The 30-Minute Dinner I Make Once a Week

The promise of take-out is that you save time and don’t have to wash dishes, so anytime I make a version of our favorite delivery dishes, it has to also fulfill those promises. This beef and broccoli noodle recipe hits all the umami-rich flavor notes of beef and broccoli in less than 30 minutes while dirtying just a single large skillet, a measuring cup, and a micro grater. You can even grab some grocery shortcuts to minimize the prep and dishes even further.

My family loves this one-pan dinner so much that I’ve been making it once a week since school started. It's the perfect quick dinner on the nights when soccer practice runs long or there is a school event and I don't even have the time to order take-out or wait for dinner delivery.

Beef and broccoli stir-fry is typically made with flank or sirloin steak and served over rice. This recipe uses ground beef to provide meaty flavor while costing less and cooking up faster. Instead of the standard rice, noodles cook right in the pot with the other ingredients.

One of the things I love most about this recipe is that, beyond the sauce, all the other ingredients are flexible. You can swap the ground beef for ground pork or chicken. My family likes dried Chinese noodles, but I’ve used udon, soba noodles, and even angel hair pasta or ramen noodles (minus their seasoning packets). Got a broccoli hater? Use cauliflower or snap peas or add some carrot coins.

How To Make My Beef and Broccoli Noodles 

For four servings, you’ll need:

• 1 1/2 cups water 
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce 
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari 
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch 
• 3 cloves garlic, grated 
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger 
• 1 pound lean ground beef 
• 1 head (10 to 12 ounces) broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces 
• 8 ounces dried Chinese noodles, thin egg noodles, ramen, udon, or soba noodles
• Optional garnishes: sliced green onions, sesame seeds

In a large measuring cup, mix together the water, hoisin, soy sauce, mirin, and cornstarch. Grate the garlic and ginger directly into the sauce mixture and set aside. 

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and use a spatula to break into large pieces, then let the beef cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the broccoli followed by the sauce mixture. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. 

Uncover, use the spoon or spatula to push the beef and broccoli towards the edge of the pan, and add the noodles. Cover again and cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes. The dish is done when the sauce has thickened and the noodles are tender. Serve with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.

Grocery Shortcuts To Make Even Faster Beef and Broccoli 

Since I make this dinner often, I try to have the ingredients on hand at all times. Keeping a few shortcuts on hand also ensures I can make these noodles faster on the nights I need it most.

I often keep frozen broccoli on hand for this dish specifically, but pre-chopped florets from the produce section at the grocery store are also great and cut down on prep time. Frozen garlic and ginger cubes like Dorot are my favorite, but garlic and ginger paste also make this dish easier and keep well in the fridge for a while.

While classic beef and broccoli can be a quick weeknight dinner, too, this noodle version will be on repeat for a while in my kitchen because it requires so few dishes and comes together in 30 minutes. Plus, it's the kind of one-pot recipe that serves up a complete meal.