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Made with tender beef, crisp broccoli, and a savory brown sauce, this recipe for Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli is fast, family-friendly, and won't leave you with a sink full of dishes.
Just like my recipes for Instant Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken, Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken, and Instant Pot Mongolian Beef, this recipe delivers takeout vibes without takeout prices or the mystery ingredients!
Kristen's Keys for Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli at a Glance
A few small details make a big difference with this recipe, and paying attention to them will help you get restaurant-quality results without extra effort.
- Thinly slice the beef against the grain. Thinly sliced beef helps ensure a quick cook times, while cutting the beef against the grain shortens the muscle fibers which helps keep the meat super tender.
- Don't skip the sauté step. Browning the beef first builds flavor that pressure cooking alone just can't create.
- Add the broccoli at the end. This is the secret to crisp-tender broccoli that still looks like broccoli, not green mush.
- Savor the Sauce. There is no shortage of the savory brown sauce that beef and broccoli is known for with this recipe! Perfect for serving over Instant Pot white rice or Instant Pot brown rice.
Ingredients Needed
You will find the full list of ingredients, along with quantities in the recipe card. Below is a quick glance at what you need and tips to help you make the right selection.
- Beef: Flank steak is the classic choice. But because the Instant Pot works wonders at tenderizing tough cuts of meat, you can use a less expensive cut of beef, like sirloin steak or a package of beef stir-fry strips. The only thing that will change is the cooking time.
- Broccoli: Fresh or frozen broccoli florets work equally well.
- Ginger: It is essential to use freshly grated ginger root, as opposed to using dried ground ginger which can quickly overwhelm a savory dish.
- Brown Sugar: The brown sugar will help to give the brown sauce it's signature sweetness and balance out the saltiness and spice in the sauce. Feel free to use honey if desired.
How to Make Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
Whether you are just learning how to use your Instant Pot or a seasoned pro, this step-by-step section will help walk you through the steps of making Beef and Broccoli in the Instant Pot, with a few tips along the way.
Step One: Slice the Beef
If your beef is not sliced, I recommend popping it into the freezer for 10-15 minutes, as this will help make it easier to cut into thin slices. Remove the beef from the freezer and slice it into ¼-inch thick slices, going against the grain.
Step Two: Prepare Sauce
Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and crusted red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. Set this mixture aside to add to the inner pot after sautéing the beef.
Step Three: Sauté the Beef
Using the sauté function, heat a bit of oil in the inner pot. Once heated, add the sliced beef and cook until nearly browned. Add in the garlic and ginger and sauté briefly just to enhance the herbs without burning them.
👉🏻Work in batches if needed. While a bit of overlap is okay, if you find that your inner pot is overcrowded, cook the meat in two batches, which will help it caramelize rather than steam.
Step Four: Deglaze the Inner Pot
In order to prevent a burn notice, it is crucial to deglaze your inner pot after you sauté anything. To do this, simply add the beef broth and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the inner pot.
Step Five: Pressure Cook
Add the prepared sauce, seal the lid, and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes. This keeps the beef juicy and tender.
Using flank steak? Reduce the cook time to 3 minutes, as flank steak needs less time to become tender.
Step Six: Steam Broccoli
While the beef is pressure cooking, use that time to steam or blanch broccoli until crisp-tender. I typically just microwave a bag of frozen broccoli to keep the process and dishes to a minimum.
Step Seven: Thicken
After pressure cooking, turn the pressure cooker back to the sauté function and let it come to a bubble. Whisk together cornstarch and water until dissolved, then whisk that mixture into the inner pot and cook briefly, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Step Eight: Add Broccoli and Serve
Fold the broccoli into the beef and sauce, then finish with sesame seeds or green onions if you like. Serve over rice and call it dinner.
Recipe Modifications
- Gluten-Free: Use tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Lower Sugar: Swap the brown sugar for honey or reduce the amount slightly, the sauce will still be balanced.
- Control the Heat: A bit of crushed red pepper flakes adds a touch of heat to balance out the sauce. Increase or decrease to control the heat level.
- Extra Veggies: Add sliced bell peppers or snap peas at the end with the broccoli for more color and crunch.
- No Instant Pot? Try out my recipe for Ground Beef and Broccoli or Hunan Beef if you don't have ground beef on hand for a similar experience.
More Instant Pot Favorite Meals
Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
Video
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, or Tamari
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar, or honey
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ tablespoon canola oil, or extra virgin olive oil
- 1½ pounds sirloin steak
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ tablespoon grated ginger root
- ¾ cup low-sodium beef stock
- 4 cups broccoli florets, fresh or frozen
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- If your beef is not already sliced, place it into the freezer for 10-15 minutes, as this will help make it easier to cut into thin slices. Remove the beef from the freezer and slice it into ¼-inch thick slices, going against the grain.
- For the sauce, whisk together ⅓ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar, and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakestogether in a small bowl and set aside.
- Turn on the sauté function on the Instant Pot, add ½ tablespoon canola oil and let heat. Once the oil has heated, add in the sliced beef and sauté until each side is browned, stirring often. Once the beef has browned, browned, add in 1 tablespoon minced garlic and ½ tablespoon grated ginger root and sauté for 30-60 seconds until lightly toasted. Hit Cancel to turn OFF the sauté function.
- Add ¾ cup low-sodium beef stock to the inner pot, and using a wooden spoon or spatula, scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the inner pot. Pour the prepared sauce over the beef mixture and gently stir to combine.
- Place the lid on the inner pot, and make sure the vent knob is sealed or the lid is locked. To set the cooking time, hit MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK and use the +/- buttons to adjust to 10 minutes.
- Once the cook time on the pressure cooker has elapsed, let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. During that time, cook 4 cups broccoli florets according to the package directions or blanch fresh broccoli in boiling water. Drain off any liquid from the cooked broccoli and set the broccoli aside.
- Once pressure has been released, open the Instant Pot. Hit CANCEL to turn off the keep warm function and then hit sauté. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons cornstarch and ¼ cup water together until the cornstarch has dissolved.
- Add the cornstarch mixture to the bubbling beef mixture inside the inner pot and stir it into the sauce. Let the mixture come to a boil, stirring often, and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes. Hit CANCEL to turn off the sauté function.
- Stir the broccoli into the inner pot to coat with the sauce.
- Serve over rice or quinoa with toasted sesame seed and sliced green onions if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
We had this last night and it was a big hit! Really good flavor and super easy to make. Kids enjoyed it too. This could be a week night regular. Thank you!
I don’t eat beef but this recipe looks so yummy that I want to try! Think it is possible to make with chicken breasts?
Made this last night and, as usual, you have delivered an awesome recipe! I can always count on you to provide well tested and written recipes and recommend all instant pot newbies use you as a source.
Awe, thanks Erika for the high praises. So glad you enjoyed another recipe.
This looks so delicious and easy for dinner! I can't wait to make this for dinner!
This was very good and quick and easy!
I used a lite soy sauce and might try coconut aminos next time to lower the sodium more. Other than that this is a great meal, thank you!
Wonderful! Happy to hear you enjoyed!
So easy and so yummy!
Gave this a try for dinner last night and it did not disappoint! So easy and flavorful; my new favorite Instant Pot recipe, indeed!
I made this for dinner last night and it was amazing! We love all of your Asian pressure cooker recipes, they are even better than takeout!
I am so happy to hear that you considered this another winner!