Air Fryer Beef and Broccoli is a great way to enjoy Chinese takeout at home.
We love using our air fryer to make dinner. The first thing we ever tried in the air fryer was Air Fryer French Fries (which turn out so good!) Since then, we’ve tried air fryer chickpeas, air fryer salmon, air fryer chicken tenders and so many more things. This recipe for Air Fryer Beef and Broccoli is definitely the best meal we’ve made in our air fryer so far. It really tastes just like good takeout, but it’s so much healthier.
This recipe for Air Fryer Beef and Broccoli comes from a new book by our friend Gina Homolka: Skinnytaste Air Fryer Dinners. We love using our air fryer to make healthy dinners. And Gina is the queen of creating healthy meals! This is a great cookbook to use if you have an air fryer (especially if you like making lighter things to eat).
Here are a few recipes in the book that look very family friendly:
- Veggie French Bread Pizza
- Soy Glazed Boneless Chicken Thighs
- Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders
- Hawaiian BBQ Drumsticks
- Cheeseburger Loaded Fries
- Chicken Fried Steak
- Fried Fish Filet Sandwiches
- Lemon Potatoes
- Garlic Cheddar Biscuits
Ingredients needed:
- flank steak
- soy sauce
- water or chicken broth
- brown sugar
- garlic
- ginger
- red pepper flakes
- broccoli florets
- sesame oil
- cornstarch
- sesame seeds
How to make Air Fryer Beef and Broccoli:
The full, printable recipe is at the end of this post.
Slice the beef into thin strips. The steak is easiest to cut when it’s partially frozen (just stick in the freezer for a few minutes). Whisk together the marinade ingredients, add the beef and let it marinate for 20 to 30 minutes (or overnight).
Combine broccoli, sesame oil and water and toss to coat. Add the broccoli to the air fryer, and cook at 370 degrees until tender and browned (6 to 8 minutes). Transfer the broccoli to a bowl.
Pour the marinade from the beef into a skillet. Cook the beef in the air fryer at 400 degrees until the outside is browned and the edges are starting to crisp- 3 to 4 minutes, flipping halfway through. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to do this in two batches. Add the cooked beef to the broccoli in the bowl. Pour any accumulated juices from the air fryer into the bowl too.
Combine cornstarch with a little bit of water, and then add it to the marinade in the skillet. Heat until thick and bubbling. Pour the hot marinade into the bowl with the beef and broccoli. Toss to coat.
And then your Air Fryer Beef and Broccoli is ready to serve!
Sprinkle a few sesame seeds on top. If you’d like, you can serve it with some steamed rice. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak
- ½ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup water or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 4 medium garlic cloves, minced
- One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced or grated
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 pound broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Slice the beef across the grain into strips about ¼-inch thick (this is easier to do if you freeze the beef for 15 to 20 minutes first). Slice the strips into thirds.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and pepper flakes (if using). Add the steak, and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate for at least 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature (or up to overnight in the fridge).
- In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, sesame oil and 1 tablespoon water and toss lightly to coat.
- Working in batches if needed, place the broccoli in the air fryer basket so that it comes to about one third to halfway up the sides. Cook at 370°F until the broccoli is tender and browned along some edges but still crisp, 6 to 8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. Remove and set aside in the same large bowl.
- Pour the marinade from the beef into a large skillet and set aside.
- Working in batches if needed, arrange half of the beef in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook at 400℉ just until the outside is browned and the edges are starting to crisp up, 3 to 4 minutes, flipping with tongs halfway through. Transfer the beef to the bowl with the broccoli and pour any sauce that accumulated in the bottom of the air fryer basket over the bowl as well. Repeat with the remaining beef.
- In a small bowl or cup, combine the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water and mix until dissolved. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the marinade in the skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until the sauce thickens a bit, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the beef and broccoli and toss to coat.
- To serve, divide the beef and broccoli among four plates and garnish with the sesame seeds.