Healthy beef and broccoli recipe for when the major Chinese takeout craving hits or for a 30 minute dinner. It’s here! If you think to replicate classic North American Asian dishes at home is a rocket science, I have to tell you that you are thinking too much. The only reason why your homemade healthy beef and broccoli stir fry won’t taste the same is lack of MSG and loads of sugar and sodium. Are you OK with that? Thought so.
This tender beef and broccoli stir fry is saucy and any vegetable lover’s (and hater’s because that sauce) dream – it’s bursting with fiber, “greenery”, vitamins K and C, and folic acid. You can prepare it in 30 minutes from start to finish, serve over brown rice or quinoa and your entire family will love it!
Tips for Best Healthy Beef and Broccoli
- Use tender cuts of beef like sirloin, ribeye, tri-tip, tenderloin or shoulder.
- Cut meat against the grain.
- I used wild meat, venison, that is why it’s lighter in colour. Beef will come out more brown.
- Chop up the stem of broccoli instead of throwing it out – save money, add nutrition and reduce food waste.
- Stir sauce well before adding to the skillet as cornstarch settles at the bottom and will result in a thin sauce.
- Use well preheated wok or large deep skillet.
- Make sure all stir fry ingredients are chopped before beginning to cook. That’s the most time consuming part.
What Is The Best Stir Fry Oil?
When you cook on high heat the best oil to use is the oil with high smoke point. The most healthy one is avocado oil with smoke point of 520 degrees F. However, my favourite oil to use for stir frying is toasted sesame oil because it’s so Asian. I do switch between both, to be honest. Here is a table with all oils and their smoke points.
How to Make Healthy Beef and Broccoli
1. In a small bowl, whisk water, soy sauce, maple syrup and cornstarch. That’s the stir fry sauce.
2. Preheat wok on high heat, add oil and beef. Cook for 7 minutes or until browned a bit. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. Cook garlic and ginger for 30 seconds, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Add water and broccoli, stir quickly. This will prevent garlic and ginger from burning and will “steam” the broccoli. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Stir the sauce really well (cornstarch tends to settle) and add to the wok along with cooked beef. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for a few minutes or until sauce has thickened, stirring.
5. Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds. Serve hot over brown rice, quinoa or noodles of choice.
Any Substitute for Broccoli?
OK. Out of broccoli? If I were you I would stir fry any firm vegetables like snap peas, cauliflower, carrots or bell peppers. If you are quick enough, stir fry zucchini before they get soggy. I would also recommend to keep a huge bag of stir fry frozen vegetables on hand. I get one from Costco and they are organic.
Craving More Healthy Asian Stir Fry Recipes?
- Healthy beef stir fry with variety of vegetables rather than just broccoli
- Teriyaki chicken and cauliflower for a low carb dinner!
- Salmon stir fry with green beans and only 3 other ingredients!
Healthy Beef and Broccoli
Craving Asian but not MSG? Try this Healthy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry with homemade sauce that can be on your family dinner table in 30 minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
- 2 lbs flank, tri-tip or sirloin steak, thinly sliced against the grain
- 2 lbs broccoli, cut into florets & stalks chopped
- 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil, divided
- 1 cup water, divided
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (I use Bragg’s liquid aminos)
- 3 tbsp maple syrup or liquid honey
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 4 green onion sprigs, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup water, soy sauce, maple syrup, cornstarch and set aside.
- Preheat wok on high heat and swirl 1 tbsp sesame oil to coat. Add beef and cook for 7 minutes or until browned a bit, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
- Return wok to high heat and swirl remaining 1 tbsp of sesame oil. Add garlic and ginger; cook for 30 seconds stirring constantly. Add 1/4 cup water and broccoli, stir quickly. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir the sauce really well (cornstarch tends to settle) and add to the wok along with cooked beef. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for a few minutes or until sauce has thickened, stirring.
- Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds. Serve hot over brown rice, quinoa or noodles of choice.
Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 24 hours (longer broccoli is too soggy).
Notes
“Stir fry” means to cook small pieces of food quickly on high heat and stirring constantly. So make sure all beef stir fry ingredients are prepped before you light the stove.
Use well-preheated wok.
My favourite oil to use for stir frying is toasted sesame oil because it’s so Asian, and so is stir fry.
Because I used venison and ceramic non-stick wok my meat is not as browned. Yours will turn out nicer.
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating in the comments.
I’ve made this twice already. The family loves it!!
★★★★★
Very good! I used the liquid aminos and honey.
★★★★★
So glad that you liked it Carolina!
3/4 cups of soy sauce?
That’s a ridiculous amount of salt though!
Just one tablespoon is like 800mg
Hi Kian! The recipe calls for 1/4 cup soy sauce NOT 3/4 cup. I also use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos which has a lower salt content.
I added a tbsp of orange juice to the sauce and it was perfect with riced cauliflower!
★★★★★
That’s great Summer!
Easy, healthy, tasty meal. (I added some carrots, too.) Thanks
★★★★★
Great addition! So happy to hear you enjoyed this healthy meal!
Thank you so much, Olena Osipov! This recipe is so delicious and family approved! Balanced meal for the whole gang.
★★★★★
Awesome to hear and you are so welcome, Stephanie.
Easy to make and tasty. Adding a little more spice doesn’t hurt.
★★★★
That is so amazing to hear! Glad you enjoyed my recipe!
It’s great but 403 calories is a lot to me for just one serving
★★★★
Well, this is not a diet recipes blog with calorie counting but rather developing healthy relationship with food. Then feel free not to make this recipe and look for other diet recipes. Keto seems to be all the rage now until the next fade.
Havent made this yet but plan to next week
Let me know how you like it.:)
Loved this recipe!!!
★★★★★
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I made this tonight and it turned out perfect I might use a little bit too much Ginger so it has a nice lemony flavor but otherwise it’s really really really good!
★★★★★
Fantastic! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Thank you! It was a wonderful family dinner.
★★★★★
You are very welcome.
Came out amazing
★★★★★
My family loves this recipe. I season the beef with salt before cooking it. I also cook it at the same time as the garlic, gives the meat a better flavor. I add a little more water when cooking the broccoli because my kids like it less firm. I add cooked quinoa at the end instead of rice.
★★★★
So happy to hear you made it work for you.:) Great tips!
I love Chinese food especially the veggies like broccoli, beans, and mushrooms! I will have to try this out can canola or olive oil be used instead of sesame oil?
★★★★★
Yes, of course.