Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef

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Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes

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Super easy Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef! 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

slow cooker broccoli beef and a spoon in a bowl.

Say hello to my new favorite thing ever: This absolutely, hands down, best-ever, all-time favorite Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef recipe.

close up of slow cooker broccoli beef and a wooden serving spoon in a slow cooker.

And that statement includes every broccoli beef recipe I’ve ever tasted — all of which were ordered from a restaurant establishment. 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.

close up of slow cooker broccoli beef and a spoon in a bowl.

This past November we visited my grandparents in California and promised them that they were welcome at our house for dinner the next time they were in town. Well, this past weekend they were in town and they took us up on this offer. 

I’m happy to report, this broccoli beef did not fail me. My grandparents (and Pops!) went on and on and onnnnnn about how much they loved it. Can I get a woot! woot! for impressing the husband, father, grandmum and grandpop in one fell swoop?

So easy, incredibly tasty, healthy, and company-worthy… just do yourself a big fat favor and skip the takeout in favor of home cooked next time you’re craving this Asian classic.

Here’s What You Need

  • Flank steak
  • Beef broth
  • Low sodium soy sauce
  • Brown sugar
  • Sesame oil
  • Minced garlic
  • Red chili flakes (optional)
  • Broccoli florets
  • Cornstarch
  • Cold water

Here’s How You Make it

Wondering how to make broccoli beef in your crockpot? It’s easy! I’ll walk you through it. Not only is this delicious, it’s super simple to throw together in the slow cooker, go on about your day, and come back a few hours later to dig in. 

  1. After I’ve chopped, cut, and measured all the ingredients, I bring them all over to the slow cooker to put in and forget about it for a good 4-5 hours. 
  2. 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. 
  3. 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. 
  4. 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.
  5. Time to serve this delicious dish, sit back and watch the smiles form on everyone’s faces as they enjoy this better-than-takeout Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef.
slow cooker broccoli beef and a spoon in a bowl.

Expert Tips and Tricks

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.

What Cut of Beef do Chinese Restaurants Use?

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. Happy eating! 

close up of a spoon with a scoop of slow cooker broccoli beef on it in a bowl.

More Slow Cooker Recipes You’ll Enjoy

Did you try this crockpot broccoli beef recipe? YAY! Please rate the recipe below! 

4.89 from 210 votes

Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef

Super easy Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef! The sweet/savory/garlicky sauce is AMAZING, not to mention so much better tasting and healthier than takeout. 
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 4 hours
0 minutes
Total: 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
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Ingredients 

  • 1 ½ pounds flank steak, thinly sliced and chopped into 2 inch pieces
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 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

For a bit of a spicy kick, add a full 1-2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes

Nutrition

Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 1768mg | Potassium: 1011mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 604IU | Vitamin C: 82mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this?Leave a star rating or comment below!
Tiffany of Creme de la Crumb in the kitchen

Welcome!

Hey there, I’m Tiffany – chef, photographer, mother, and avid taco eater. I am passionate about turning simple flavors and ingredients into tasty meals the whole family will love, with minimal prep and cleanup so there’s more time to spend eating and enjoying. Stay awhile, and help yourself to a taco or two!

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4.89 from 210 votes (119 ratings without comment)

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476 Comments

  1. Erica says:

    5 stars
    I made this last week and it was delicious. I am going to double the recipe and add beef and chicken and some other veggies too. Should I double everything in the sauce recipe including the brown sugar?

    1. Tiffany says:

      Thank you! And I would actually make one and a half batches of the sauce. You want to be careful to not have too much liquid when doubling a slow cooker recipe. You can always add more if you end up needing more 🙂

  2. Michelle says:

    4 cups of water in addition to the liquid already used?

    1. Tiffany says:

      This recipe calls for 4 tablespoons of water not cups. If you’d like visual help, there is a video of this recipe being made in this post, hope this helps 🙂

  3. Candyss says:

    5 stars
    I’ve made this once a while ago and it was AMAZING. Then I made it last nights, swapping Splenda brown sugar for regular brown sugar, to help curb the glucose spikes. It’s still amazing, but a little sweet. That said, for the diabetics out there, the Splenda swap is a good choice but be sure to use the right equivalent amount or add something like vinegar (apple cider or rice wine) as well. I haven’t even finished my leftovers and I’m already thinking about making it again.

  4. Susan says:

    Love the flavor but my sauce was very runny. I thought it would be thicker. I followed the directions, used appropriate amount of cornstarch. Any ideas?

    1. Tiffany says:

      It is a bit runny (you can see it in the video attached to this post) but you can add another cornstarch slurry to thicken it more 🙂

  5. Charlotte says:

    We love this recipe! I want to make it later this week for a big family gathering but the host doesn’t have a crock pot. Do you have recommendations for a stovetop version?

    1. Tiffany says:

      I don’t have one at this time, sorry! Maybe you could bring yours or another family members? Or you can try it over the stove top. Keep in mind that you may need more liquid.

  6. Sherry says:

    Can you use frozen broccoli florets instead of fresh

    1. Tiffany says:

      Yes, you just need to stir it in in the last 20 minutes or so, just long enough for it to thaw and heat through!

  7. Shelly says:

    5 stars
    Love this recipe. Can I also use sirloin or flat iron? Which be best

    1. Tiffany says:

      I personally use flank steak because of it being very tender but another reader has used sirloin and they enjoyed it.

  8. Lindsay says:

    4 stars
    Mine came out extremely soupy

  9. June says:

    5 stars
    This is a super easy and yummy recipe! It’s in our dinner rotation when I want comfort food that is healthy.

  10. Jennifer says:

    5 stars
    Yum! My husband and I ate it alll😜