Tender steak and crunchy veggies are coated in an amazing homemade sweet and spicy sauce in this easy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry! It’s a healthy weeknight dinner that’s done in 20 minutes.
Quick & Easy Beef Stir Fry with Broccoli
Next time you’re tempted to call your local Asian restaurant and order takeout, hang up the phone and make this stir fry instead. It’s loaded with fresh veggies, hearty steak, and the most sumptuous sweet & sour stir fry sauce you’ll ever taste. Plus, it makes for great leftovers! That is, if it doesn’t all disappear the night you make it.
This homemade stir fry was inspired by the Mongolian beef I ordered at a Chinese/Japanese fusion restaurant near my house. I asked them to add some of my favorite veggies so that it wasn’t just the beef, and I seriously could not stop eating the stuff! The wonderfully light stir fry sauce coated each veggie and every chunk of beef with a layer of pure deliciousness.
This version—dare I say it—is even better than the dish I ordered that day. It has everything I loved about the Mongolian beef and more. I like to cook the veggies lightly so that they still have some crunch to them, but you can make them more tender if you’d prefer. Either way, this healthy stir fry is guaranteed to earn a spot in your regular dinner rotation.
What You’ll Need
Most stir fry recipes instruct you to coat the protein in flour or a cornstarch drench, but not this beef and broccoli one! It uses arrowroot instead, a healthier option that keeps things gluten-free and paleo.
For the Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Flank Steak: Or skirt steak, thinly sliced.
- Arrowroot: You can find this versatile white root powder in the spice aisle.
- Grapeseed Oil: This type of oil has a high smoke point that makes it ideal for stir frying.
- Brown Rice Noodles: You could also use regular brown rice or make your own cauliflower rice for a paleo version of this meal.
- Broccoli Florets: Rinsed and thoroughly dried.
- Red Pepper: Rinsed, dried and thinly sliced.
- Garlic: Freshly minced.
For the Sweet and Spicy Sauce
- Tamari Sauce: You can use low-sodium soy sauce if you’re not gluten-free or vegan.
- Water
- Ground Ginger: Also called ginger powder.
- Spicy Mustard: Use your favorite brand.
- Honey: This enhances the subtle sweetness provided by the ginger powder.
- Red Pepper Flakes: Feel free to add these to taste based on the level of spiciness you prefer.
- Arrowroot: To thicken the sauce.
- Sesame Seeds & Sliced Green Onions: Optional, to garnish the dish.
Which Cut of Beef is Best?
Flank steak and skirt steak are our preferred cuts of beef to use in stir-fries. They’re tender, lean, and easy to chew when you cut them into thin slices against the grain. Other good options include top round, sirloin and New York strip steak.
How to Make Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
This beefy lunch or dinner comes together in a snap. Here’s how it’s done:
- Coat Steak in Arrowroot: Add the sliced steak to a large ziplock bag with 1 tablespoon of arrowroot. Toss to coat the steak and let it sit inside the bag.
- Cook Noodles: In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the brown rice noodles to the water, stir them around and cook for 4-5 minutes (don’t overcook the noodles). Immediately remove the noodles from the pot and drain them with cold water.
- Cook Beef: Heat a wok or large skillet to medium-high heat. Add the grapeseed oil to the pan and stir fry the beef for about 3-4 minutes, turning it over to brown each side throughout the cooking process. Remove the browned beef from the pan and set it aside on a plate.
- Cook Veggies: Immediately add the broccoli, red pepper and garlic to the pan. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Make Sauce: In the meantime, whisk together the tamari, water, ginger, mustard, honey, red pepper flakes and arrowroot in a small bowl.
- Combine Beef, Veggies & Sauce: Add the cooked beef and the sauce into the pan with the vegetables. Stir everything together, then cover the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Once the sauce has thickened, remove the pan from the heat.
- Serve Over Noodles: Serve the beef and broccoli stir fry on top of the rice noodles. Add sesame seeds and sliced green onions if desired.
Tips for Success
This is one of the very first stir-fries I started making at home. Here are some helpful tips and tricks I’ve picked up along the way!
- Slice the Steak Against the Grain: There’s a general rule of thumb to follow whenever you’re working with steak – slice it against the grain. In other words, you should cut across the tiny muscle fibers running through the meat. Breaking up these muscle fibers makes for maximum tenderness.
- Use This Hack to Get Thin Slices: If you’re having trouble cutting the steak into nice, thin slices, simply pop it into the freezer for about half an hour and try again. This will firm up the steak and make it easier to cut.
- Rinse & Dry the Veggies: Be sure to give your vegetables a quick rinse to wash away any potential dirt or pesticides. Then dry everything off with paper towels as best you can.
- Don’t Overcook the Noodles! As soon as the rice noodles have softened, drain them in a strainer while spraying them with cold water. Overcooking them will create a starch buildup, which you definitely want to avoid.
- Thin Out the Sauce if Desired: If you find the sauce to be too thick, stir in a small amount of water at the end of the cooking process. Add 1 tablespoon at a time until you’re happy with the consistency.
Variation Ideas
Let’s go over a few ways to change up this recipe. You can use it to create any kind of stir fry you’re craving!
- Swap Out the Protein: Not in the mood for steak? Try making this dish with pork tenderloin, chicken, shrimp or tofu instead.
- Turn Up the Heat: If you’re looking to make an extra spicy stir fry, you can always throw in some sriracha sauce or chili powder. Yum!
- Add More Vegetables: Any veggies can be subbed in or added to this stir fry as you see fit. Corn, peas, bok choy and mushrooms are all amazing options.
Serving Suggestions
In addition to serving your beef and broccoli stir fry over noodles or rice, you may want to add some simple side dishes to the mix. I’ve got some fail-proof ideas:
- Serve with Cucumber Salad: This 10-minute Cucumber Salad is the perfect companion for your homemade stir fry. It’s an Asian-style side dish that won’t disappoint.
- Serve with Sushi Rolls: You won’t believe how easy it is to make these Stacked California Sushi Rolls. Featuring creamy avocado, fluffy jasmine rice, tender shrimp, crunchy cucumber slices and more, they’re sure to impress your dinner guests!
- Add a cocktail: I’m never one to say no to a good cocktail! Try this Hugo Cocktail or this Spicy Margarita.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
This beef and broccoli stir fry will last for up to 4 days in the fridge. Make sure you store it in an airtight container after it has cooled all the way down to room temperature.
Reheat large portions on the stove over a low-heat burner, adding a splash of oil and stirring frequently to ensure even cooking. Individual servings can be microwaved in a heat-proof bowl. Warm the stir fry for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each interval and reducing the microwave time accordingly.
Can I Freeze This?
Yes – to freeze this stir fry, first wait until it has cooled completely. Then place individual servings in separate freezer bags in case you want to thaw and reheat them one by one. Squeeze all the air out of the bags before sealing them. Freeze your stir fry for up to 2 months and thaw it out in the fridge before reheating it.
Print20 Minute Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Chinese
Description
Tender steak and crunchy veggies are coated in an amazing homemade sweet and spicy sauce in this easy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry! It’s a healthy weeknight dinner that’s done in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- 1 lb. flank steak or skirt steak thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon of arrowroot
- 1 tablespoon grape seed oil
- 8 oz. brown rice noodles
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves
For the Sweet and Spicy Sauce
- 1/4 cup tamari sauce
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon spicy mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot
- Optional: top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions
Instructions
- Add flank steak to a large ziplock bag with 1 tablespoon of arrowroot. Toss around to coat and let sit.
- In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add brown rice noodles to the water, stir and cook for 4-5 minutes. (DO NOT OVER COOK THESE OR THEY WILL BE STARCHY) Immediately remove from pot and drain with cold water. Let sit.
- Heat a wok or large skillet to medium high heat. Add grape seed oil to the pan and the stir fry beef. About 3-4 minutes. Turning to brown each side throughout.
- Remove beef from the pan and place on a plate.
- Immediately add broccoli, red pepper, and garlic to the pan. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Stirring occasionally.
- In the meantime, to a small bowl add tamari sauce, water, ground ginger, spicy mustard, honey, red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon of arrowroot. Whisk to combine.
- Add the beef back to the pan with the vegetables and add the sauce into the pan. Stir everything together. Then cover for 2-3 minutes and stir fry. Once the sauce is thickened you should be ready to serve.
- Serve the beef and broccoli stir fry on top of the rice noodles. (optional: top with sesame seeds and sliced green onions)
Notes
- To Store & Reheat: Refrigerate cooled stir fry in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat large portions over low heat, adding a splash of oil and stirring frequently. Individual servings can be microwaved in a heat-proof bowl for 30 seconds at a time.
- To Freeze: Place individual servings of cooled stir fry into separate freezer bags, squeeze the air out, seal and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup + rice noodles
- Calories: 508
- Sugar: 13 g
- Sodium: 583 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 66 g
- Fiber: 10 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
Keywords: stir fry with beef, beef broccoli stir fry, easy stir fry sauce
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6 comments on “20 Minute Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry”
I’ve got some rice noodles I know what to do with now! 😉
Super yummy, and I love those crunchy veggies! This might be dinner tonight!
No need to order takeout when you have this recipe saved. Saving for later!
★★★★★
No reason to order takeout after seeing this recipe!
★★★★★
This is my kind of dinner!! I love it!! I can’t wait to try this recipe!!
I love a great tasty and quick meal and this is right up my alley!!