Looking for the perfect recipe for leftover steak? You can't go wrong with Easy Beef and Broccoli stir fry with homemade ginger-soy sauce-it is a perfect leftover steak recipe that goes from fridge to table in under 30 minutes. This tasty stovetop meal can also be made with leftovers from London broil, flank steak, skirt steak, or any other firm cut of beef.
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⏲️ Time needed
Beef with Broccoli is a quick skillet meal using cooked steak-prep is 10-15 minutes and cook time is about 10 minutes. This meal can be on the table in 20-25 minutes.
🥘 Ingredients
Beef with Broccoli uses leftover steak mixed with broccoli florets in a homemade ginger-soy sauce served over rice.
I love this leftover steak idea because it is easy, flavorful, and can be a full meal by itself. It's perfect when made using leftovers from grilled steak or leftover London Broil from our Easy Crockpot London Broil recipe.
I like to plan leftovers (cooking extra for the purpose of using the leftovers in recipes like this) into my meal plans instead of chancing whether I will have leftovers or not.
Start with:
- leftover steak, London broil, round steak, skirt steak, or another firm cut of beef
- broccoli florets
- cooked rice
Thickener:
- cornstarch
- water
- garlic powder
Ginger-soy sauce:
- vegetable oil
- soy sauce
- brown sugar
- ground ginger
- sesame oil (optional)
💭 Tips & FAQ
Leftover steak lasts 3-4 days in the refrigerator, so it's a good idea to plan this leftover dish into your meal plan within that time frame. Our planned leftover system typically calls for planning a steak dinner early in the week and 2 days later using the leftover steak in the stir fry.
It's important to add the cornstarch as directed. If mixed directly into the hot liquid in the pan, it will clump and not thicken. Making a slurry with cold or room temperature liquid before adding to the heat will prevent clumping.
This recipe is easy to make even if you don't have leftover steak. Simply use a firm cut of beef sliced into bite-size pieces, and reverse the steps for coating the beef: sauté the steak in oil first, cooking it an additional 4-5 minutes, then mix and add the cornstarch slurry. Cook for about 1-2 minutes, then remove from the pan and follow the rest of the recipe as directed.
Not only is broccoli a great pairing for steak, but it is also highly nutritious. Using raw broccoli is best; a ½-cup serving of raw broccoli provides almost 70% of the daily value of Vitamin K1 (source - https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/broccoli#:~:text=almost%2070%25%20of) and is an excellent source of Vitamins C and A (source - (https://www.nutrition-and-you.com/broccoli.html).
You can use frozen broccoli, but you should plan to steam and drain it first. Putting frozen vegetables directly into a stir fry adds too much moisture, resulting in boiling rather than sautéing.
Substitutions and variations
What else can I add to the stir fry?
If you are looking for more variety, you can add sliced onions, carrots, fresh mushrooms, bell peppers, and other veggies to this dish. The ginger-soy sauce is best paired with large slices of hearty vegetables.
Can I use noodles instead of rice?
If you prefer a noodle stir fry, soba or rice noodles would make a delicious substitution for the rice. When we lived in Japan, we loved switching things up with yakisoba (Japanese fried noodles) instead of eating a stir fry over rice in the Chinese style. In a yakisoba stir fry, the meat, vegetables, and sauce are cooked with the noodles rather than served on top. Soba noodles are available at most grocery stores in the Asian aisle.
To make this into a beef and broccoli yakisoba, you should cook, rinse, and drain the soba noodles according to the package instructions first, then add them to the stir fry a couple of minutes before adding the sauce. It is important to dry the noodles well before adding them to the stir fry.
📋 Instructions
Make a slurry with cornstarch, water, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Add the leftover steak and toss until well coated.
Heat oil in a large skillet (add a few drops of sesame oil if you wish) and add the steak. Stir fry until reheated, about 1 minute. Use a light hand here since the steak is already cooked and only needs to be reheated.
Remove the reheated steak from the skillet. Heat the remaining oil in the same pan and add the broccoli. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and remaining cornstarch and water. Add the soy mixture and the steak to skillet.
Cook for 2-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve over cooked rice.
🥗 What to serve with Easy Beef and Broccoli
A green salad with carrots, wonton strips, and Japanese ginger dressing (Makoto Ginger Dressing is my go-to dressing) is a perfect complement to this hearty stir fry.
🥩 What else can I do with leftover steak?
Steak sandwiches are another great way to use leftovers: try Carne Asada Tortas with homemade guacamole, cheese, and tomatoes, or Cheesesteak Sandwiches with sautéed onions and bell peppers.
Recipe
Easy Beef with Broccoli using Leftover Steak
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 pound leftover steak, London broil, or firm cut of cooked beef, sliced and cut into bite size pieces
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 cups cooked rice
Sauce
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Slice 1 pound leftover steak, London broil, or firm cut of cooked beef and cut into bite size pieces.
- Combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder in a large bowl and mix thoroughly. Add sliced leftover steak and toss until well coated.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet; add leftover steak and stir fry until reheated, about 1 minute.
- Remove meat from skillet. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in pan; add 4 cups broccoli florets, stir-frying for about 5 minutes.
- To make the sauce, mix together ⅓ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and ½ cup water in a small bowl until cornstarch is dissolved.
- Add soy mixture and cooked beef to skillet.
- Cook for 2-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Serve over 2 cups cooked rice.
John B Lees
Delicious and easy recipe. Thank you. I dropped the soy to 3 tablespoons and it was just right.
Mary Ann
I'm so glad you liked it! Thanks for the note about the soy sauce.
Anonymous
Way too salty. Use much less soy sauce or maybe low sodium. If less salty, would be perfect
Mary Ann
I'm sorry that it was too salty for you. As you mentioned, low-sodium soy sauce (or perhaps tamari, which is lower in sodium and has a richer flavor profile than soy sauce) would be options.
Carolyn Hartmann
Great recipe…so quick, easy and delicious.. Followed the recipe exactly. I do think a few sliced scallions would be a nice addition, but not necessary
Mary Ann
Thanks for your rating and feedback—so glad you liked it.
Jacqueline
Thank you so much for posting. My husband barbecued too much food. Used your recipe for leftovers. He loved that it wasn’t tacos for third day.
Mary Ann
I'm glad it gave you a different option!