The pressure builds and you start counting down minutes until you eat. You spot the float valve pop up and that means the cooker’s sealed tight. Your kitchen fills up with those smells, sorta like dinner’s calling your name, and you gotta remind yourself to wait just a bit longer.
Seconds feel like minutes as you watch your pot, imagining how tender and flavorful that ground beef and broccoli are gonna be. You feel that little anticipation, that “I’m so ready to eat now” kinda vibe creeping up. The quick release’s gonna be your best friend when it’s finally time.
It’s fun to think about how something so simple turns into something so darn good so fast. After the slow release, you open up the lid and that steam hits you first. Then you see that tender pull on the beef, the bright green broccoli, and you just know y’all did good.
The Real Reasons You Will Love This Method
- Pressure cooking makes the beef super tender without any fuss.
- Broccoli stays bright and crisp-tender, not soggy or mushy.
- Quick release saves you from waiting forever, dinner’s ready fast.
- Sauces thicken up real nice thanks to the cornstarch slurry.
- One pot clean-up means less time scrubbing after dinner.
- Flavor gets locked in because everything cooks together tight.
- You get to enjoy a balanced meal loaded with protein and veggies in no time.
Everything You Need Lined Up
- 1 Tablespoon peanut oil (can swap for vegetable or olive oil if you want)
- 3 cups broccoli florets, washed and patted dry so they don’t steam weird
- 1 lb ground beef, lean or regular works
- 1 yellow onion, diced fine so it cooks quick
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips for that pop of color and crunch
- Salt and white pepper, just to taste and bring out the flavors
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water to make a slurry for thickening
- 1 cup beef broth, combined with ¼ cup soy sauce and 3 tablespoons brown sugar plus 1-2 tablespoons honey for sweetness
- 2 cloves garlic minced up real small and ½ teaspoon ground ginger add some punch
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil for that final flavor boost
- 3 cups cooked rice, any kind you like to serve it over
You’ll wanna have everything ready before you start. The trick is to have your veggies washed and cut, sauce whisked together, and slurry prepped. Makes the whole cooking flow much smoother.
Your Complete Cooking Timeline
Start heating your peanut oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. You want it good and hot before you add anything.
Add the broccoli florets. Cook them for about 3-4 minutes till they’re just tender but still got that crisp pull. Then take ’em out and set aside.
Next up, toss your ground beef right into the skillet. Brown it well and break it up with a spatula. You want no clumps left.
Throw in the diced onion and sliced red bell pepper with the beef. Cook everything together for around 4-5 minutes until veggies soften and start smelling good.
Season with your salt and white pepper. Don’t be shy here, it’s all about layering flavors.
Whisk your cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl to make a slurry. Set that ready for later.
In another bowl, mix beef broth, soy sauce, and brown sugar until that sugar’s dissolved. Pour this sauce into the skillet with the beef and veggies, stirring it up so it combines nicely.
Now add the cornstarch slurry. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Toss back your broccoli and stir everything to coat evenly. Let it cook one more 2 minutes then take it off heat. Drizzle with toasted sesame oil if you like that nutty note.
Smart Shortcuts for Busy Days
- Use pre-cut broccoli florets from the store. Saves you a bunch of prep time.
- Grab pre-minced garlic or ginger packets to keep chopping low.
- Cook rice in advance and store it in the fridge, it heats up nice and fast later.
- Mix your sauce ingredients the night before and keep it in a jar for easy pouring.
- Make a bigger batch of this recipe so you got leftovers ready for tomorrow.
That First Bite Moment
Your fork hits a perfect chunk of ground beef, juicy and tender with that little savory bite from the soy and garlic. You catch the slight sweet undertone from the brown sugar and honey, it all kinda dances on your tongue.
The broccoli crunches just right, not mushy but tender enough you gotta really enjoy that fresh veggie feel. It’s that contrast in texture that makes it interesting and comfortin’ at the same time.
Every bite wraps up with a hint of toasted sesame oil, giving it that warm, nutty finish. It’s simple but hits the spot real good, you’re gonna want seconds quick.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh and Ready
Got leftovers? Store them in an airtight container and pop them in the fridge. They last up to 4 days easy, which is perfect for next-day lunches.
If you wanna freeze some, portion it out in freezer-safe containers. When you’re ready, just thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove or microwave.
You can also reheat leftovers in your pressure cooker using the warm setting or with a quick 1-2 minute natural release so it heats evenly without drying out.
Everything Else You Wondered About
- Can I use ground turkey instead of beef? Yeah for sure, turkey works great but cooking time might need a little tweak since it’s leaner.
- What’s the best way to avoid mushy broccoli? Flash cooking it separately before adding it back in keeps it crisp-tender.
- Can I skip the cornstarch? You can but your sauce won’t thicken as nicely, so it might be a bit runnier.
- Is it okay to do a natural release instead of quick release? Totally fine, just takes longer and might make broccoli softer if you wait too long.
- What if I don’t have toasted sesame oil? No worries, just leave it out or add a tiny splash of regular sesame oil for some flavor.
- Can I double this recipe? Yep, just check your pressure cooker max fill lines and adjust seasoning accordingly.
Pressure Cooker Ground Beef and Broccoli
Equipment
- 1 Skillet Large
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon peanut oil can sub vegetable or olive oil
- 3 cups broccoli florets washed and patted dry
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- Salt and white pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1 cup beef broth
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 3 Tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 1-2 Tablespoons honey
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 cups cooked rice any kind
Instructions
Instructions
- Heat peanut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook broccoli florets for 4-5 minutes until slightly softened, then set aside.
- Add ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking it up until browned and cooked through.
- Add diced onion and red bell pepper to the beef. Cook 4-5 minutes until soft.
- Season with salt and white pepper to taste.
- In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch and water to create a slurry.
- In a separate bowl, mix beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, garlic, and ginger.
- Pour sauce mixture into skillet with beef and vegetables. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add cornstarch slurry to skillet and stir until the sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
- Return broccoli to skillet and stir to combine. Cook for 2 more minutes.
- Drizzle with toasted sesame oil before serving over rice.
