Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli is a quick and easy dinner recipe. The thin-sliced beef cooks up tender in a rich flavorful sauce. The broccoli florets cook perfectly with the right amount of tenderness to them.
If you like Asian cuisine but don't want to order take-out, this classic beef and broccoli recipe is perfect for you.
One of our favorite take-out recipes is classic beef and broccoli. Deciding it was time to master this recipe at home I turned to my pressure cooker. The beef cooks up tender and full of flavor in the pressure cooker.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy: Instant Pot beef and broccoli is a fantastic recipe for busy weeknights, requiring minimal effort and time in the kitchen.
- Skip the take-out: Instead of ordering take-out, you can enjoy the flavors of this classic dish made at home, customized to your liking.
- Delicious flavors: The beef is cooked to tender perfection while the broccoli stays crisp. The delicious sauce ties it all together!
- Perfect for meal prep: This dish can be kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or the freezer for 3-4 months making it perfect for meal prepping for busy weeknights.
Ingredients Needed
- Soy Sauce: You can substitute with gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos for a gluten-free option
- Beef Broth: Adds depth and richness to the sauce while tenderizing the meat.
- Sesame Oil: This is important for the nutty flavor it provides!
- Ground Ginger: Adds warmth and a subtle spice to the Beef and Broccoli.
- Brown Sugar: Sweetens the sauce, creating a balanced flavor.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Adjust based on preferred spice level.
- Flank Steak: You can also substitute with chuck roast, skirt steak, or sirloin steak.
- Olive Oil: Substitute with peanut or canola oil if you prefer.
- Onion: Enhances the sauce with its sweet and savory notes.
- Garlic: Provides a strong and aromatic flavor, complementing the dish's overall taste.
- Corn Starch: Used as a thickening agent for the sauce.
- Broccoli: Broccoli florets can be cooked in the Instant Pot or separately based on preference.
- Optional garnishes: We love this dish garnished with sesame seeds, green onions, and served over white rice.
How to Make Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
- In a bowl, combine soy sauce, beef broth, sesame oil, ground ginger, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes for the sauce.
- Slice the beef thinly against the grain.
- Sauté half of the beef in olive oil, then remove it.
- Sauté the rest of the beef along with onion and garlic.
- Turn off sauté mode, add the sauce, and stir.
- Pressure cook for 10 minutes, followed by a 5-minute natural release.
- Mix corn starch with water.
- Pour in corn starch slurry and add broccoli.
- Pressure cook for 1 minute, followed by a quick release.
- Stir and serve over rice.
Recipe Tips
I have cooked the broccoli both in the Instant Pot and also separately. When cooked in the instant pot the broccoli will have a bit of crunch to it. So you can add more cooking time for more tender broccoli. Or you can cook the broccoli separately and stir it in when you add the corn starch slurry in.
We prefer our broccoli more tender so I use our steamed broccoli recipe. Then stir the broccoli in when I add the corn starch slurry. Doing it this way there is no need for the added minute cooking time at the end.
To make this Asian cuisine have a flavorful sauce I feel sesame oil is a must. I have used olive oil in replacement of sesame oil. It does make a difference in the flavor of the overall meal. Using sesame oil brings out the flavors of the other ingredients. I do recommend as long as you are not allergic and you have it on hand to use sesame oil.
To bring in more flavor you could add a bit of freshly grated ginger when adding in the onion and garlic.
Storage Tips
Storing Leftovers: I normally store my leftovers in the refrigerator, since there is always someone that will eat the leftovers. Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli will keep refrigerated in an air-tight container for 3-4 days. Then, we either reheat in the microwave or in a saucepan until heated all the way.
Freezing: After the Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli has completely cooled down, place it into a freezer-safe container. I do recommend making sure that the sauce covers at least half of the meat. Otherwise, the meat may dry out. This recipe will last 3-4 months in the freezer.
When ready to enjoy this frozen meal remove it from the freezer the night before to thaw. Then reheat in a saucepan on the stove or in a microwave-safe container in the microwave until heat through.
Serving Suggestions
Serve over a bed of white rice for the perfect weeknight meal!
To garnish Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli you can top with either sesame seeds or sliced green onions. I didn't have any green onions so I topped mine with fresh chopped parsley. Then add a bit more heat with an extra dash of red pepper flakes.
FAQs
I use flank steak when I make this recipe. You could use chuck roast, skirt steak, or sirloin steak. All these cuts of meat work well with the sauce.
This recipe does require the meat to be cut thin. What I like to do is cut the flank steak in thin strips against the grain of the meat. Cutting the meat against the grain will cut the muscle fibers of the meat making it easier to chew.
When cooking this recipe there is no need to deglaze the inner pot. When the onions and garlic are added to the beef they produce some juices. This helps loosen any beef that is stuck on the bottom of the inner pot.
We like to have this Asian-inspired meal over white rice with an egg roll or crab rangoons.
You can use gluten-free soy sauce or replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos.
Corn starch is used as the thickening agent in this recipe because it doesn't affect the flavor of the other ingredients, so I would stick with the corn starch.
My Creative Manner is answering the question "what's there to eat" with simple recipe creations ~ Jen
Here are some more amazing Instant Pot beef recipes:
We hope you enjoy this Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli, a quick and flavorful dinner that's sure to satisfy your Asian cuisine cravings at home!
Beef and Broccoli ~ Instant Pot
Tender thin-sliced beef in a flavorful sauce with tender broccoli. Serve this Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli recipe over rice for a complete dinner idea.
Ingredients
Sauce
- ½ Cup Soy Sauce
- 1 Cup Beef Broth
- 1½ Tablespoons Sesame Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 3 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
- ¼ Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
Meat
- 2 Pounds Flank Steak thin sliced against the grain
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil peanut or canola oil will work
- 1 Medium Onion sliced thin and into half moon shape
- 2 Tablespoons Garlic minced
To Thicken The Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Corn Starch
- ¼ Cup Cold Water
Extras
- 1½ Pounds Broccoli florets fresh
- 1 Tablespoon Sesame Seeds optional for garnish
- 2 green onions optional for garnish
Instructions
The Sauce
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In a mixing bowl combine the soy sauce, beef broth, sesame oil, ground ginger, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Mix everything together well, set the bowl aside.
Cutting The Meat and Veggies
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Cut the broccoli into florets and set aside.
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Cut the onion into thin half-moon shapes. If using fresh garlic press or finely mince the garlic. I used the minced garlic in a jar.
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Cut the meat into thin slices against the grain.
Sauté The Meat
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Press the sauté button on the front of the Instant Pot. When it reads HOT add the olive oil into the inner pot.
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Add half of the thin-sliced beef into the inner pot. Cook for 2 minutes on both sides just to brown them. Do not fully cook the meat. Remove the first half of the meat to a plate.
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After browning the rest of the meat. Add the first batch of meat along with the onion and garlic into the inner pot. Cook for 2 more minutes
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Turn the sauté button off. Give the sauce one more mix then add it into the inner pot. Give the beef, onion, garlic, and sauce a stir.
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Place the lid on the Instant Pot, turn the steam release knob to sealing. Press the pressure cook button and adjust the -+ button to 10 minutes. (make sure to cook on high pressure)
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Once the cooking time is up let the Instant Pot do a natural release for 5 minutes. Then release the remaining steam. When the pin drops remove the lid from the Instant Pot.
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While the Instant Pot is doing the natural release mix the corn starch and water together.
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Pour in the corn starch slurry and add the broccoli florets into the inner pot.
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Place the lid back onto the Instant Pot and turn the steam release knob to sealing. Press the pressure cook button and adjust the -+ button to 1 minute.
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When cooking time is up do a quick release.
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Stir the ingredients and serve over rice.
Recipe Notes
Naturalional values may vary depending on the ingredients used.
To help cut sodium I used less sodium soy sauce.
The broccoli will have a bit of crunch to it being cooked for 1 minute. If you like tender broccoli you could cook for 2 minutes in the Instant Pot.
I have also cooked the broccoli on the stovetop. When I do that then I just add in the corn starch slurry and mix in the broccoli. Omitting the extra minute of cook time in the end. The slurry will thicken the sauce up perfectly without the extra cooking time.
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