Instant Pot Chinese Beef and Broccoli

This Instant Pot Chinese Beef and Broccoli is a delicious, family-friendly dinner that’s easy to prepare. Served over rice, it’s a complete meal in a bowl!

Because the dinnertime rush is always so chaotic in my home, I’m a huge fan of Instant Pot recipes. In general, they require just a little hands-on time and then I can help kids with homework, fold laundry, or catch up on emails while the Instant Pot does all the work.

This Instant Pot Chinese Beef and Broccoli is one of my go-to dinners because it’s one of the few times my kids will actually eat all their broccoli. And unlike my Instant Pot Broccoli Rice and Cheese Casserole, this recipe isn’t simply a side dish.

You can serve it right out of the pot, but it goes really well over white rice (or brown rice, if you prefer).

What Cuts of Beef Are Best for Beef and Broccoli?

The most common cut of beef used to make beef and broccoli is flank steak. It’s lean and boneless with great flavor. It is extremely important to cut flank steak AGAINST the grain if you don’t want it to end up tough.

Normally, you’d have to marinate flank steak for a while before cooking in order to yield a tender result. But pressure cooking the meat yields tender meat without a marinade.

Alternately, you can also use skirt steak, which has many of the same features.

How to Make Instant Pot Chinese Beef and Broccoli

Ready to get started? Okay! Let’s begin.

Ingredients to Make Instant Pot Chinese Beef and Broccoli

To make this dish using your Instant Pot you only need a few basic ingredients:

• 1 lb flank steak
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons garlic
• 1 tablespoon ginger
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 to 4 cups of broccoli florets (1 head of fresh broccoli or 1 10-12 ounce bag of frozen broccoli)
• 1/2 tablespoon corn starch + 2 tablespoons of water (for thickening the sauce)
• sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions for Making Instant Pot Chinese Beef and Broccoli

Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode. While you’re waiting for the pot to heat up, slice your flank steak into thin, bite-sized pieces. I usually cut the steak in half lengthwise, then slice thin strips across the width so that your slices are against the grain.

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and hoisin sauce. Set aside.

After your display reads “Hot,” add the olive oil to the pot, followed by the flank steak.  Sauté for 1 to 2 minutes to brown the steak pieces.

Turn off sauté mode. Add the water and use a wooden spatula to scrape the bottom of the pot to make sure no bits are stuck.

Pour the sauce over the beef then secure the Instant Pot lid and make sure the valve is set to “Sealing.”

Press the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button and set the time for 10 minutes. While the beef pressure cooks, steam your broccoli in the microwave. Also, prepare your cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch with two tablespoons of water in a small bowl.

When the pot beeps to indicate the cook time has finished, quick release the pressure by moving the valve to “Venting.”

After all of the pressure has been released, remove the lid and press “Cancel.” Then, press “Sauté” and add the cornstarch slurry to the pot.

Stir until the sauce thickens, then add the broccoli. Stir to combine, then turn off your Instant Pot.

Your Instant Pot Chinese Beef and Broccoli is ready to serve! Spoon it over white rice and top with sesame seeds. If you like this recipe, you should try Air Fryer Copycat Panda Express Orange Chicken or this Korean Ground Beef and Broccoli Recipe.

Instant Pot Chinese Beef and Broccoli Recipe

Prefer to print out the recipe? Here’s the recipe card with exact measurements and step-by-step instructions.

📋 Recipe

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