Cooking in an instant pot is fairly new for me. This recipe for instant pot beef and broccoli came about because I was trying to use up some 'older' beef in my freezer. It was a top round steak which tends to be a tougher cut. I'm sure I got it on sale and wasn't sure what to make with it, hence being hidden in the deep freeze.
I admit I had only used the instant pot for hardboiled eggs and some soup. Why are so many people (me) hesitant to use this fantastic appliance? Is it because we've heard stories of cooks having the whole pot explode with pressure steam? I believe that's what I was kind of under the impression; too dangerous and not really worth it.
Well I am now a convert. I don't know if every one of my recipes can translate to a pressure cooked meal. However, I'm sure all soups, stews and tougher cuts of meat are worth the effort. I had honestly thought that because it was a quicker form of cooking that there might be less flavor seeped into the recipe. I couldn't have been more wrong!
Some tips for making Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli:
- You can use stew meat, flank steak or top round cubes or steak.
- Make sure you slice the beef against the grain to insure tenderness.
- It is also easier to slice if the meat is slightly frozen.
- The sauté feature on the Instant Pot is excellent for searing the flour coated beef. The flour is needed for thickening the sauce and gives it a better flavor. And you will also have a smoother sauce than if you add in flour at the end of cooking. However, you can do a quick fry on the stovetop if your appliance doesn't have that option.
- Just remember to only lightly brown the beef; you don't need to fully cook it. Let the Instant pot do all the work. It is the epitome of dump and go!
The ingredients are:
- Top round, stew beef or flank steak, cut into 1 "cubes
- Beef broth or diluted brown gravy
- low sodium soy sauce
- granulated sugar substitute
- molasses
- rice wine vinegar
- oyster or fish sauce
- hot sauce, garlic chili sauce or red pepper flakes
- onion powder
- garlic cloves or garlic powder
- ground ginger
- flour or cornstarch
- sesame seed and chives for garnish
Cauliflower rice is a perfect side dish to keep this recipe as a low carb meal. However, you can serve with white or brown rice, quinoa or egg noodles
Because I hadn't tried cooking vegetables in my Instant Pot, the broccoli was steamed in a large fry pan and served with the beef. I lightly sautéed the broccoli in a tablespoon of olive oil and added some garlic and some Mrs. Dash, a no salt seasoning mix.
I was really happy with this dinner. The beef was so tender and absorbed the rich, slightly sweet sauce. Hmmm, I am impressed with the Instant Pot; it just might push my Crock Pot to the back of the cabinet.
Please comment below if you enjoyed this recipe and let me know what other Instant Pot meals I should try.
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Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30-35 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Beef
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Description
A quick and easy beef dinner made in your Instant Pot. The sweet and lightly spiced beef will be so tender and flavorful.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. top round steak cut in 1 inch cubes
- 5 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
- 1 cup beef broth (or diluted brown gravy)
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup, or a bit more to taste, Erythritol or other sugar substitute
- 1 tablespoon molasses
- 2 teaspoons oyster or fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds for garnish
- 1 tablespoon dried chives for garnish
Instructions
- Cut beef into 1 inch cubes.
- Mix the flour with the onion and garlic powder and pour in a ziplock bag.
- Put beef in the bag and shake to combine
- Turn the sauté feature on the Instant pot and pour 1 tablespoon oil in the bottom
- Put flour coated beef in the Instant pot and stir to sauté approximately 3-5 minutes.
- Into a bowl, pour the beef broth or diluted gravy, soy sauce, sugar substitute, ginger, fish sauce, vinegar, hot or chili sauce or red pepper flakes. Whisk to combine.
- Pour sauce over the beef.
- Select the manual setting and adjust pressure to high. Make sure the lever is on 'sealing" on the lid of Instant pot. Set timer for 15 minutes.
- When finished cooking, do a quick release. I use a long handled wooden spoon to slowly release pressure. However, it is always best to consult your manual for directions.
- After pressure is fully released you can open the lid and check the sauce for taste and thickness.
- If it needs a bit more spice, you can add either more chili sauce or red pepper. If you like it a bit sweeter, just add another teaspoon or so of sweetener.
- If the sauce is too thick, just add a bit more broth.
- Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seed and some dried or chopped fresh chives.
Notes
* Taste the sauce and add more sugar or seasonings to taste.
*I sautéed the broccoli in a pan with olive oil and seasoning separately, rather than cook in the instant pot with the beef to avoid it getting too mushy. You can also use the steam in bag broccoli to save time.
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