Description
This Beef with Garlic Sauce recipe delivers a deliciously tender and flavorful Chinese takeout classic right at home. The flank steak is tenderized with baking soda for that iconic, melt-in-your-mouth texture and cooked with vibrant broccoli and a savory, garlicky sauce made from a blend of soy, oyster sauce, and aromatic spices. Perfectly balanced with a hint of sweetness and spice, it’s a quick and satisfying stir-fry ready in just 35 minutes, ideal for a weeknight dinner served over jasmine rice.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Vegetables
- 12–16 oz flank steak or similar cut of beef
- 3 cups broccoli florets (about 12 oz)
- 3 green onions, greens sliced thin
- ~2 teaspoons baking soda (for tenderizing)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (avocado oil recommended)
- 2 tablespoons freshly minced garlic
- Salt, to taste
- Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
Sauce
- ½ cup chicken broth (can substitute water)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon black vinegar (or substitute rice vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon dark soy sauce (optional)
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Tenderizing the Beef: Slice the flank steak against the grain into approximately ⅛-inch thick slices and lay flat on a cutting board or plate. Dust the slices evenly with 1 teaspoon of baking soda, then flip and dust the other side with the remaining teaspoon. Let it sit for 15 minutes to tenderize. Afterward, rinse the baking soda off thoroughly with water and pat the steak dry. Season one side with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
- Mixing the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth and cornstarch until smooth. Add black vinegar, light brown sugar, soy sauce, dark soy sauce (optional), oyster sauce, toasted sesame oil, and red pepper flakes (if using). Stir well; it’s normal if oyster sauce doesn’t fully dissolve at this stage.
- Cooking the Beef: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange the steak slices flat in the pan, cooking without moving for 2-3 minutes until the bottom side is crispy. Stir the steak to cook the other sides for another 90 seconds until cooked through. The beef may retain a reddish-pink hue from the tenderizing process—that’s normal.
- Adding Broccoli: Reduce the heat to medium. Push the cooked steak to the sides of the skillet and add the broccoli into the center, adding a bit more oil if needed. Stir frequently and cook for about 2 minutes until broccoli starts to soften but remains crisp.
- Sautéing Garlic: Lower the heat to low. Push broccoli to the edges and add the minced garlic to the middle of the pan with a little more oil. Sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Adding Sauce and Finishing: Turn the heat to medium-low and pour the prepared sauce into the skillet. Stir everything together, cooking until the sauce thickens and evenly coats the beef and broccoli, about 2-3 minutes.
- Serving: Remove from heat and stir in the sliced green onion greens and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately over a bed of jasmine rice for an authentic Chinese takeout experience at home.
Notes
- The baking soda tenderizing step is key to achieving tender beef typical of American Chinese takeout; skipping it may result in less tender meat.
- Use avocado or vegetable oil with a high smoke point to prevent burning during searing and stir-frying.
- Feel free to adjust red pepper flakes for desired heat level.
- Substitute chicken broth with water if you prefer a lighter sauce.
- For gluten-free option, use tamari instead of soy sauce and ensure oyster sauce is gluten-free.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
