Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
Published 2/9/2023
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This Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli comes out so saucy and perfectly cooked. It’s made with just 8 Ingredients and in less than 30 minutes!
Beef and Broccoli in the Instant Pot
Beef and broccoli is hands down my favorite takeout meal. I love how tender and saucy the beef is and broccoli adds a touch of vegetable.
Making beef and broccoli at home is rather simple, but making it in the Instant Pot is even easier. First, tenderize and cook the beef. Next comes the broccoli and then the sauce.
Your Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli will come out so delicious and will actually give takeout Beef and Broccoli a run for its money (if I do say so myself).
Homemade
Stir Fry Sauce
This easy stir fry sauce is our go-to for all things stir fry! Only 9 ingredients, and comes together in seconds. Bookmark this stir fry sauce to always have on hand.
Is beef and broccoli healthy?
Beef and broccoli is high-protein and low in carbs. If you make your own stir fry sauce at home that is made without MSG, it’s a healthy dinner option with lots of veggies.
What kind of beef should I use for beef and broccoli?
The best kind of beef to use for beef and broccoli is flank steak because it’s long, thin, and relatively inexpensive.
Do you have to tenderize the beef?
While you don’t HAVE to tenderize the beef, we highly suggest it. It not only provides a more even cooking of the beef, but it makes the beef extra tender.
What is beef and broccoli sauce made of?
Beef and broccoli sauce is super easy to make and is made with just a few basic ingredients. Here’s what you need:
- low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
- hoisin sauce
- minced garlic
- red chili sauce
- cornstarch
Control the spice level of this sauce with the red chili sauce. Double it for more heat and reduce it for a milder flavor.
quick tip!
Love saucy stir fry? Double the ingredients for double the flavor and double the sauce!
How to Make Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
Make Beef and Broccoli Sauce
Combine the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, minced garlic, and red chili sauce in a medium bowl and whisk until combined.
Tenderize and Slice
Lay a piece of parchment paper over your flank steak and use a meat tenderizer to pound the meat until it’s the same thickness all around.
Then, slice the piece of beef in half (hot dog-style) and thinly sliced the beef into pieces.
Our Favorite
Meat Tenderizer
This is our go-to meat tenderizer that we use for beef, chicken, pork, and everything between.
Sear and Cook Beef
Turn on the Instant Pot’s sauté function, and give your beef a quick sear, but don’t cook it all the way. Then, add the sauce, close the Instant Pot, and seal it. Cook on high for 8 total minutes.
6 Qt.
Instant Pot Duo
Looking for a new pressure cooker? Check out 6 Qt. the Instant Pot Duo. It’s the one we use and love!
Add broccoli + cook for 0 minutes
Once the timer goes off, quick release the Instant Pot and open it up. Add in the broccoli, close the Instant Pot, and seal. Cook on high for 0 minutes. Yes, 0 minutes. This will allow your Instant Pot to build pressure and then be done cooking once it’s at max pressure.
If you cook it any longer than 0 minutes, I promise you, your broccoli will be mushy. So? Once that timer goes off, open the vent to quick-release immediately!
Thicken Sauce
Immediately remove the beef and broccoli from the Instant Pot, keeping the sauce at the bottom of the pot. Add in the cornstarch and whisk away. Then, transfer the beef and broccoli back into the Instant Pot and stir.
Storage
Store leftover beef and broccoli in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
More Stir Fry Recipes
Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.5 lbs. flank steak
- 8 cups chopped broccoli florets
- 1.5 tablespoons corn starch
Instructions
- Start by mixing up the sauce. Add the soy sauce, hoisin, minced garlic, and red chili sauce to a bowl and whisk until combined. Set aside.
- Next, place flank steak out on a cutting board and cover it with parchment paper. Use a meat tenderizer to tenderize the flank steak. Pound each side of the flank steak for 1-2 minutes or until it is 1/2 inch thick.
- Slice your flank steak in half (hot dog way) and cut each half into about 3-inch long thin strips.
- Turn on the Instant Pot’s saute function and add olive oil to the pot. When olive oil is fragrant, add flank steak and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn off Instant Pot. Add sauce to the flank steak. Mix well and cover Instant Pot.
- Cook the meat on high pressure for 8 minutes.
- Quick release pressure and uncover Instant Pot. Transfer the broccoli to the pot with the flank steak.
- Place the lid back on the Instant Pot and set the timer ‘0’ minutes. The pressure will build and beep when it reaches full pressure. This is when you quick release the pressure again.
- Remove the beef and broccoli from the Instant Pot, leaving the sauce. Add cornstarch to the sauce and whisk until there are no lumps.
- Add beef and broccoli back into the Instant Pot and mix so all ingredients are coated with sauce.
- Serve with white rice.
Tips & Notes
- If you would like to make this recipe spicier, add a few teaspoons of sriracha to the sauce.
- You can use any type of steak that you would like for this recipe, we prefer flank steak. For saucier beef and broccoli, double the sauce ingredients.
Watch It
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Photography: photos taken in this post are by Ashley McGlaughlin from The Edible Perspective.
I’ve made this several times and with different cuts of meat and it always works out perfectly! Delicious flavors and pairs fantastically with quinoa. Even my 2 year old loves it
This is possibly my husband’s most-requested recipe. We LOVE it! I also skip the tenderizing step and the meat is still super tender. Also last time I subbed sriracha for the chili garlic sauce because that’s what I had, and it was still delicious! Reheats very well for lunches throughout the week.
YASSSSS! It’s my favorite too. I think Mark might be a little sick of it 😛
Think did something wrong. Pretty new to instant pot and got burn message. Looking forward to this all day and now bumming!
Hey Tricia! For some reason, the newer Instant Pots give that message so much more than the older ones! That just means you need to add a little more liquid. If that happens again, you can just release the pressure, add some water, and then cover it and start again! No need to toss the entire recipe!
Is it possible to make this in a slow cooker? It sounds super yummy.
Hello! I’m sure it is, but we haven’t tried it!
This is SO GOOD! I’ve made it twice now and my husband loves it. I skipped the tenderizing step and the meat still fell apart. Absolute winner!
I don’t have an Instant Pot, but i do have a pressure cooker. Any suggestions?
This was my first recipe/attempt in our Instant Pot and it was DELICIOUS and so easy to follow along with your recipe. We will definitely be adding this to our regular line up and look forward to trying more of your recipes. Thanks!
Loved this recipe! Wondering if you’ve ever done it with chicken?
Thanks!
I have not, but I bet you guys try it as is with chicken!
This was AMAZING! My kids loved it.
YAY!!!
LEE THIS IS AMAZING. Made it exactly how you instructed and so perfect. Loved how lovely the flavor turns out! So quick and easy, and that broccoli trick makes the florets perfectly crunchy yet soft. I will be making this again soon.
This makes me so happy!