Crockpot Beef and Broccoli

4.73 from 11 votes

This Crockpot Beef and Broccoli recipe is an easy Chinese-inspired meal prepped in just 10 minutes. Just toss everything into the slow cooker and let it do the work!

Prep Time10

Cook Time4

Total Time4 10

Course: Main Dish Recipes

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: beef and broccoli crockpot

Servings: servings

Calories: 297kcal

Author: Deanne Frieders

Ingredients

1½ pounds beef stew meat cut into bite sized pieces or strips
1 cup beef stock
3 teaspoons minced garlic
⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
14 ounces frozen broccoli florets*
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 Tablespoons cold water
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds optional, for topping*

Instructions

Add 1½ pounds beef stew meat cut into bite sized pieces or stripsto a 5 or 6-quart slow cooker.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup beef stock, 3 teaspoons minced garlic, ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce, 1 Tablespoon honey, 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil.
Pour the mixture on top of beef. Cover and cook for 3-4 hours on high.
Now it's time to thicken the sauce. In a small bowl, combine 2 Tablespoons cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons cold water. Stir together to make a very loose paste. If you want to be fancy you can tell your family this is a cornstarch slurry.
15-20 minutes before it's done cooking, remove the lid and add the cornstarch mixture and the 14 ounces frozen broccoli florets*. Cover and finish cooking.
Serve with choice of side and drizzle of sauce from the slow cooker. Garnish with 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds before serving, if desired.

Notes

To cook on low, allow 6-7 hours cooking time. Increase the heat to high for the last 30 minutes before adding the cornstarch mixture and brocccoli.

Tip: Adding the vegetables 15-20 minutes before done cooking will yield crisp-tender results. Cook longer for softer veggies.

Updated to add: The last time I bought broccoli florets they were very large. I ended up cutting them into smaller pieces. Consider using broccoli pieces (stems and florets) if you're good with those.

How to toast sesame seeds: Heat a dry skillet over medium-low heat (no oil needed). Add the sesame seeds in a single layer. Stir frequently with a spatula or shake the pan gently to prevent burning. Toast for 2-3 minutes until they turn golden brown and smell nutty. Remove immediately from heat and transfer to a plate to cool.

To make as a freezer meal: Label a gallon sized freezer bag. Place the beef in the gallon sized bag. Add beef stock, garlic, soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil. Remove excess air and lay flat to freeze. Follow cooking instructions as above.

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