Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
by Chungah
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Beef and broccoli made in the crockpot with only 10 minutes prep. No fuss, hands-free cooking with the most flavor + tender, fall-apart beef!
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Why You’ll Love This Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli recipe
- Dump-and-go slow cooker dinner. There is absolutely no sautéing, no frying, no oil splatter of any kind. It’s the best kind of set-and-forget slow cooker recipe that basically cooks itself, perfect for those busy weeknights!
- Cheaper, healthier and tastier than takeout. Beef and broccoli is a classic Chinese takeout dish that can be made at home using better quality beef and fresh vegetables, tailoring the sauce to taste. Not to mention, it is so much more cost-effective with its short ingredient list using pantry staples.
- Melt-in-your-mouth tender beef. The slow cooker allows for incredibly tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef, cooking low and slow, and tasting just like (if not better) than your local Chinese restaurant down the street.
- Freezer-friendly. Beef and broccoli freezes like a dream! It makes for great meal prep, repurposing leftovers, and saving time during the busy hectic week ahead.
How to make slow cooker beef and broccoli
- Prep the sauce. Whisk together all the sauce ingredients. This is my favorite shortcut hack to use for garlic (and one that I always keep in my freezer)!
- Cook on low heat. Stir everything into the slow cooker (minus the broccoli), cooking on low heat for 90 minutes.
- Make the cornstarch slurry. While the beef and broccoli is cooking, whisk together cornstarch and water for a cornstarch slurry. Never add cornstarch directly into the slow cooker as it will cause chalky lumps.
- Thicken. Stir in the cornstarch slurry with the broccoli (and other desired veggies) and let the sauce thicken for 90 minutes on high heat.
- Serve. Serve beef and broccoli warm over rice, fried rice, or your favorite grains to sop up all the sauce!
Freezing and storing leftovers
Leftovers
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freezing
Portion the beef and broccoli into plastic freezer bags in individual servings, squeezing out any excess air before sealing. Label, date and freeze up to 2 months.
Reheating
To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, reheating over low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Serve warm over rice or your favorite grains.
What to Serve with Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
tools for this recipe
6-qt slow cooker
Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli FAQ – Common Questions Answered
Chuck roast is the ideal cut for a slow cooker recipe like this one. It is heavily marbled (with fat) that breaks down perfectly when cooked low and slow, resulting in tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef. Flank steak can be used but can also be dry and tough if cooked for too long (ideal for shorter cooks).
Always add the broccoli last, during the last 30 minutes of cook time. This will keep the broccoli crisp-tender!
A cornstarch slurry is a mixture of cornstarch and cold liquid (such as water or stock) used as a thickening agent for that thick, takeout-style sauce. To avoid over thickening, always add the cornstarch slurry towards the end of cooking time.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Yes! Let cool completely; portion into plastic freezer bags in individual servings, squeezing out any excess air before sealing. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, reheating over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup beef broth
- ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together beef broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and garlic.
- Place beef into a 6-qt slow cooker. Add sauce mixture and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 90 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup water and cornstarch.
- Stir in cornstarch mixture and broccoli into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Equipment
Notes
- Use chuck roast. Chuck roast is most preferred for a slow cooker recipe like this one as the meat breaks down perfectly during the longer cook time, yielding tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef. Flank steak can also be used but can be tough and dry if cooked for too long.
- Always slice across the grain. Slicing across the grain (slicing perpendicular to the long parallel muscle fibers) shortens the muscle fibers, yielding a more tender bite.
- Use reduced sodium soy sauce. Reduced sodium has less sodium and less salt without compromising flavor.
- Increase the cook time as needed. For more of a “pulled-pork” texture, increase the cook time to 3-4 hours.
- Add the broccoli at the very end. To avoid soft, mushy broccoli, stir in the broccoli during the last 30 minutes to maintain its crisp-tender texture. If you prefer more crisp broccoli, add it during the last 15 minutes of cook time.
- Add more veggies. This slow cooker beef and broccoli recipe is very flexible and forgiving. Add in carrots, bell peppers, snow peas or baby corn along with the broccoli during the last 30 minutes of cook time for a more heartier, well-rounded meal, ideal for picky eaters!
- Make a cornstarch slurry. Adding cornstarch directly into the slow cooker can cause lumps. Always use a mixture of cornstarch and cold liquid (aka cornstarch slurry) to thicken the sauce, yielding a smoother, gravy-like consistency.
- Serve with your favorite grains. White rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa or farro are all great options.
- Freeze leftovers. Beef and broccoli is incredibly freezer-friendly, keeping in the freezer for at least 2 months. Portion into plastic freezer bags in individual servings, thawing overnight in the fridge and reheating over low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Did you make this recipe?
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I made this and loved it. Went exactly as the recipe called for but halved the recipe since alone! You forgot to include Sesame seeds to sprinkle on top. Your photos shows them bring use. I liked with and without since I added them after I serve myself.
Made this and it’s a winner! Made as described but double the sauce because why not?! So good will make again.
So good and so easy!!
I ended up using a London broil and sliced it thin into strips. Doubled the sauce recipe! I cooked on low for 3-4 hours and added the cornstarch and broccoli in for 30 min on high. Will be making again ☺️☺️
Could I used top sirloin for this recipe?
I used petite top sirloin and it came. out great…
This is a great recipe, this tastes like take out but much healthier. I slice my meat slightly frozen and cook on high not low for 90 minutes and cook jasmine rice with it. I also make some egg rolls too. Next time I may add some canned bean sprouts or something. At the 90 minute mark I add my half cooked frozen broccoli. This is such a good recipe. The sesame seed oil is soooo good! I wonder how to cook in my instant pot…. Thanks
I made this dish the other day, I did change 1 thing, I cooked the roast in my pressure cooker on high for 45 minutes versus the slow cooker. The meal was delicious and so tender. I find more good recipes in the Damm Delicious website than any cookbook I have purchased. Thank you so much.
I made this a few months ago for an Asian inspired work potluck. It was a huge hit. I’m making it again for tomorrow’s potluck as a request from the staff leaving us. I’m doubling it this time.
This recipe was a HIT with my husband! He even said he’d rather me cook this than order takeout! It’s super easy and very few ingredients, let the crockpot do the rest! We do like our meat on the tender side so I let it cook almost 4hrs. Last 30mins added cornstarch mix, then put the broccoli in last 5mins which gave it a nice crunch! This recipe has been added to “my recipes”! Thank you & Happy New Year
A member of my family is on a low sodium, low potassium diet. Is there a nutritional facts sheet for this recipe?
Delicious and cooks exactly as stated in the recipe – just make sure your meat is thinly sliced! I did let mine cook a bit longer for more tender broccoli. I have celiac disease and couldn’t find gf oyster sauce. I added an extra splash of gf soy and it was fine. This hits the spot when craving takeout!
Wasn’t sure this would cook in 2 hours, but it did. The broccoli could’ve been a little more tender, but it had a great flavor. Would make again for sure.
This was amazing! Let me start w/I have been fighting a migraine for 2+ days & haven’t been able to stomach any food other than toast. I had started making this when my migraine kicked in so I marinated the meat until I was ready to cook it (36 hours? I know it’s long, but I was down for the count). I seared the meat, and then some onions and carrots. Threw it all in the crockpot and it was perfection. We had it with lemony jasmine rice & some peanuts on top. Perfection!
Absolutely gorgeous but I used chicken and added slices of carrots just to add colour. Absolutely gorgeous and tasted so so nice
Great but needs twice the cook time!!
This sounded so good we had to try it right away and it did not disappoint. So delicious! And so easy and easy clean-up. I might add more cornstarch to get it a bit thicker next time.
Any advice on how to make with out a slow cooker?
Great but needed more corn starch.
When to add broccoli?
step 4
For those of us who don’t have crockpots, is there a similar recipe using traditional cookware?
Thank you.
DEELISH!! Loved this! Cooked the meat for about 4 hours tho.