Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli is an Asian dish that is super easy to make, and so much better tasting than take out. Everything cooks right in the crock pot, even the sauce. My family LOVES this easy beef and broccoli recipe – it’s one of my best crock pot recipes for Asian takeout at home!
After hosting my two younger sisters and 18-month-old niece for a long weekend, my heart is full and my refrigerator is empty. Whenever the three of us are together, the agenda gravitates towards our mutual top activity: eating and drinking. Although I loved showing them my favorite local restaurants and bars, we spent one of my favorite nights at home in our sweats eating the contents of my refrigerator, this Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli included.
At least once a week, our dinner plan is a choose-your-own-adventure of blog recipe leftovers, and for one of their evenings in town, my sisters graciously agreed to participate. I made a quick cheese plate, poured glasses of sangria, and progressed to pulling out every container in our refrigerator. It was multi-course tasting menu of upcoming blog recipes, and for each one, I eagerly sought my sisters’ approval. This healthy Slow Cooker Broccoli Beef received a double thumbs up!
I’ve been trying to better diversify the types of proteins in our diet, for health reasons and to keep dinner interesting. I rarely purchase red meat (it’s not my favorite, and I feel like it often gets a bad rap), but when our grocery store had a special on flank steak, I decided to give it a chance. It’s a lean cut and provides vitamins and minerals, such as iron and B12, and as I discovered while making this Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli, it is delicious when paired with Asian flavors. (Karen’s
CrockPot Thai Steak Salad with Peanut-Hoisin Sauce sounds amazing for a different beef spin on the Asian flavors! Not feeling in the mood for Asian? This Crock Pot Beef Stew is another tasty idea!)
Easy Beef and Broccoli—the Slow Cooker Version
Beef and broccoli might be a takeout classic, but it’s one of the easiest and most budget-friendly stir-fry dishes you can make at home. Broccoli is fairly inexpensive, particularly now that it’s in season, and because the beef is meant to be thinly sliced anyway, it’s ideal for stretching to multiple servings.
The sauce and crock pot cooking liquid is a mixture of oyster sauce (which you can find in the Asian section of your grocery store), soy sauce, garlic, and little bit of red pepper flakes to keep everyone awake. Many recipes also call for adding sugar, but because I wanted to make this a healthy slow cooker beef and broccoli recipe, I replaced it with a lesser amount of honey instead.
In total, this easy Asian takeout recipe takes about 2 hours in the slow cooker. You can prep all of the ingredients the night before, then simply toss them into your slow cooker and turn it on when you arrive home from work. (Looking to use your Instant Pot instead? Check out my Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli recipe.)
In addition to being easy and flavorful, this Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli is also low maintenance. The glossy sauce thickens right in the slow cooker with the other ingredients, no stirring in a separate pot on the stove required. Like other stir-fries, it also reheats beautifully, so you can cook once and enjoy the leftovers for lunch or dinner later in the week.
Tools Used to Make Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli:
Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds flank steak — cut across grain into thin slices
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons chili-garlic paste — Sriracha, or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus additional to taste
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic — about 2 large cloves
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 5 cups broccoli florets — about 2 small crowns
- Prepared brown rice — or quinoa for serving
- Chopped green onions — and toasted sesame seeds optional for serving
Instructions
-
Coat a 4-quart or larger slow cooker with nonstick spray. Place the beef in the bottom.
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In a small bowl, stir together the beef broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey, rice vinegar, chili-garlic paste, and garlic. Pour over the beef, then stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 1 1/2 hours.
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In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup water and cornstarch. Stir into the slow cooker with the beef and sauce, then place the broccoli on top. Cover, turn the heat to high, and cook another 30 minutes, until the broccoli is tender. Serve warm over rice, sprinkled with green onions and sesame seeds as desired.
Recipe Notes
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of beef broth or water to keep it from drying out.
- I have not tried doubling this recipe, but I think that you could easily do about 1.5 times the amount. Watch the cooking time, as it may need to be adjusted slightly.
- Because flank steak is fairly lean, I would not recommend leaving the slow cooker on low longer than the recipe specifies, or I worry it might overcook. If you have a programmable slow cooker that switches to keep warm, this might be an option, but the best choice is to be able to check it right away at the 1 1/2 hour mark.
Nutrition Information
Amount per serving (1 (of 4), about 1 1/2 cups broccoli beef and 1/2 cup brown rice) — Calories: 519, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 113mg, Sodium: 1375mg, Carbohydrates: 46g, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 14g, Protein: 43gDid you try this recipe? I want to see! Follow Well Plated on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag it #wellplated. I love to know what you are making!
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About Erin Clarke
I’m fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food taste incredible. Wearer of plaid, travel enthusiast, and firmly convinced that sweets and veggies both deserve a place at the table. MORE ABOUT ERIN…
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This one is definitely going on “the list” to make. I love slow cooker recipes and especially when they are quick. Ha!
Me too—thanks, Liz! I hope you enjoy it!
I’m with you, I rarely buy red meat, but recently my store had a buy one get one free deal on it, and I cannot say no to a good deal! Making this next week!!
Awesome, Nicole! I hope you love the recipe!
Ya know I’m not the biggest fan of red meat either, but I totally trust you on this recipe! This seems like the perfect way to up my intake! I’m sure this is wayyyy better than Chinese takeout!
Thanks, Bethany! I sure think so, and I hope you agree if you do try it out!
I’ve always loved this dish! And I most certainly love my slow cooker! ;)
Thanks so much for sharing this Erin! xo
I want to hang with you and your sisters. xoxo
hey girl- this looks so good!
Thank you so much, Shawnna!
My son is allergic to shellfish. Can I sub something for the oyster sauce or just leave it out without compromising flavor?
Hi Elizabeth, I’d try subbing hoisin sauce. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Loved this recipe, I added flaked almonds at the last minute.
Family loved it.
I’m so glad you loved it, Karen! Thank you so much for sharing your feedback. :)
This turned out great, thank you!
I am so happy to hear that Anne! Thank you for letting me know!
First time trying beef and broccoli in the slow cooker and it is so delicious! Great recipe (and easy prep!) that will find a place in my meal rotation for sure. I brought the leftovers at work and they were so tasty. Thank you for sharing.
Mel, I’m glad to hear the recipe was a hit! Thanks for taking the time to leave this review!
Which “low” do you use when you have two? 8hrs or 10hrs? Or should I use one of the “highs” 4hrs or 6hrs??? I just started it on a low 8 hrs. But hopefully it won’t take that long. I’ll be sleep. ??
Hi Sydney, either one should be the same temperature, just on a different timer preset. Unless you’ve noticed a difference on your particular slow cooker, either one should work since you’ll want to stop and check if it’s done around the 1 1/2 hour mark anyway. I hope you enjoy!
Hi there,
Just wondering if I can do this with frozen broccoli and if so, do I still add it at the same time? Thank you.
Hi Sheena! Frozen broccoli will be pretty mushy, but if that doesn’t bother you, feel free to add it. I’d add at the same time (just know the texture will be different).
Do you put this on high once the 1 1/2 hour is up, and it’s time to add the broccoli?
Hi Charlene, yes, in step 3 after you add the broccoli, you turn the slow cooker to high. I hope you enjoy!
Just made this for my family and they loved it. I was skeptical that the broccoli wouldn’t be overcooked, but it wasn’t!!!! Super good flavors and so easy to make. This was a win!!! Thanks for sharing the recipe!!!!
Elizabeth, thanks so much for taking the time to leave this comment! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe.
Any suggestions on the nutritional value without the rice? Thanks!
Hi Deirdre, I use MyFitnessPal to calculate the nutrition estimates for my recipes, so that or another online nutrition calculator would be a good resource! With MyFitnessPal, you can paste in the URL of this post and it’ll load all the ingredients in for you, at which point you can replace any ingredients that imported strangely (sometimes instead of “garlic powder” it’ll do “stir-fry garlic noodles,” for example, which will give you a completely different result) . I hope that’s helpful!
Hi!
I use MyFitnessPal as well and for some reason when I imported this recipe, one serving came up as 252 calories. Granted I did scan in the exact brands of spices and meats that I used and also used quinoa instead of rice, but I’m trying to figure out why this is so much lower than what you posted? Any thoughts?
Hi Chanelle! I do find that the numbers in MyFitnessPal vary widely, so your calculation with the specific ingredients you use will be most accurate. The rice isn’t automatically part of the calculation when you import the recipe, so that may be the cause for the discrepancy.
Thanks Erin! I did manually add the quinoa in the recipe, so I’ll assume that MyFitnessPal is accurate! I loved the recipe by the way, and so did my fiancé! 😊
Chanelle, I am so glad to hear it, thank you!
Can you freeze the leftovers? I cook for one and as good as it sounds I don’t want to eat the same thing 4 days in a row. Plus I’m new at slow cooker cooking
Hi Fanny, I have not tried freezing the leftovers, but you can certainly experiment. (Note that cooked vegetables tend to get pretty soggy and limp after being frozen and reheated.) If you do give it a try, I hope you’ll let me know how it goes!
Thanks for your reply. I’ve decided to freeze the dish after the hour and half and add broccoli and corn flour step after I’ve defrosted it. It’s cooking now and the smell is divine
Thanks for reporting back, Fanny!
Just made this tonight; and it is delish! Very easy and not a lot of prep work. I substituted hoisin sauce for oyster sauce, btw.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Elizabeth! Thanks for sharing your tweak too!
In the crockpot ATM cuz I wasn’t feeling a Sunday roast! – smells GREAT!
I hope you enjoy it, Shawna!
Can I do this on the stove? I had all plans to get it in the Crock-Pot before work, but alas, I did not. But I still want it for dinner tonight!
Allison, I’ve only ever tried this in the slow cooker. You could try experimenting with it on the stove on low heat, but I’m afraid I can’t give you specifics, since this is the only way I’ve made the recipe. I do have this stovetop recipe that is similar you might enjoy: https://www.wellplated.com/healthy-beef-and-broccoli/. If you decide to try it on the stove, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Do you cook this on low for 1 1/2 hours? How does that even work, doesn’t seem like enough time. Just checking I want to make this tomorrow for New Years Eve.
Hi Lorie, that’s correct! Since the beef slices are super thin, it doesn’t need much time. I hope you love it!
What do you mean by Chili-Garlic paste?
Hi Kayla, there is a product called chili garlic paste/sauce. One is by the same brand as sriracha, Huy Fong. If you’re not able to find it, you can use one of the substitutes listed!
Do you think this would work well with chicken instead of beef?
Hi Jane, unfortunately this isn’t something I can recommend since the cook time of chicken is so different and I haven’t tested it yet. If you’re interested, here are a couple of other Asian-inspired crock pot recipes: crock pot cashew chicken and crock pot pineapple chicken.
This looks so yummy but I want to try it in my instant pot. Any idea on how long I should do?
Beth, I happen to have an Instant Pot version :) Here you go! https://www.wellplated.com/instant-pot-beef-and-broccoli/
I am diabetic..to much salt for me…any suggestions???
Lorraine, I’m afraid that soy sauce is very salty and it’s hard to avoid. You could reduce the amount or try a different slow cooker recipe.
Another fabulous recipe! It has a nice spicy heat to it that you don’t always get with take out. Thank you for posting this!
Thank YOU for sharing this review, Cat! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it.
You put the flank steak in whole? Or cut it up?
Hi Donna! You’ll see in the ingredient list that the flank steak should be sliced thinly. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Hi Erin! If I double the recipe should I cook it longer?
Hi Jesse, I haven’t tried doubling it myself, but it will likely need longer to cook as the crock pot will be more full. I hope you enjoy!
So good!!! And so easy! Put the flank steak and sauce int the crockpot and got my cleaning done while it cooked. My husband thinks I slaved over it for hours bc it’s so good! Haha! Thank you!
Margie, I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to leave this comment!
The sauce is great, the steak is tender, but my broccoli was undercooked. I used fresh broccoli that I cut up, and I wonder if this method is better with frozen or packaged florets. I suspect the leftovers will be perfect, though. I plan to try the same recipe in my wok next time we want Chinese takeout!
Eileen, I’m so glad you enjoyed this! Next time, you can just chop your florets a bit smaller if you’d like them more tender. Packaged ones might be *too* mushy. I hope that helps and thanks for sharing!
Should the steak be completely cooked before adding broccoli in?
Hi Angela, it should be pretty close, if not all the way cooked! I hope you enjoy the recipe.
HI Erin! I’ve been looking for healthier options to make for my family. I usually have to make red meats in the crock pot because my husband has texture/choking issues if meat isn’t tender. I am so hoping that the meat turns out tender because this recipe sounds delicious! Plus. I’ve never tried cooking flank steak so I’m just having all sorts of adventures tonight haha! Any tips to ensure tender meat? Thanks!
Hi Kerri! With something that serious, I’m not in a position to make any guarantees about this specific recipe. Flank steak is naturally a chewier cut of meat, but I don’t find it tough in this recipe. (Though it can get tough if overcooked.) If you do give it a try, I hope you enjoy!
I made this for dinner but it’s been in the crockpot on high for 2 1/2 hours and the meat is still pink. What am I doing wrong?
Hi Kristine, everyone’s slow cooker seems to cook a little different, so that may be the cause. Your meat slices may also have been thicker. It’s hard to know exactly what might be going on, but I hope it still came out!
I made this for dinner tonight, and while it was tasty, it took much longer to cook than anticipated. After 50 minutes in the crockpot the broccoli was still basically raw. I fished it out and steamed it in the microwave, then added it back to the crockpot to absorb some of the sauce. Served over cauliflower rice. Overall a good recipe, but next time I’ll add the broccoli sooner.
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe, Carie! Thanks for taking the time to share this review.