Easy Beef and Broccoli

Name: Easy 30-Minute Beef and Broccoli
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce ((or a gluten-free alternative)); 1 tablespoon honey; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 10 oz small broccoli florets; 2 tablespoons avocado oil; 1 small onion (sliced ); 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic; 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root; 1 lb. sirloin (cut into strips); 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

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This easy recipe for beef and broccoli is wonderfully flavorful. It's a complete meal, especially if you serve it over cauliflower rice.

This recipe is perfect for a weeknight dinner since it's truly easy to make and it's ready in just 30 minutes!

Beef and broccoli served in a white bowl with chopsticks.

I love making this delicious and easy stir-fry recipe, and my family often requests it for dinner. We all appreciate the wonderful flavors, and I also appreciate the fact that it's so easy to make!

Like most stir-fry recipes (this Korean beef is a good example), once you start cooking, this beef and broccoli dish is ready in a matter of minutes. Prepping the veggies and the sauce takes a bit more time, but is very doable, even on a weeknight.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Expert tip
Frequently asked questions
Serving suggestions
Storing leftovers
Related recipes
Recipe Card

Ingredients

Here's an overview of what you'll need to make this easy recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below:

Soy sauce: I use reduced-sodium soy sauce in most of my recipes. I find that traditional soy sauce is too salty. Obviously, you can also use a gluten-free alternative.

Honey: Just one tablespoon. Its sweetness balances out the saltiness and tang of the soy sauce.

Cornstarch: Used to help thicken the sauce.

Red pepper flakes: They don't make the dish overly spicy. They just add an interesting layer of flavor.

Small broccoli florets: Fresh broccoli is best, both in terms of texture and in terms of flavor. But in a pinch, you can use frozen broccoli.

Neutral cooking oil: My favorite is avocado oil. It has a neutral taste and a high smoke point.

Aromatics: Onion, minced fresh garlic, and grated fresh ginger root.

Beef strips: I make it as easy as possible by using pre-sliced sirloin strips (sold at many grocery stores as "beef for stir fry/stroganoff"). You can obviously slice them yourself.

For garnish: Sesame oil and sesame seeds. It's OK to skip the sesame seeds - I use them mostly for garnish. But I wouldn't skip the sesame oil. It adds a wonderful layer of flavor, especially if you use toasted sesame oil.

Instructions

Making beef and broccoli at home is so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

You start by whisking together the sauce ingredients (soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes), then set it aside.

Now, microwave the broccoli florets with a little water until tender-crisp. Make sure you don't overcook them.

Next, saute the onion, garlic, ginger, and beef strips in some avocado oil. Then add the sauce and keep cooking until it thickens.

Stir in the broccoli, drizzle the dish with sesame oil, sprinkle it with sesame seeds, and serve.

A photo collage showing the steps for making homemade beef and broccoli.

Expert tip

When you first add the beef strips to the pan, saute them briefly - 2 minutes is usually enough. Your goal is simply to cook them so that they're no longer raw. You don't want them well-done at this point. They will continue cooking after you add the sauce.

Frequently asked questions

What is beef and broccoli sauce made of?

The main ingredients are soy sauce, a sweetener, hot sauce or red pepper flakes, and cornstarch for thickening. Some recipes also call for garlic.

What type of beef should I use?

I like to use sirloin, cut into strips. When you quickly stir-fry sirloin it shouldn't become too tough. But if you want your beef to be super tender, either marinate it for a few hours in a marinade that contains rice vinegar, or splurge and use beef tenderloin.

Can you suggest a low-carb version of this recipe?

Yes. To lower the carb count, use a sugar-free sweetener and replace the cornstarch with a low-carb thickener such as konjac (follow the conversion suggested by the manufacturer).

With these modifications, each serving should have approximately 296 calories, 9 grams of carbs, and 3 grams of fiber.

Can I use frozen broccoli florets?

You could, but fresh broccoli will give you better results. Frozen broccoli sometimes becomes a bit mushy.

Serving suggestions

You can serve this flavorful dish on its own, or you can spoon it on top of cauliflower rice, shirataki noodles, spaghetti squash, or zucchini noodles.

Needless to say, if you don't mind the carbs, steamed white rice or brown rice would be the perfect bed for this saucy dish.

Storing leftovers

Leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Gently reheat them in the microwave on 50% power, covered, prior to serving. You can also freeze the leftovers for up to three months.

Beef and broccoli served in a bowl with red chopsticks.

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