Beef with broccoli is a staple of Chinese-American cuisine, typically featuring thinly sliced beef, usually flank steak, stir-fried with broccoli florets in a savory sauce made from oyster sauce, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger. The dish does not originate directly from traditional Chinese cooking but is considered an adaptation of the Cantonese dish gai lan chao niu rou (beef with Chinese broccoli).
Chinese immigrants in the United States substituted the more readily available and mild-tasting American broccoli for gai lan, a leafy green vegetable native to China. Beef with broccoli became widespread in Chinese-American restaurants during the 20th century, reflecting broader trends in the adaptation of Chinese recipes to local ingredients and Western palates.