Pour soy sauce mixture over raw beef strips, combined with 3 ingredients, into slow cooker for a takeout-style meal that I crave this week after week

This slow cooker 5-ingredient beef and broccoli is the sort of simple, comforting supper I lean on when the week feels long and my energy is short. It reminds me of the first “Chinese takeout” place that opened in the nearest town back in the late ’70s, when beef and broccoli felt wonderfully exotic compared to our usual roasts and casseroles. Here, we pour a quick soy sauce mixture right over raw beef strips in the slow cooker, add just three more pantry-friendly ingredients, and let time do the work. The result is a tender, saucy, takeout-style meal that I find myself craving week after week, without leaving the house or fussing with a skillet.

Serve this beef and broccoli spooned over hot white rice or buttery egg noodles to soak up every bit of the savory soy sauce gravy. A simple side of sliced cucumbers or a crisp lettuce salad with a mild vinaigrette balances the richness nicely. If you like, warm up some frozen egg rolls or bake a sheet pan of roasted carrots alongside for an easy, full plate. For leftovers, tuck the beef and broccoli into a soft roll for a hearty sandwich or serve over reheated rice for an easy next-day lunch.

Servings: 4

1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin or flank steak, sliced into thin strips

Lay the raw beef strips evenly in the bottom of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, spreading them out so they are in a loose, even layer.

In a medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together the soy sauce, beef broth (or water), and brown sugar until the sugar is mostly dissolved and the mixture looks smooth and dark.

Place the slow cooker crock on a stable surface, such as a white laminate countertop. Slowly pour the soy sauce mixture evenly over the raw beef strips in the slow cooker, making sure all the meat is moistened by the sauce.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on Low for 4 to 5 hours, or on High for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the beef is very tender when you poke it with a fork.

About 30 minutes before serving, lift the lid and stir in the broccoli florets, pressing them gently down into the hot soy sauce mixture and beef so they can cook in the steam and juices.

Cover again and cook on High for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender and the beef is fully cooked and tender.

Stir the beef and broccoli together so everything is coated in the soy sauce mixture. Taste the sauce and add a splash of water if it seems too strong, or a pinch more brown sugar if you like it a bit sweeter.

Serve the beef and broccoli hot over cooked rice or noodles, spooning extra sauce from the slow cooker over the top.

If you prefer a thicker, more takeout-style sauce, stir 1 to 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of cold water, then mix that slurry into the hot sauce in the slow cooker about 30 minutes before serving, along with the broccoli. For a little heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of chili-garlic sauce to the soy mixture before you pour it over the beef. You can swap the fresh broccoli for frozen florets; add them straight from the freezer during the last 30 to 40 minutes of cooking, watching so they don’t get mushy. If beef is pricey or you have something else on hand, this same method works nicely with thinly sliced pork shoulder or boneless skinless chicken thighs—just keep the slow cooking time similar and make sure the meat is tender before you add the broccoli. For a more Midwestern pot-roast feel, toss in a handful of sliced onions with the beef at the beginning; they’ll melt into the sauce and add sweetness without changing the easy, 5-ingredient spirit of the dish.