Easier than ordering takeout and just as tasty, this slow cooker beef and broccoli has tender beef in a rich and savory sauce for an easy dinner that works any night of the week.
Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Every bite is savory, slightly sweet, and full of rich beef flavor, with an Asian inspired soy sauce that’s so delicious.
- Skill Level: The slow cooker does most of the work in this beginner friendly recipe to create flavorful beef that is fork tender.
- Time Saver: Use precut bagged broccoli florets, or frozen broccoli added near the end of the cooking cycle, for quick prep!
- Serving: This dish is best served over brown or white rice, Asian noodles, quinoa, or cauliflower rice. Try it with a side of wonton chips.
Ingredient Notes
- Flank Steak or Stewing Beef: Flank steak is easy to slice into thin strips for takeout style texture. Stewing beef is budget friendly and gets very tender with slow cooking.
- Onion: Adds sweet and savory flavor with extra body as it reduces.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic has the best flavor, but jarred minced garlic can work if you are in a hurry.
- Broccoli: Fresh broccoli florets are bright with a tender crisp texture. Frozen works but won’t have quite the same texture.
- Broth or Stock: Broth adds light flavor, while stock creates a richer sauce.
- Stir Fry Sauce: Brings a touch of sweetness and flavor that makes beef and broccoli so recognizable.
- Brown sugar: The sweet balances the salty sauce and gives it that classic sweet and savory flavor. Increase it if you want an even sweeter sauce.
- Cornstarch and water: Mixed together, they help thicken the sauce at the end so it clings nicely to the beef and broccoli.
Variations
- Swaps: You can swap soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, or coconut aminos in place of stir fry sauce.
- Add Ginger: Ginger adds a zesty, classic stir fry flavor. Grate fresh ginger with a small grater and make sure to catch the juice and add it to the sauce.
- Spice It Up: Stir in chili garlic sauce, red pepper flakes, or sriracha for some extra heat at the end of cooking.
- Use a Different Protein: Sliced chicken thighs or breasts, or even pork tenderloin can be substituted, but cooking times will likely need adjusting.
- Garnish: Garnish with some chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of sesame oil for even more flavor.
How to Make Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
- Dump beef and all other ingredients (except broccoli) into the slow cooker.
- Stir to coat, then cover and cook until the beef is tender. (Full recipe below.)
- Near the end of cooking time, stir in a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.
- Add the broccoli and cook until tender but still bright green.
Storing the Leftovers
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze leftovers, with the beef and sauce stored separately from the broccoli, for up to three months.
- Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot. Add a little beef broth or water if the sauce has thickened up too much.
Takeout-Style Dinners at Home
Did you make this slow cooker beef and broccoli recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
This slow cooker beef and broccoli is an easy takeout-inspired dinner with tender beef, crisp broccoli, and a savory-sweet sauce. Serve it over rice or noodles for a cozy weeknight meal.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds flank steak or stewing beef thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup beef broth or beef stock
- ¼ cup stir-fry sauce or soy sauce, or other substitute
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 10 to 11 ounces broccoli florets
Instructions
- To the slow cooker, add beef, onion, garlic, broth, sauce, and brown sugar. Stir gently to combine and coat the beef.
- Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, or high for 3 to 4 hours, or until the beef is tender.
30 Minutes Before Serving:
- In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water to form a slurry.
- Keeping the slow cooker open as little time as possible, add the slurry to the slow cooker and mix to combine. Sprinkle with the broccoli. Cover and continue cooking until broccoli is tender, but still vibrant in color.
- Stir to combine, taste and add salt and pepper, or soy sauce, if desired.
- Serve hot over rice or noodles. Garnish with sesame seeds.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 300 | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 1038mg | Potassium: 901mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 442IU | Vitamin C: 66mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 4mg
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
©Our Zesty Life. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Like our recipes?
Follow us on Pinterest!
REPIN this Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli recipe
