Description
This Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli recipe offers a quick and flavorful take on a classic Chinese-American dish. Tender strips of beef chuck roast are browned and then pressure cooked with a savory sauce made from soy, oyster sauce, brown sugar, and garlic. Fresh broccoli florets are added at the end to retain their crispiness, making this a perfect weeknight dinner served hot with a garnish of green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Broth
- 1 ½ pound beef chuck roast
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- Pepper, to taste
- 1 cup beef broth (low sodium preferred)
Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Thickening Slurry
- 3 Tbsp cornstarch
- 3 Tbsp water
Vegetables and Garnish
- 1 lb broccoli florets
- Chopped green onions (optional garnish)
- Toasted sesame seeds (optional garnish)
Instructions
- Season and Slice Beef: Season the beef chuck roast with pepper and cut it against the grain into thin strips to ensure tenderness.
- Brown the Beef: Turn on the Instant Pot sauté function and heat olive oil. Add beef strips in batches to avoid crowding. Brown on all sides, about 5-10 minutes, for rich flavor.
- Prepare the Sauce: While the beef browns, mix soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic in a bowl until well combined.
- Deglaze the Pot: After browning, add beef broth to the pot and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom — these add great depth to the sauce.
- Add Sauce to Pot: Pour the prepared sauce into the Instant Pot and stir with the beef and broth. Turn off the sauté function.
- Pressure Cook Beef and Sauce: Seal the Instant Pot lid and set to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Once done, perform a quick pressure release to unlock the lid.
- Make Cornstarch Slurry: In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and water, stirring to create a smooth slurry.
- Thicken Sauce: Turn the sauté function back on and stir in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sauce thickens.
- Cook Broccoli: Add bite-sized broccoli florets to the pot, stir to combine, then cover with the lid. Let it boil for 3 minutes, then turn off the sauté function. Leave the lid on and let the broccoli sit in the hot sauce for an additional 5 minutes until it reaches your desired crispness.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds before serving hot.
Notes
- Be sure to cut the beef against the grain to keep it tender.
- If you prefer spicier food, increase the red pepper flakes to taste.
- Use low sodium beef broth and soy sauce to control salt levels.
- Browning the beef adds great flavor; don’t skip this step.
- You can substitute beef chuck roast with flank steak, but adjust cooking times accordingly.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free soy and oyster sauce alternatives.
