Made with tender beef, a savory brown sauce, and crisp tender broccoli, this recipe for Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli comes together using simple ingredients and in under 30 minutes, with the help of the Instant Pot.
If your beef is not already sliced, place the sirloin steak 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 soy sauce, 3 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, and ½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes together in a small bowl and set aside.
Turn on the sauté function on the Instant Pot, add the 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 the garlic and ginger and sauté for 30-60 seconds until lightly toasted. Hit Cancel to turn OFF the sauté function.
Add the beef broth 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 the broccoli 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 of 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.
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Notes
Beef: Use either sirloin steak, flank steak, or stir-fry beef strips. However, if you opt to use flank steak, decrease the cooking time to 3 minutes, as flank steak does not need as long of cook time.Ginger: It is essential to use freshly grated ginger root. Do not use dried ginger as the flavor is not the same.Gluten-Free: Replace the soy sauce with Tamari or a certified gluten-free soy sauce.Control the Spice/Sweet: Feel free to increase or decrease the red pepper flakes and or brown sugar based on your own preferences.Replace the Cornstarch: Feel free to use tapioca starch or arrowroot in place of the cornstarch.Storage: Allow the beef and broccoli to cool and then transfer it to a an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Alternatively, transfer it to a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months