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Sticky, glossy sauce. Beef that stays tender instead of chewy. Broccoli that still has a bit of bite instead of turning sad and soggy. This is one of those dinners that feels indulgent but secretly comes together faster than ordering takeout.
What makes this Mongolian Beef And Broccoli stand out is how intentional every step is. The beef gets a quick marinade that locks in tenderness, the sauce balances sweet and savoury without going overboard, and the broccoli is cooked just enough to stay vibrant. It is bold, comforting, and exactly what you want when cravings hit hard.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Beef And Broccoli Work
This Mongolian Beef And Broccoli keeps the flavours you love from a classic mongolian beef recipe but dials in the technique so every element actually delivers.
- Beef That Stays Tender: A light cornstarch marinade protects the beef while it cooks, giving you that silky texture you usually only get at restaurants.
- Sauce That Clings, Not Pools: The sauce is thickened just enough to coat every piece of beef and broccoli instead of sliding off and drowning your rice—much like the glaze on these easy beef meatballs with mongolian sauce.
- Broccoli With Bite: Added at the right moment, the broccoli stays bright and crisp, balancing the richness of the sauce instead of disappearing into it.
- Weeknight-Friendly but Still Special: This beef and broccoli recipe comes together quickly without tasting rushed, making it just as good for busy nights as it is for impressing guests.
What Goes Into This Mongolian Beef and Broccoli
This receipe brings all of that together with simple pantry staples and fresh ingredients for a better-than-take out experience at home.
- Beef Tenderloin: Thinly sliced for a quick, even cooking and melt-in your-mouth texture.
- Shaoxing Wine: A splash of this traditional Chinese cooking wine deepens the flavor of the marinade.
- Hoisin Sauce: Optional but recommended for a sweet, tangy layer that elevates the sauce.
- Broccoli Florets: Adds freshness, crunch, and balance to the richness of the beef and sauce.
Note: Please see recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients with measurements
Add-Ins And Substitutions (If You’re Feeling Extra)
These are optional twists that work without changing the soul of the dish.
- Red Chilli or Chilli Flakes: Adds heat to balance the sweetness of the sauce.
- Sugar Snap Peas or Snow Peas: Great for extra crunch alongside the broccoli.
- Tamari Instead of Soy Sauce: Perfect for a gluten-friendly swap without losing flavour.
- Coconut Aminos: A slightly sweeter option if you want a lower-sodium version.
How To Make This Mongolian Beef And Broccoli
- Marinate Beef: Whisk the marinade ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Add the beef and toss to coat. Let it marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Mix the Sauce: In a separate bowl, whisk all sauce ingredients until well combined. Set aside for later. Prep your vegetables while the beef marinates.
- Sear Beef: Heat 1/4 cup of oil in wok over medium. Cook beef in batches, about 2 minutes per batch, until crisp on the edges. Remove and set aside.
- Stir-Fry Aromatics: Lower the heat slightly and add sesame oil to the remaining oil in the wok. Stir-fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant. This only takes about 30 seconds.
- Cook Vegetables: Add broccoli florets to wok and stir-fry until tender and bright green. This should take 2 to 3 minutes. Keep them slightly crisp.
- Add the Beef and Sauce: Return the cooked beef to the wok. Pour in the prepared sauce and stir well to coat. Simmer for about 2 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Thicken Sauce: Stir in the cornstarch slurry and add the green onions. Cook for another minute, stirring, until the sauce thickens to your liking. Make sure everything is well coated.
- Serve and Garnish: Turn off the heat and garnish with extra green onions. Serve immediately over steamed rice, noddles, or vegetables. Enjoy it while hot and saucy.
This saucy Mongolian Beef and Broccoli pairs perfectly with a variety of sides to round out your meal. For something fresh and vibrant, try it with a Shrimp Guacamole Salad that brings a cool contrast to the savory beef. If you’re in the mood for something heartier, a slice of Sausage Eggplant Lasagna with Ricotta Pesto adds richness and comfort.
For a lighter, low-carb option, Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Chicken Zoodles make a great match. Each of these sides adds its own texture and flavor to complement the sweet, savory stir fry.
Pro Tips From My Kitchen To Yours
- Slice the beef against the grain to keep it tender
- Do not overcrowd the pan when cooking the beef or it will steam instead of sear
- Add the broccoli after the aromatics so it stays crisp and vibrant
- Let the sauce simmer briefly so it thickens naturally and clings properly
- Taste before serving and adjust sweetness or salt depending on your soy sauce
Recipe FAQ’s
Yes, and you absolutely should. This recipe only uses 1/4 cup of oil for 2 pounds of beef, which is more than enough to get golden, crispy edges without the mess or heaviness of deep frying.
The oil should be hot, but not on high heat. Medium heat works best—hot enough to sear the beef quickly, but not so hot that it spits all over your stove. Stir-frying the beef for about 2 minutes is perfect.
It’s all about velveting. Marinating the beef in a mix of cornstarch, soy sauce, and Shaoxing wine helps lock in moisture and create that melt-in-your-mouth texture you usually only get at restaurants.
WATCH US MAKE MONGOLIAN BEEF RIGHT HERE
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Mongolian Beef And Broccoli
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 2 lbs beef tenderloin thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing Chinese wine
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch corn flour
Sauce:
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce See notes
- 2/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce optional but adds incredible flavour
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 3/4 tablespoon ground white pepper or 1-2 teaspoons red chili powder
Stir Fry:
- 1/4 cup oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 8 cloves garlic or 4 tablespoons, minced
- 1/2 tablespoon ginger minced
- 1 broccoli cut into florets
- 4 green onion scallion stems, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch corn flour mixed with 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Whisk marinade ingredients together until well combined. Marinate the beef slices for 30 minutes to an hour (The more marinading, the more tender the meat will be).
- While beef is marinating, whisk together the sauce ingredients until well combined. Set aside and prepare vegetables.
- Heat up a wok over medium heat with the 1/4 cup of oil. When oil is hot, stir-fry the marinated beef in batches of four (don’t crowd the wok) until they are just crisp on the edges (about 2 minutes. They cook FAST in the hot oil. Don’t have the oil on high heat or it will spit and spatter all over you and your stove). Remove the meat, leaving as much oil in the wok, and set aside.
- Heat up the sesame oil in the wok with any remaining oil, and stir-fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add the vegetables and stir fry until they are vibrant in colour and just tender.
- Add the beef back into the wok with the prepared sauce. Simmer in the sauce until the beef slices are cooked through (about 2 minutes); add the corn starch mixture and the sliced green onions. Cook for a further minute or until the sauce thickens, wile stirring quickly.
- Garnish with extra green onion slices and serve immediately over rice or steamed vegetables.
Notes
*If you can’t find Shaoxing wine, use a Rice Wine Vinegar; White or Apple Cider Vinegar instead.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this tonight and it was delicious! My husband (who is picky🫠) said it was better than any restaurant beef and broccoli! Thanks again Karina for another fantastic recipe 🤗
Found this recipe randomly searching for a beef and broccoli recipe that also included Hoisin sauce (since I had some in the refrigerator that I was trying to use up.) My husband and I LOVE the recipe! Thanks so much for sharing. We used sirloin for the meat as that was what we had on hand and fresh broccoli and some asparagus from the garden. REALLY delicious the best beef and broccoli I’ve made at home.
Found this way to peppery and also the sauce way to runny.l will make this again with less water and pepper to try and refine it to our taste.neverthe less a. Very good recipe.thank you.
Delicious! My family loves this recipe
I always use filet bur recently tried chicken thighs with this recipe
Also delicious
Ty Karina
Hi Lisa, I am so glad to hear that you and your family enjoyed this recipe! Chicken thighs definitely make a great alternative!
Ran across this recipe looking for a good broccoli beef to try out. I ended up using flank steak because that was what I had and probably about a teaspo of red pepper flakes and it was delicious.
This recipe was perfect!!!! We used half beef and half chicken and I am so happy with how it turned out! Thank you!!!
Absolutely the most delicious recipe for Mongolian Beef. I make this often. I follow the recipe to the letter. I always use beef tenderloin (two filet mignon) cut into strips, wine vinegar, and white pepper. These are the recommended substitutes listed above. I make enough for 6 people and always serve over white rice and always include the fresh broccoli. Thank you for this great recipe! Making it again tomorrow along with chicken lo mein for the younger children!
I wish I read the note on the low sodium soy sauce before cooking this haha. Can definately see what you mean about the saltiness.
Still a great tasting dish though!
Karina, my family loved this so much, we made it two nights in a row! My husband is VERY particular, but he loved this. The first night we used beef, the second night we used pork…both times, the recipe was perfect!!! This is my first time cooking anything like this! I’m so ready to try more recipes! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your time and wonderful tips…along with your recipes!
Directly getting to the point, I am not sure if you proofread your article above before publishing it. I think there are a couple of mistakes in It. We Chinese almost always marinate meat, poultry and seafood with COOKING WINE, brown (ShaoXing) or white (rice wine), depending on the type of protein.. From my understanding, VINEGAR is never used in marinate process or the meat could be half cooked, however, I found twice you mentioned Vinegar in the Velveting section. Hopefully, it gets corrected soon. And you can just delete my comments
Thank you for picking that up!