Whenever we go out to a Chinese restaurant, my go-to meal is Beef and Broccoli on top of noodles. Instead of ordering take out, this frugal momma will show you how to make this amazingly delicious and simple to make meal yourself. Keep reading for some tips and tricks on how to make this recipe just like the pros and saving a small fortune on a dinner bill.

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Published June 19, 2023
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Cost breakdown for this recipe

As far as recipes go, this one is incredibly reasonably priced, compared to ordering take out. Had we ordered Beef and Broccoli in this quantity, it would have been much more expensive.

At a restaurant, PF Chang’s, you can order this dish for $22.50 a serving with noodles.
Click the link below for their full menu.

We had six servings, with an additional three leftovers. So, had we purchased enough to eat, with lunch for Tyler the next day, it would have cost upwards of $135. And that is for just six servings!

We cannot afford to go out to eat. Seriously! This is why our kitchen is a Scratch Kitchen. Make the food at home, for a fraction of the cost with no-less taste.

Below is the cost breakdown for the ingredients that were used in this recipe for Beef and Broccoli, including noodles.

2.8 pounds Chuck Steak $17.07
1/4 cup Cornstarch $0.20
3 Tbsp Oil $0.09
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil $0.46
4 Garlic Cloves $0.20
2 tsp Ground Ginger $0.03
1/2 cup Soy Sauce $0.40
3/4 cup Brown Sugar $0.20
4-6 cups Broccoli $2.00
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes $0.12
Linguini $2.00

The total cost to make this recipe was $23.40.
This gave us eight servings, including lunch the next day for Tyler and myself, making each serving cost $2.90.
Not bad for a delicious meal made from scratch!

The best skillet to use

If there is one item you NEED for this meal, it is a quality cast iron skillet that is deep. This is mainly to sear the steak slices, as it really does the best job. Click HERE or the link below to find my favorite deep cast iron skillet on Amazon.

Flank Steak or Chuck Roast?

Which to use and why?

Originally, the recipe that I found called for Flank Steak, however, this had to be altered when ALDI did not have any on the shelf. So, what to use?

Flank steak is a thin, boneless cut of beef from the lower chest or abdominal muscles of the cow. This cut of meat is lean and versatile, perfect for stir-fry. Typically, a flank steak will be cut like a steak, and then easy to slice thin for a stir-fry recipe.

At ALDI, Flank Steak costs $9.99 per pound.

Angus chuck roast is a cut of beef from the shoulder of the cow. It is flavorful and tender, often slow cooked, with much more marbling through the cut. To slice this cut of beef to use with a stir-fry, it is easy to cut it into 2-3-inch cubes along the fat lines.

At ALDI, Chuck Roast costs $5.99 per pound.

Want more recipes? Check out my Dinner page to find out your next dinner idea.

Dinner

Recipe for Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients for Beef and Broccoli

1-2 pounds Chuck Steak thinly sliced
1/4 cup Cornstarch
3 Tbsp Oil divided
2 Tbsp Coconut Oil divided
4 Garlic Cloves
2-3 Green Onions thinly sliced
2 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Water
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
4-6 cups Broccoli
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes optional
Sesame Seeds optional

Directions for Beef and Broccoli

1. On a cutting board, cut the Chuck Roast into 3-inch sections, trimming the fat off and discarding the fat.

2. Place the pieces of steak on a plate and place in the freezer for 20 minutes.

By freezing the steak chunks, you then help to firm up the steak which will make it easier to thinly slice.

3. While the steak freezes slightly, rinse the broccoli in a sink colander and then cut the broccoli on a cutting board. Set the broccoli aside.

4. Remove the steak from the freezer and cut the chunks into thin slices, around 1/4-inch thick.

5. To a large Ziplock bag, place the thinly sliced steak and then add 1/4 cup Cornstarch and toss to coat. Set aside.

This Rubio Baggy Holder is literally the cutest tool in my scratch kitchen. It holds onto Ziplock bags and allows you to hands-free fill a bag. They extend upwards to hold gallon-size bags and retract to hold sandwich-size. These bag holders are fun to use and help with a job like adding steak slices without touching the bag with steak juices on your hands. Check them out HERE or clicking the link below to find them on Amazon.

6. In a medium saucepan, measure and then add 1 tsp Vegetable Oil and 1 tsp Coconut oil OR Sesame Oil, 4 Garlic Cloves minced and 2 tsp Ground Ginger. Cook for 1 minute, making sure to NOT burn the ginger and garlic.

To mince the garlic, feel free to smash them with the wide side of a chef knife, then mince them, OR use a microplane to grate the garlic. Either way works well.

One of the most helpful items in the kitchen is this silicone tube used to remove the skins from garlic cloves. All you do is place a garlic clove in the tube, then roll it between your hands, pressing on the garlic. After 3-5 seconds, the skins are removed, and the garlic clove is peeled. It is amazing. Check it out by clicking HERE or the link below to find it on Amazon.

7. To the saucepan, add the 1/2 cup Soy Sauce, 1/2 cup Water and 3/4 cup Brown Sugar, then whisk well until the sugar is dissolved.

8. Add the Red Pepper Flakes, if using, and then bring the mixture to a boil for 2-3 minutes, then simmer for 5 minutes. As the sauce simmers, it will thicken slightly.

9. Place a deep sided cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 Tablespoons Oil, and then sear the steak in small batches. Flip the steak pieces to sear them on all sides.

10. When seared, transfer the steak to a large saucepan with 1 Tablespoons Coconut oil and 2 Tablespoons Oil, warmed on medium. Continue to sear the steak slices and then transferring them to the large saucepan.

11. Cook the steak in the large saucepan for 5-7 minutes.

12. To the large saucepan with the steak, add the cut broccoli.

13. Pour in the Soy Sauce mixture over the steak and broccoli, it will sizzle and bubble up, stir to coat.

14. Cover the large saucepan and then simmer the broccoli and steak in the Soy Sauce mixture for 5 minutes on medium.

15. On a cutting board, dice the green onions and place them in a bowl.
If desired, cook either rice, quinoa or linguini to go with your Beef and Broccoli.

16. Serve with rice, linguini, or quinoa. Then sprinkle the top with Sesame Seeds and green onion.

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