Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli

This Instant Pot Beef And Broccoli is the most popular recipe on Corrie Cooks, and it's gonna be one of your favorite Instant Pot recipes for sure!

I’m a huge fan of Asian cuisine! I love the combination of sweet and salty, tender meat, and vegetables, and I am crazy about the sauces! So there are lots of recipes to satisfy my taste buds, but I always return to this classic beef & broccoli. 

If you want your kids to eat more broccoli - this is the recipe for you.

If you want a quick and easy meal for busy weeknights - this is the recipe for you.

No need to go to a restaurant - make the perfect homemade beef and broccoli using your Instant Pot!

What Cut of Beef to Use?

For this recipe you can use chuck roast, flank steak, skirt steak or sirloin steak. They are all works great with the sweet sauce.

A chuck roast for example, is a cut of meat from the chuck, which is also known as the shoulder part of the steer.

Anyway, these details are not very important if you have a local meat vendor that can provide guidance and give you the perfect beef for this recipe.

How to Prepare the Meat?

This recipe requires thin-sliced beef (so it will release all its flavor during the saute step).

My best advice is just ask your butcher to do it for you :]

But if you wanna do it yourself, here are a few tricks: First, make sure to cut against the grain - this cuts the muscle fibers and makes the meat less chewy. If you feel your slices won’t be even or that the cut won’t be as clean as you want it to be, stick the meat in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes. Cold meat cuts better than meat at room temperature.

Beef And Broccoli Recipe Video

Do I need to clean the pot after browning the beef?

No. Always keep the brown bits that stick to the pot while you’re browning the meat. These will come undone when you add the broth and add incredible flavors to the entire dish. 

Can I add mushrooms?

Yes you can! Sometimes I like to diversify and add 1 pack of mushrooms (around 8 oz) to the recipe.

Cooking time and all the other ingredients and instructions stay the same.

Can I add Ginger?

Sure! Add 1 teaspoon of ground ginger in the 3rd step (with the garlic). You can add red pepper flakes as well.

Can I make it Gluten-free?

Sure. For a gluten free beef and broccoli, replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos or gluten-free soy sauce.

Also make sure your beef broth is gluten free.

Is Sesame Oil Necessary?

If you’re not allergic to it, then you should try to follow the recipe. The purpose of this oil is to bring out some of the flavors and combine others. Honestly, I’ve tried this food with and without sesame oil and I always return to the one with. 

However, if you can’t find some or you don’t feel like going to the store just for this, the dish will still be delicious. So, there’s no need for substitutes. 

Can I replace the brown sugar?

Yes. you can replace it with honey or white sugar.

Can I make it with chicken?

Yes, you can make this Instant Pot recipe with chicken, but then you will have chicken and broccoli.

Do I have to use beef broth?

No. If you don't have any, replace it with ¾ cup of water.

Can I use low sodium soy sauce?

Yes you can. Use the same amount (½ cup) and just taste the sauce before pressure cooking to make sure you like it.

Can I keep the leftovers?

Sure. Store leftovers (if you have any...) in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Do I have to use cornstarch?

No. You can make this Instant Pot beef and broccoli recipe without cornstarch. But adding it will improve the taste and texture.

Why Cornstarch?

Cornstarch is a better thickening agent and doesn’t influence the taste of the food (unlike flour). Also, it doesn’t get lumps because you have to dissolve it in a liquid (like milk or water) before adding it into the sauce.

In this case, you have to create a mixture of water and corn starch and add this mixture into the sauce. To make sure there are no lumps, use a whisk to gently incorporate the cornstarch with the water, or just follow the video below.

How to use cornstarch to thicken?

Can I use frozen broccoli?

Yes you can frozen broccoli for this pressure cooker beef and broccoli recipe. Fresh florets would be better (and healthier), but if you don’t have access to fresh broccoli, you can replace it with frozen one. In fact, I like to keep a bag of frozen broccoli in my freezer, just in case. 

If you are using frozen broccoli, the cooking time in the last step would be 5 minutes (on saute) instead of 3 minutes.

Can I steam the broccoli in the microwave?

Yes you can steam the broccoli in the microwave if you'd like.

If you are using fresh broccoli, place the florets in a bowl, add 3 tablespoon of water and microwave for 4 minutes.

If you are using frozen broccoli, just follow the instructions on the bag (usually 5-8 minutes).

Add the steamed broccoli on the last step after thickening the sauce. Stir well and that's all!

Can I use frozen beef?

Fresh beef is perfect for this recipe. So if you have frozen beef I would thaw it before to make sure you will get a delicious recipe like all my friends in the comments bellow :]

If you don't have time to defrost the beef,  you can use frozen beef.

In this case the sauteing process (step 2) would take a longer time.

After this step, when the beef is brown and no longer frozen in the middle, you can continue with the regular recipe using the same instructions and cooking times.

Can I keep the leftovers?

Yes you can. You can keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Please note - the taste would still be great (and even better and stronger), however the broccoli florets may get soggy after a few hours/days.

The perfect side dish

Of course, you can choose to consume it as is, but I like to add a bit more texture and serve it with Instant Pot Jasmine rice or brown rice. 

You can also garnish with sesame seeds for an extra flavor.

If you’re not a rice person, you can always try Instant Pot mashed potatoes or carrot mash.

If you want to cut down the carbs, this dish works just as well with these zucchini noodles .

How to make beef and broccoli

Gather all the ingredients.

Press "saute" and add canola oil or olive oil.

Place beef in one layer on the bottom of the pot and cook until browned.

Stir in beef broth, brown sugar and soy sauce.

Add garlic.

Add sesame oil.

Lock lid into place. Cook on High pressure for 10 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is done, perform a quick pressure release.

Add cornstarch and mix well.

Add broccoli.

Close the Instant Pot and let the cook the broccoli on saute (no need for pressure cooking).

If you are using fresh broccoli, cook for 3 minutes.

If you are using frozen broccoli, cook for 5 minutes .

If you steamed the broccoli before, just mix well and skip the cooking.

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