Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
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Super easy Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli! The sweet/savory/garlicky sauce is AMAZING, not to mention so much better tasting and healthier than takeout.
If you love Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef, you’ve gotta try my NEW INSTANT POT BROCCOLI BEEF, as well as my popular Shredded Chicken Tacos, Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff, and Instant Pot Beef Bourguignon.
Why This Recipe Works
Better than takeout — This is the best broccoli beef I’ve ever had, and that statement includes every broccoli beef recipe I’ve ever tasted — all of which were ordered from a restaurant. This is my way of telling you that this broccoli beef is quite literally better than takeout. I know bloggers say that a lot. But today, it just has to be said. One taste and you’ll agree with me.
Crowd-pleaser — Even though I think this is the best slow cooker beef and broccoli recipe, ever, I knew that not everyone may think that. Luckily for me, though, everyone did, indeed love it. My grandparents (and Pops!) went on and on and onnnnnn about how much they loved it.
Easy — You pretty much just put almost every ingredient for the slow cooker beef and broccoli into the slow cooker and let it do its thing…then make a slurry at the end to thicken it, steam the broccoli, add it together and voila!
Healthier — This beef and broccoli in the crockpot has no fake ingredients, no preservatives, and just a little bit of oil. So much healthier than what you would get from take out.
Ingredients
- Flank steak — Flank steak is my choice in this crockpot beef and broccoli recipe because it is a cut of beef that needs to cook for a long time any way to make it tender. Other cuts of steak may become overcooked and chewy.
- Beef broth — I prefer beef broth to keep the flavor nice and beefy, but you can also substitute chicken broth.
- Low sodium soy sauce — Use low sodium and then add more salt later, to taste if you prefer.
- Brown sugar — Use either light or dark brown sugar to give this dish just a bit of sweetness and to help the sauce come together.
- Sesame oil — Sesame oil has a bit of nuttiness you’ll enjoy in this dish.
- Red chili flakes — While chili flakes are optional, I do like to add just a bit of heat this way.
- Broccoli florets — Florets will cook much quicker in the microwave. You could also use a microwavable bag of frozen broccoli if you prefer.
- Cornstarch & Cold water — These two ingredients are stirred together at the end to make a slurry to thicken the sauce.
Here’s How You Make It
Not only is this delicious, it’s super easy to throw together in the slow cooker, go on about your day, and come back a few hours later to dig in.
- First, grease the inside of the slow cooker, then add the steak, broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, garlic and chili flakes if you are using it. Add the lid and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-5 hours.
- Make a slurry from cornstarch and water right before you’re ready to serve this beef recipe. Then, add the slurry to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce. Put the lid back on and let the sauce cook up and thicken for another 20-25 minutes.
- Now for the broccoli. While you’re waiting for the sauce to thicken, microwave your florets (or steam on the stovetop) and add the broccoli to the beef right before serving, mixing in well to coat the broccoli in the delicious sauce.
- Serve!
How to Customize this Dish
While this broccoli beef dish is great the way it is, there are plenty of ways to tweak it to your tastes:
- Add 1-2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes to the beef and sauce before setting the cooking time.
- For even more heat, top with Sriracha after plating the dish.
- Use a combination of broccoli and cauliflower for your vegetables. Or, add in more Asian veggies like snow peas, water chestnuts, or thick-cut carrots.
- For a super fast shortcut to cooking the vegetables, use frozen broccoli that cooks right in the bag. Follow the directions on the bag for best results.
- Purchase already-cut flank steak at your grocery store or ask the butcher. You might find it labeled “fajita steak” or something to that effect. You can just add that right into the slow cooker, no cutting required!
- If you are cutting your own flank steak, be sure to cut across the grain. This ensures the muscle fibers are cut as short as possible, thus making the meat as tender (i.e. not chewy) as possible.
- If you have trouble cutting your steak, you can freeze it first for up to an hour to make it easier to slice into.
- I like to garnish this with sliced green onions or cilantro. This gives the dish a little more bite at the end.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- This dish will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days and reheats well in the microwave.
- Occasionally I like to add sliced mushrooms to this dish as well. These are delicious but totally optional.
- I don’t recommend freezing this dish, unless you freeze it as it is cooked but only heat and add the broccoli when you’re ready to thaw and eat it.
FAQs
Chinese restaurants usually use a topside of beef. Something like flank steak, that’s low in fat and can be sliced easily. This ensures the beef cooks up nice and tender and just makes for the best stir-fries and other Asian beef dishes like this one.
You can also use skirt steak, hanger steak, or even brisket if that’s all you have/can find.
More Recipes to Try
- Slow Cooker Beef Roast – an effortless, melt-in-your-mouth classic guaranteed to become a permanent family dinner favorite.
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos – the ultimate crowd-pleasing weeknight meal that will have everyone running back for seconds.
- Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili – a rich, cozy bowl of pure comfort that disappears faster than you can ladle it out.
When you make this recipe, snap a photo and tag me on social – I love connecting with you and seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds flank steak, thinly sliced and chopped into 2 inch pieces
- 1 cup beef broth
- ⅔ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes , (optional)
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 4 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Grease the inside of a slow cooker. Add steak, beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and chili flakes. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low 4-5 hours.
- Minutes before serving, uncover the slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk corn starch and water until dissolved. Add to slow cooker and stir. Cover and allow to cook another 20-25 minutes.
- Just before serving, place broccoli in a large tupperware, fill with 1/2 inch of water, and place the lid on in an off-set manner so that the container can vent. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Drain, stir broccoli into slow cooker, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m cooking this right now! Hopefully 4 hours will not make it soggy. If I want to add the broccoli into the slower cooker to cook it, how long would you suggest? Or is there another way to heat it up? (My microwave is a poetic crap) Can I have more then 4 cups? I love broccoli!
Hi Samantha! You can definitely add more broccoli! Also, you just need to throw it into the pot probably 45 minutes before serving – if you add it too soon the broccoli will likely get soggy.
Can you substitute green peppers for the broccoli? Green pepper beef is my favorite and I have not been able to find a copycat recipe that tastes good. This sauce looks perfect!
I’m sure you could! Just don’t cook them too long because they will become mushy. 🙂
i have everything for this at home, BUT the sesame oil… can you substitute?
You can use another oil – like vegetable or canola oil – but you’ll be missing out on that asian sesame oil flavor!
I’ve got the meat and broth mixture marinating in the fridge, waiting until it’s time to put it in the crock pot.
Questions: Why grease the pot? I’ve never done that before. I’ve never had food stick when it is cooking in fluid.
Does all flank steak have that central lateral line of gristle that mine had, or did I get a bum piece of meat? That was a lot of trimming to remove that. If that is typical, is there a cut of beef that you can recommend for substitution? Thanks!
Hi Vera, I always grease my pot – it makes clean up easier. As far as the beef, I’ve never had that “gristle” you mentioned – maybe you had bad luck with this piece?? Not sure!
For future reference though, any thin cut of steak will work for this recipe – I know skirt steak does well. Anything that comes in a really thin sheet is perfect. 🙂
Looks wonderful! I have been looking for a recipe for shrimp and broccoli over rice. How should I change up the sauce?
Hi Lee, I wouldn’t change the sauce at all – it will still go perfectly with shrimp! Just substitute shrimp for broccoli and possibly reduce cooking time a bit.
Hi! I don’t understand the cornstarch ingredient, it says 2 tbsp plus 4. So does that mean 6 tbsp of cornstarch or am I missing something? Thanks!!!
OK nevermind, I’m a dork. I now see the continuation of the recipe!! Thanks, can’t wait to try it! !
I’m making this tomorrow. I’m thinking of adding onion to the list of ingredients for additional flavor. If I do that how much onion would you recommend me to use?
Hi Ethan, I’d probably add 1/2 onion chopped.
I added mushrooms and onion the second time I made this. Loved the original recipe, but seriously thought I was in heaven when I added the mushrooms and onion😊 Have you tried it with chicken? Just wondering 😊
I don’t know why I’ve never tried that, I’m definitely adding mushrooms next time!! I haven’t tried it with chicken yet but It’s on my to-do list!!
Brandy, love you variation. Going to try that next
I’ve done it with chicken. I didn’t like I but I love it with beef.
I’m making this tonight for tomorrow’s dinner. Can I leave it in the crock pot for 6-8 hours instead of 4-5?
Hi Dorean, You definitely can, just make sure the slow cooker is set to “low” and I wouldn’t add the broccoli til close to the end or it would get very soggy. 🙂
Hello, it says that is serves 4 but can you tell me how big the servings are? We do weight watchers so we have to make sure we measure everything out. Thanks a bunch!! I plan to make this tonight!
Hi Kristy! For this recipe, it’s hard to say exactly because I don’t measure each portion out, I just estimate that it feeds 4 people when divided in fourths. I’d probably say about 1-1/2 cups of the finished product is about a serving – but that’s just a rough estimate!
I’m making this tonight! Looks delish!