Panda Express Beef and Broccoli
This Panda Express Beef and Broccoli is always one of our top choices when we go out for a take-out at our favorite American-Chinese Panda Express restaurant. Here is the copycat beef and broccoli stir-fry recipe that is full of flavors from tender and juicy beef, nice crisp broccoli, and a savory sauce.
Equipment
1 Wok
Ingredients
Beef with Marinade
- 1 pound beef sirloin
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine or rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
For Stir-fry and sauce
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 teaspoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- ½ cup water
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Prepare the beef. Slice the beef against the grain thinly.
- Marinate. In a mixing bowl, combine the marinade sauce: with soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine or rice vinegar, cornstarch, black pepper, and baking soda. Mix everything until well blended then add the sliced beef. Marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, mix together the ginger paste, minced garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, and black pepper. Stir to dissolve the cornstarch. Set it aside.
- Blanch the broccoli. Boil about 3-4 cups of water with a pinch of salt. Cook the broccoli florets for about 2 minutes. Take them out and dump them in cold water with ice to stop the cooking process.
- Stir-fry the beef. Heat a wok over medium to high heat. Pour 2 tablespoons of cooking oil and let the oil in the wok slightly smoke. Stir-fry the beef until golden brown. Take them out and set them aside.
- Cook the garlic. Using the same wok, pour 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Saute garlic until aromatic.
- In the same wok or skillet, add the sauce you prepared. Lower the heat to medium and let the sauce thicken.
- Return the cooked beef and broccoli. Mix everything until well blended and stir-fry for 2 more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning according to your taste.
- Serve your beef and broccoli with cooked rice. Enjoy!
Notes
Recipe Notes:
- Chill the beef in the freezer for about 30 minutes. It is easier the slice the meat when it is firm up and makes it less likely to shred or tear as you cut it.
- Using a sharp knife, pay attention to the direction of the muscle fibers (grain) in the meat. To make the beef more tender and easier to chew, always slice against the grain.
- Slice the meat thinly and in uniform sizes to ensure faster and even cooking.
- Marinating the meat helps to soak all the flavors from the marinade. The longer you marinade, the more flavorful it will be.
- Do not overcook the meat as it will become dry and chewy.
- Fresh broccoli has the best flavor and texture but it's okay to use frozen broccoli if that's what you have in your kitchen.
- Wok is not necessary but if you love stir-fry dishes, investing in a a carbon steel wok will take your dishes to the next level. You can also use a high-heat-tolerant skillet.
- You can substitute the ginger paste and minced garlic with ginger powder and garlic powder if that's what is available. Be sure to start to add just a quarter of a teaspoon and add more if needed.
- If you have other stir-fry veggies in your kitchen, you can add them too.
- f you have leftover beef broccoli, let it cool completely and transfer the dish to a container with a lid. Your beef broccoli will last for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Serving: 4servingsCalories: 191kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 28gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 1722mgPotassium: 592mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 286IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!