express Beef and Broccoli taste, you will need to go to your local Asian grocer or zoom onto Amazon to pick them up. Few ingredients are needed, and it will exponentially increase your options, as most recipes use the same limited ingredients.

Beef and Broccoli Panda Express Recipe Ingredients

Before you dive in, collect the following ingredients to make sure your cooking is as smooth and efficient as possible.

For the Beef:

1 lb flank steak (sliced thin against the grain)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for stir-frying)

For the Sauce:

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed to traditional with 2 tablespoons water (for slurry thickening)

For the vegetables:

2 cups broccoli florets

1 clove garlic (minced)

1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger (grated)

Optional Garnish:

Sesame seeds

Green onions (sliced)

Essential Tools and Equipment for Stir-Fry Success

Wok or Large Skillet:

A wok’s depth and uniform heat make it perfect for stir-frying.
Or use a large, heavy-bottomed skillet to give them some elbow room.

Sharp Chef’s Knife:

Crucial for thinly slicing beef and chopping vegetables with precision.

Cutting Boards

Use different cutting boards for meat and veggies to avoid cross-contamination.

Mixing Bowls:

Good for marinating, stirring sauces, and blanching broccoli.

Whisk:

Smoothly blends sauce ingredients, clumping cornstarch.

Tongs or Spatula:

Helps the ingredients get tossed evenly in the wok without breaking broccoli florets.

Steamer Basket (Optional):

Good for steaming broccoli, leaving them crisp and bright.

Prep Techniques to Save Time

Thinly Slicing the Beef:

For easier slicing, freeze beef for 15–20 minutes.
Cut against the grain for the tenderest results

Blanching Broccoli:

Blanch broccoli for 1–2 minutes, then plunge the broccoli into iced water to keep it crunchy and bright green.

This delicious and easy-to-make recipe is a crowd favorite!

Prepare the Beef

To get tender beef, you’ve got to marinate it. In a bowl, mix soy sauce and cornstarch, and add the flank steak strips. Combine to ensure the beef is evenly coated. While preparing the other ingredients, let it marinate for 15–20 minutes.

Create the Signature Sauce

In a small bowl, whisk soy sauce, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar and sesame oil. Add the cornstarch slurry (which is cornstarch combined with water) to the sauce mixture and mix well. This is the step that guarantees your sauce will be the thick, glossy epicurean water to be expected in this dish.

Steam the Broccoli

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Immerse the broccoli florets for approximately 2 minutes until they’re bright green and just tender. Take them out of the pot and put them in ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.

Stir-Fry the Beef

In a large skillet or wok, heat over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and swirl to coat the surface. Add the marinated beef in a single layer and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until crispy and golden brown around the edges. Remove the beef from the pan and remove it from the heat.

Sauté Aromatics

In the same skillet, add a bit more oil as needed. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking until fragrant (about 30 seconds). This step does wonders for the dish’s overall aroma and flavor profile.

Combine Everything

Add the cooked beef back to the skillet and pour the prepared sauce over it. Mix well so all the beef is coated. Allow the sauce to simmer for 1–2 minutes until thick, then add the steamed broccoli. Toss everything to combine until the broccoli is fully coated and warmed through.

Beef and Broccoli Panda Express Serving Ideas

1. Steamed White Rice

This classic combo soaks the fluffy rice in savory sauce, each bite a sublime balance of textures and flavors. Use jasmine or long-grain rice for best results. For more aroma, cook the rice with a bay leaf or a few drops of sesame oil.

2. Fried Rice

For a treat, serve the beef and broccoli over fried rice. It’s great with scrambled eggs, green peas, diced carrots, and soy sauce. The richness of fried rice balances the tangy and umami notes found in the dish.

3. Brown Rice

Seek a more wholesome substitute like brown rice if you’re seeking a healthier option. Its nutty flavor brings a wholesome element, and with its ranged fiber content, it renders a filling and nutritious base.

4. Lo Mein Noodles

Lo mein noodles give this dish that Chinese takeout feeling of it being a full dinner. Toss cooked noodles with the same sauce used to make the beef and broccoli, then serve it all together for a cohesive meal.

5. Cauliflower Rice or Zoodles

For low-carb or keto, cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles (zoodles) work great! They soak up the sauce beautifully while keeping the dish light and healthy.

6. Stir-Fried Vegetables

For some extra nutrition boost, serve this dish served with a variety of sautéed vegetables—bell pepper, snap peas, carrots, and mushrooms. These offer texture and color, plus an extra boost of nutrients.

7. Appetizers and Side Dishes

Bonus: Spice up your meal with spring rolls, egg rolls, or won tons for appetizers! A hot and sour soup or an egg drop soup can also serve as a soothing beginning.

How to Make the Best Beef and Broccoli

Selecting the Best Beef

It all starts with the right cut of beef for tender, flavorful results. Flank steak is a favorite for this because it is very tender and takes in marinade nicely. You can also use flank steak if skirt steak isn’t available:

Sirloin steak: A tad leaner but just as tender.
Sirloin steak is also known for being flavorful and well-marbled.
Flat iron steak: An economical cut that is incredibly tender.

Proper Slicing Technique

Always cut the beef across the grain. That is, by slicing across the grain of the muscle fibers. Cutting it into very thin slices (approximately 1/8 inch thick) guarantees that the beef cooks quickly, staying tender.

Marinade Matters

That marinating the beef in soy sauce and cornstarch is a revelation. The soy sauce adds flavor, and the cornstarch creates a light coating that enables the beef to sear beautifully and retain its juices.

Blanching the Broccoli

Blanching broccoli before stir-frying, for example, keeps it Intensely green and a touch crunchy. Place the florets exhaustively in boiling water for 2–3 minutes, then quickly remove them to an ice water bath. This method allows for both texture and color retention.

Perfecting the Sauce

The sauce is the dish at its heart. Make it taste as it does in a restaurant by balancing its salty, sweet, and savory notes:

You can vary the brown sugar to suit your taste.
Sprinkle in a bit of red pepper flakes for warmth.
Be sure to mix the cornstarch slurry well-mixed to avoid lumps.

High Heat is Crucial

When stir-frying, heat is important to get that wok-seared flavor. Use a heavy-bottomed skillet or a wok for even heat distribution.

Timing is Everything

Brown the beef in small batches if necessary to prevent crowding the pan. Overcrowding cools things down and can even steam the beef rather than sear it. Likewise, don’t overcook the broccoli, or it will get mushy and lose its bright green color.

Customize the Dish

Add other ingredients at your peril:

Mushrooms for added earthy depth.
Bell peppers for a sweet, crunchy pop.
Nuts (cashews or almonds) for some chew and nuttiness.

Why Make Panda Express Beef and Broccoli at Home?

1. Cost-Effective

From ordering takeout to cooking yourself, ordering takeout is way more expensive than cooking yourself. This recipe allows you to make restaurant-style beef and broccoli for a fraction of the price, perfect for family dinners or meal prep.

2. Healthier Ingredients

When you cook at home, you control what goes into your food. You can:

Use low-sodium soy sauce to lower the sodium.
Switch it out for honey or a sugar alternative for a healthier twist.
Choose lean cuts of beef to reduce fat intake.

3. Personalized for You

Homemade meals can be infinitely customizable. If you like more sauce, more veggies, or a spicy punch, you can tailor the recipe to also be something that will suit your taste buds perfectly.

4. Freshness Guaranteed

Hot food is unsurpassed; there is nothing better than freshly cooked food. Make Panda Express Beef and Broccoli at home and ensure the highest quality ingredients and better freshness than takeout.

5. Family-Friendly

This is a favorite for kids and adults alike. The savory-sweet sauce, the tender beef, the crisp broccoli—it’s a favorite in many households. And it’s easy enough to scale the recipe up for bigger gatherings.

6. Meal Prep Friendly

This beef and broccoli is a perfect meal prep! Make a big batch and portion it out into individual servings for quick utility lunches or dinners throughout the week. It reheats beautifully in a skillet or the microwave.

7. Versatile and Inspiring

Once you have this recipe down, you’ll feel confident to branch out into other Asian-inspired dishes, like Kung Pao Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork, or General Tso’s Chicken.

How to Perfect the Recipe

Beef and broccoli take a little bit of finesse. Here are some deeper tips on how to do it right every time:

How to Achieve Tender Beef

1. Baking Soda: Use to Tenderize

Use a little (about ¼ teaspoon per pound) baking soda to marinate the beef. This breaks down the proteins, yielding a more tender texture. (Always rinse the beef after tenderizing with baking soda to remove excess before cooking.)

2. Choose the Right Cut of Beef:

The best options would be flank steak, sirloin, or skirt steak. These cuts are flavorful and, when thinly sliced, tender. Skip tough cuts like Chuck unless simmered.

3. Marinate Effectively:

A marinade of soy sauce, cornstarch, and oil seals in moisture and flavors the beef. A minimum of 20 minutes or overnight, if you really want optimal results.

4. Don’t Overcook:

It needs to be cooked hot and fast. Stir-fry the beef in batches so that it cooks evenly and stays tender.

Maintaining Broccoli’s Crunch

1. Blanch or Steam Before Stir-Frying:

Blanching broccoli, for instance, guarantees that it cooks more quickly when stir-frying and absorbs a more vibrant color and crunch.

2. Avoid Overcrowding the Wok:

Overcrowding results in steaming instead of stir-frying, so the broccoli will be soggy. Cook in batches if necessary.

3. Add broccoli at the right time:

Add the broccoli toward the end of cooking to ensure it doesn’t overcook and lose its texture.

Balancing the Sauce

Taste your sauce first before adding it to the stir-fry. Tweak sweetness, saltiness or thickness to taste.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Steering clear of these pitfalls is all you need to do to make sure your beef and broccoli taste just as good as the version at Panda Express:

1. Overcooking the Beef:

Beef that is stir-fried too long comes out tough and chewy. Fry over high heat for just 1–2 minutes per batch.

2. Skipping the Marination Step:

Marinate the beef, which is essential for flavor and tenderness. Even 20 minutes can have a significant impact difference.

3. Using Low Heat:

Stir-frying needs very high heat to sear the beef and broccoli quickly while keeping their texture. You cook at too low a heat, steaming and soggy ingredients.

4. Neglecting sauce consistency:

A thin sauce won’t properly coat the beef and broccoli. Make sure to dissolve your cornstarch and let the sauce simmer to thicken it a bit.

5. Overloading the Wok:

(just in the middle of writing this I got woken up) uncooked because cooking everything all at once will decrease the temperature, resulting in uneven cooking. For the best results, stir-fry in smaller batches.

6. Not Prepping Ingredients Ahead of Time:

Stir-frying is a fast process, so be sure to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go. Delays can risk overcooking or uneven results.

Healthier Swaps for Beef and Broccoli

Want to eat this dish guilt-free? Here are a few tips to lighten it up and make it healthier, without skimping on flavor:

Reduce Sodium:

Use low-salt soy sauce and oyster sauce to reduce sodium levels. If you’re on a very low-sodium diet, you may also dilute regular soy sauce with water or choose coconut aminos.

Choose Leaner Cuts of Beef:

Choose sirloin or tenderloin over fattier cuts. Remove any visible fat before slicing.

Increase Vegetables:

Add more vegetables such as snap peas, carrots, mushrooms, or bell peppers. All these additions increase fiber and nutrients without adding a lot more bulk to the dish.

Use Less Oil:

Use a nonstick wok or skillet to use less oil. You can also use a spray oil for a light coating on the pan.

Replace Beef With Tofu or Chicken:

For fewer calories, substitute skinless chicken breast or tofu for the beef. Both absorb the sauce nicely and work great in this recipe.

Serve with Healthier Sides:

Instead of white rice, pair your stir-fry with brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice to add more fiber and decrease carbs.

Thicken the Sauce Naturally:

Replace the cornstarch with a tiny bit of blended cooked vegetables (like cauliflower or carrots) to add body to the sauce.

✅Quick Tips: Read the recipe in its entirety before you start cooking. This will help you understand the ingredients, steps, and timing involved, and allow you to prepare any necessary equipment or ingredients beforehand.