Healthy Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

healthy beef and broccoli stir fry recipe

When you order beef and broccoli at a restaurant or as take out -it’s high in sodium, has a lot of added sugars, its cooked in unhealthy oils and chemical meat tenderizers are used to make the meat extra soft. A technique called ‘velveting’ where the meat is marinated in a baking soda or cornstarch mixture for 30-45 minutes before deep-frying it in oil (1). That sounds delicious, but it’s not exactly the healthiest option for what it is – beef and broccoli. You can make a healthy version of beef and broccoli that’s just as tasty by swapping out a few ingredients. Let’s get started!

In this recipe, we will be using less sugar, 100% virgin olive oil and low sodium soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce. We made this with a bed of white rice but you can simply make brown rice or quick cauliflower rice for a keto-friendly option.

Stir fry beef and broccoli in pan

What Kind of Meat for Beef and Broccoli?

The good thing about beef and broccoli is that the meat options are quite economical. For this recipe I am using flank steak. It’s lean, has fewer calories and less fat than other cuts of beef. Flank steak is very flavourful and tender if you don’t overcook it and cut it against the grain. If you can’t find flank steak, you can also use flat iron steak, top sirloin, or loin tip. You can enjoy this dish with ground turkey or ground beef as well.

slicing beef against the grain

How to Prepare the Meat?

  1. Slice the meat into THIN 1/8″ pieces.
  2. Cutting against the grain is the best way to make tough meats soft and less chewy when you cook it. Look for the direction of the fibres along the beef (vertical lines). Cut across the fibres at 90 degrees to shorten the muscle fibres.
  3. Marinate the beef in soy sauce 30-45 minutes before cooking. Giving the meat some time to marinate will allow it to absorb all the flavours.

Healthy Beef and Broccoli Recipe

Servings: 4 , Prep Time: 30 minutes, Cook Time: 10 minutes.

healthy beef and broccoli in bowl

Make this easy beef and broccoli as your meal prep to enjoy all week! There’s plenty of sauce to enjoy if you choose to add an extra 0.5 lb of flank steak. Eat right away or store in fridge for up to 4 days.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. lean flank steak (such as top sirloin, or loin tip) thinly sliced
  • 3 Tbsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch
  • 1 lb broccoli florets
  • 1/3 cup sliced white onion
  • 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp freshly grated ginger or ginger powder
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper (to taste)
  • Water as needed
  • Olive oil or coconut oil, for cooking

Directions

  1. In a bowl, whisk together arrowroot powder, 3 tbsp of the soy sauce. Add beef to mixture and leave to marinate for 30-45 minutes.
  2. In another bowl, whisk together 1 tbsp arrowroot powder, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and ginger.
  3. Heat oil large non-stick pan to medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add beef. When beef is almost fully cooked, remove from pan.
  4. Cook broccoli florets with onion in same pan. Add wet sauce and cook for 1 minute.
  5. Toss beef back in a stir until thicken.
  6. Serve with rice and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

  • Slice your steak into thin slices (1.8” Thick). You may want to freeze the beef for 30 minutes to make it easier to slice.
  • Slice your beef across the grain, this will breakdown the muscle fibres and make it easier to chew when cooked.
  • Add beef to the pan when the skillet is hot. Sear, do not overcook the meat.
  • If you choose to steam or boil broccoli prior to adding it in your stir-fry, make sure to only cook for 1-2 minutes. You will be cooking the broccoli again with the sauce in the stir-fry.
  • Customize this recipe with other vegetables (ex. green onion, broccolini, mushrooms, bell peppers).
  • Add chilli oil or red pepper flakes for added heat if desired.
Mixing sauces for healthy beef and broccoli
cooking beef and broccoli in pan on stove
healthy beef and broccoli in bowl

Nutritional Information: Healthy Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Calories: 267, Protein: 4.6g, Fat: 9g, Carbs: 19.8g, Sugars: 4.9g

*Nutrition calculated without rice, for low calorie option use cauliflower rice!


Takeaway

Save time by marinating the beef in advance or cook a larger batch for the week.

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