This Five Spice Beef and Broccoli features tender strips of beef cooked in a warming sauce and tossed with steamed broccoli. It’s made with Chinese five spice, adding an extra cozy layer to a popular Chinese takeout dish.

This Five Spice Beef and Broccoli is our first savory dish made with Chinese five spice. If you’ve been on the blog before, you may have seen our Five Spice Dark Chocolate Budino, featuring this aromatic spice blend in a dessert. We love its diversity and how it can be used to amplify all kinds of dishes.
With this beef and broccoli, we added five spice to the sauce, creating a sharp pop of flavor full of cold weather spices. The broccoli is steamed in the pan to keep its vibrant color, and thinly cut strips of flank steak are marinated in a bit of oyster sauce and tenderizing ingredients. Like any Chinese stir-fry, it’s best served with a side of rice.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Tender Beef: The key to restaurant quality tenderness is adding a touch of baking soda to the marinade. It makes for a super tender melt-in-your-mouth bite of beef.
- Five Spice: The addition of Chinese five spice makes this dish perfect for fall and winter. The combination of sweet, warming spices with a hint of citrus-like flavors adds an extra layer of comfort.
- Easy Recipe: Each component is cooked separately but all in one pan. It’s simple to prepare and everything comes together in the end, creating the perfect harmony of flavors.
Ingredient Notes
Ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Here you’ll find notes on why we chose certain ingredients as well as any substitutions.
- Flank Steak: Cutting against the grain yields a tender texture and makes the meat easier to chew.
- Broccoli: You’ll need 1 whole head of broccoli cut into florets.
- Vegetable Oil: A neutral oil like vegetable oil works best in this dish so it doesn’t interfere with the other flavors.
- Oyster Sauce: This umami rich, lightly sweet sauce adds a ton of flavor to the dish.
- Cornstarch: This is used to thicken the sauce and when added to meat, it helps to lock in the moisture, creating a tender cut of beef.
- Baking Soda: A dash of baking soda tenderizes the meat and shortens the marinade time.
- Chicken Stock: This is the base liquid for the sauce.
- Soy Sauce: We use regular but you can substitute it with low-sodium soy sauce if you prefer.
- Light Brown Sugar: A few teaspoons of brown sugar balances out the flavors.
- Shaoxing Wine: A fermented Chinese rice wine that’s a staple in Chinese cooking. If you can’t find it at your local grocery store, it’s available at Asian markets and online.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes: It doesn’t make the dish too spicy, but feel free to omit it or increase it to your liking.
- Chinese Five Spice: This is a blend of star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns, and fennel seeds. It has a distinct smell and taste reminiscent of licorice.
- Garlic: You’ll need 4 cloves of minced garlic.
- Ginger: 1 tbsp of minced ginger is equal to about 1-inch (2.5 cm) of fresh ginger. Be sure to peel it before mincing.
Step-by-Step Instructions
This section provides a general overview as well as any pictures to guide you through the recipe. The full detailed recipe instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
STEP 1: Marinate the beef. Cut the meat into ¼ inch (0.6 cm) strips and add to a large bowl with the vegetable oil, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and baking soda. Toss until well coated and let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature.
STEP 2: Prep the sauce. In a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or medium bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients until well combined.
STEP 3: Steam the broccoli. Add ¼ cup (60 ml) of water to a large non-stick pan set over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and cover with a fitted lid and steam for 4-5 minutes until tender. Set aside and wipe out any excess liquid from the pan with a paper towel.
STEP 4: Cook the beef. Add ½ tbsp of vegetable oil to the pan and spread half the beef in an even layer. Brown for 2-3 minutes on each side then site aside on a plate. Add the remaining oil and cook the rest of the beef.
STEP 5: Cook the sauce. Using the same pan, reduce the heat to medium. Add the sauce and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until thickened.
STEP 6: Combine everything. Turn off the heat and add the beef and broccoli back to the pan, tossing until coated with the sauce. Serve warm over rice.
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip the baking soda. This really elevates the texture of the meat by breaking down the proteins, making it super tender.
- Freeze the beef before cutting (optional). If you’re having a hard time cutting the steak into thin strips, place it in the freezer, uncovered for 20-30 minutes to firm up. This should make it easier to slice.
FAQ
It has a slight kick to it, but feel free to omit or increase the crushed red pepper depending on your preference.
Yes, we suggest thawing it before using. It may cook quicker than fresh broccoli so be sure to keep an eye on it. Poke the stalks with a fork to check for tenderness. It should be softened, but slightly firm.
Storage
Store any leftover five spice beef and broccoli in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of water to thin it out.
If you tried this recipe, let us know how it turned out for you! Leave a star rating and review below and tag us on Instagram @fancifuleats so we can see your amazing kitchen creations!
📖 Recipe
Five Spice Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 1 pound (454 g) flank steak
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- ¼ tsp baking soda
Sauce:
- ½ cup (125 ml) chicken stock
- ¼ cup (60 ml) soy sauce*
- 2 tsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp Chinese five spice
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger* minced
Stir-Fry:
- 1 head broccoli cut into florets
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil divided
- White rice for serving
- Sesame seeds for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the flank steak into ¼ inch (0.6 cm) strips, cutting against the grain. If it’s too difficult to slice thin, place it in the freezer, uncovered for 20-30 minutes to firm up.
- Add the sliced beef to a large bowl with the vegetable oil, oyster sauce, cornstarch, and baking soda. Toss to combine and set aside at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- For the sauce, add all the ingredients to a 2-cup liquid measuring cup or medium bowl. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In a large non-stick pan set over medium-high heat, add ¼ cup (60 ml) of water along with the broccoli florets. Cover with a fitted lid and steam for 4-5 minutes until tender. Set said in a bowl and wipe out any excess water with a paper towel.
- To the same pan set over medium-high heat, add ½ tbsp of vegetable oil to the pan and spread half the beef in an even layer. Sear the meat on both sides for 2-3 minutes until browned. Set aside on a plate and do the same with the remaining oil and beef.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the sauce (give it a quick whisk if the ingredients have settled). Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes until thickened.
- Turn off the heat and add back the beef and broccoli. Toss to coat everything in the sauce and serve warm over rice. Sprinkle on some sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- We use regular soy sauce, but you can substitute it for low-sodium or gluten-free soy sauce.
- 1 tbsp of minced ginger is equal to about 1-inch of fresh ginger. Be sure to peel it before mincing.
- Feel free to use a wok if you have one.
- Cooking method adapted from Omnivore’s Cookbook
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