Fresh Feast: My husband devours this savory dish the second he gets home. Just 4 ingredients for a fast and hearty weeknight dinner

This slow cooker 4-ingredient beef and broccoli is my go-to on busy weeknights, especially when I know my husband will be walking through the door absolutely starving. It’s one of those throw-it-in-and-forget-it meals that fills the house with a cozy, savory smell. The tender strips of beef and bright green broccoli get coated in a thick, sticky sauce that tastes like our favorite takeout but with a simple, homey touch. With just four ingredients and a slow cooker, you can have a hearty, comforting dinner ready the second everyone gets home.

Serve this beef and broccoli over a bed of hot cooked white rice, brown rice, or even buttered egg noodles to soak up every bit of that glossy sauce. A simple side of sliced oranges or a small green salad with a light vinaigrette balances the richness nicely. If you like a little crunch at the table, set out some toasted sesame seeds or chopped green onions for sprinkling, and keep soy sauce on the side for anyone who wants an extra-savory kick.

Servings: 4

2 pounds beef chuck roast or stew meat, sliced into thin strips

Slice the beef into thin strips, trimming off any large pieces of fat. This helps it cook up tender and soak in the sauce.

In the slow cooker, whisk together the teriyaki sauce and beef broth until well combined.

Add the sliced beef to the slow cooker and stir to coat every piece in the sauce, making sure the meat is mostly submerged.

Cover and cook on Low for 5–6 hours or on High for 2 1/2–3 hours, until the beef is very tender and the sauce has thickened slightly and turned glossy.

About 30 minutes before serving, place the fresh broccoli florets on top of the beef in the slow cooker and gently press them down so they touch the hot sauce. Do not stir too much or the broccoli may overcook and fall apart.

Cover and cook on High for 20–30 minutes, just until the broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender. If you prefer softer broccoli, let it go a little longer, checking every 5 minutes.

Once the broccoli is cooked to your liking, gently stir everything together so the beef and broccoli are evenly coated in the thick, sticky sauce.

Taste the sauce and adjust if needed with a splash of extra teriyaki sauce or a small spoonful of beef broth to loosen it. Serve immediately over hot rice or noodles while the sauce is still glossy and the broccoli is vibrant.

For picky eaters, you can cut the broccoli into very small florets or even steam it separately and let everyone add as much or as little as they like to their plates. If your family likes a little heat, stir in a pinch of red pepper flakes or a drizzle of sriracha when you add the broccoli. To make the sauce a bit thicker, whisk 1 teaspoon of cornstarch into 2 teaspoons of cold beef broth and stir it into the slow cooker about 30 minutes before serving, right before you add the broccoli. For a slightly sweeter, more kid-friendly version, choose a sweeter teriyaki sauce or add 1–2 teaspoons of brown sugar to the sauce at the beginning. You can also swap the beef chuck for thinly sliced flank steak if you prefer leaner meat, just reduce the cook time by about an hour so it doesn’t dry out. Leftovers reheat nicely in a skillet with a splash of broth, and you can tuck them into tortillas or over baked potatoes for an easy second-night meal.