Panda Express Broccoli Beef Copycat Recipe + Video
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Panda Express Broccoli Beef is a salty, sweet stir fry that will get your taste buds dancing. Make this recipe for a quick and easy dinner! You’ll love the tender beef and simple ingredients. You’ll love being able to make this popular Chinese-American dish at home!
A blend of honey, soy sauce, garlic, and more creates a delicious glaze to coat the tender bites of sirloin and vegetables in this broccoli beef Panda Express recipe.
Plus, you can make this takeout alternative right at home for a fraction of the cost! We also have a kung pao chicken recipe that is absolutely amazing.
For more restaurant copycats like this Panda Express Broccoli Beef, try my Ginger Beef Stir Fry or Cheesecake Factory Bang Bang Shrimp.
Panda Express Broccoli Beef
This Panda Express beef broccoli recipe comes together just as quickly, and you can easily adjust the level of spiciness to suit your taste buds.
It tastes just like it came from your favorite Chinese restaurant, and is simple to make!
Or you can try our classic Chinese ginger beef stir fry that is sure to wow your taste buds!
If you prefer chicken, this skillet meal with pineapple has a lighter flavor and is a great way to use up leftover vegetables as well.
Panda Express Broccoli Beef – Ingredient Notes
- Beef – While sirloin steak is more budget-friendly, flank or skirt steak can be used as well.
- Soy sauce – Replace with coconut aminos to make this recipe gluten-free.
- Honey – The sweetness adds balance to the heat and saltiness of the other ingredients. I recommend raw honey for a more natural flavor.
- Garlic paste – Find tubes of this in the produce section of the store near the herbs. Substitute with 3 minced cloves if you prefer fresh garlic.
- Sriracha – This is completely optional and makes the dish a lot spicier than Panda Express Broccoli Beef.
Feel free to leave it out entirely or use 1 teaspoon ginger paste for a more mellow heat. - Extra vegetables – You can add sliced bell pepper or onions to the dish as well during the same step as the broccoli.
Broccoli Beef Panda Express Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Get a good sear. Your skillet should be nice and hot before adding the steak. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan, or the meat will steam instead of brown.
- Season to taste. To control the amount of salt in the broccoli beef Panda Express dish, use reduced sodium broth and soy sauce and add salt and pepper as needed towards the end of cooking.
- Not enough sauce? Feel free to double the ingredient amounts if you like extra, and increase the cornstarch if you want the consistency to be thicker.
Panda Express Beef Broccoli Recipe FAQs
When you lay the meat out on your cutting board, you should see a pattern of lines and grooves running parallel to each other. Slice across these lines instead of in the same direction.
Doing this shortens the fibers that run through the meat, making it easier to chew. This is especially helpful with cheaper cuts which also tend to be less tender.
Allow the leftover Panda Express beef and broccoli to cool down, then place it in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over low-medium heat with a little oil.
Trader Joe’s carries this particular blend, but more and more stores are starting to sell their own version. You can also find a variety of recipes online for a homemade alternative.
You can. Most veggies go well with sliced beef, so you can add other options to your large skillet. Just know that anything that you add will change the recipe from a copycat Panda Express beef recipe to possibly one of your favorite new recipes to enjoy at home.
I like adding sesame seeds to the top of this delicious dish, but you can also add minced garlic, any type of savory sauce, or dice up some bright green scallions to toss on top, too.
Stir-fry dishes like this are yummy on their own but pair really great with white rice or a side of cream cheese wontons. The next time that you make this copycat fast food recipe, be sure to add some extra fresh broccoli florets for some extra health benefits.
The tender strips of beef pair so well with the crisp broccoli bites! (and we all know that leftover broccoli beef stir-fry tastes even better the next day!)
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Panda Express Broccoli Beef Copycat Recipe + Video
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/4 cup honey, divided
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
- 1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons garlic paste
- 3/4 cup low sodium beef broth
- 1/4 cup Sriracha
- 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
- Salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- Cooked white rice, for serving
Garnish
- Everything But The Bagel Seasoning or sesame seeds
- Green onions or chives
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together ¼ cup soy sauce, lime juice, 1 tablespoon honey, and 1 tablespoon of corn starch.
- Trim any excess fat off of the sirloin and then slice it into thin strips against the grain. Add to the marinade and toss to coat. Marinate for 20 minutes.
- After marinating, add vegetable oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat and add in the strips of steak and cook until browned, about 90 seconds per side. Transfer the steak to a bowl; set aside.
- Add the garlic to the pan and cook for about 30 seconds over medium heat.
- Whisk the remaining tablespoon of cornstarch into the beef broth, then add it to the pan along with the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, remaining 3 tablespoons of honey, and the sriracha. Whisk until combined.
- Add the broccoli and cook until bright green and slightly tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Add the steak back into the pan along with any drippings and heat through. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve over rice and garnish with Everything But The Bagel Seasoning or sesame seeds and green onions.
Video
Donna’s Notes
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published February 2021, updated and republished January 2023
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So far this week we have had the broccoli beef and the orange chicken and I cannot pick a favorite. Tis was delicious and so easy to make!
looks heavenly. I’m a visual learner and frustrated that the videos don’t play.
donna’s recipes never disappoint, and this one is no exception. I followed the recipe exactly, and it turned out perfect. Tastes just like the restaurant version!
Hi Morgan!
We’re so glad you enjoyed!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn
Wow, this recipe from The Slow Roasted Italian is an absolute winner! I couldn’t believe how delicious and easy it was to make. Perfect for a quick dinner.
Hi Aiden!
We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!!
TSRI Team Member,
Devlyn