Do you love meat but are not a fan of veggies? Welcome to my world, where fitting greens into your diet can be challenging! This beef and broccoli stir fry will help you maintain your health with a yummy and healthy recipe.
As much as we all love meaty dishes, vegetables are essential for maintaining health and well-being. Broccoli, for instance, is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants that protect us from chronic diseases. The easiest way to include this vegetable is by pairing it with a meaty, savory dish like beef broccoli stir fry.
Marinated with a blend of bold spices and sauces, like black pepper, oyster sauce, and soy sauce, the tender beef slices become irresistibly juicy when cooked. As the beef hits the oil and starts sizzling, the meat develops a savory, caramelized crust that packs a delicious punch with each flavorful bite!
Surrounded by flavorful beef and coated in a delicious stir-fry sauce, the fresh broccoli tastes so yummy that even the kids can’t wait to dig in. Here’s the easy to make recipe for the delicious beef and broccoli stir fry meal that brings the whole family together!
Ingredient Substitutions You Can Use To Make This Easy Beef and Broccoli Recipe
The recipe I am going to share today is pretty straightforward. However, it includes making a sauce and marinating the beef with different spices and seasonings. In case you don’t have all the ingredients at hand or want to avoid certain items for dietary preferences, I have prepared some substitutions for you:
Soy Sauce
If you want to avoid soy sauce due to gluten, a great alternative would be tamari sauce. Tamari comes with the same flavor profile as soy sauce, except it’s wheat-free. It’s also a bit less salty than soy sauce, so you can choose this option if you are watching your sodium intake. Use tamari in equal amounts in place of soy sauce.
Alternatively, you can swap soy sauce for coconut aminos if you are allergic to soy. Coconut aminos are also gluten-free and bring a mild, sweeter flavor to make this recipe.
Oyster Sauce
Out of oyster sauce in your kitchen? It happens to me so often that I always keep the alternative ready just in case!
You can easily replace oyster sauce with soy sauce or one of its alternatives as they have a similar taste. Just add a bit of sugar in the sauce and your alternative is ready to roll! For a vegetarian option, you can use mushroom sauce or hoisin sauce to keep the flavor profile intact.
Cornstarch
For gluten-free alternatives, tapioca starch is a great option. You can replace cornstarch with a 1:1 ratio of tapioca starch.
Alternatively, you can use chia seeds for a healthier option. However, chia seeds may add a slightly grainy texture to the dish.
Sugar
Many people prefer to avoid added sugar in their dishes and for this recipe, it’s not crucial to add it either. Instead of sugar, use natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup. To add more depth to the dish, you can use brown sugar instead.
Vinegar
If you don’t like the strong acidic taste of the vinegar, use rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead. Both of these vinegars have milder acidity which doesn’t overpower the dish. You can also use a squeeze of lemon juice or a small amount of lemon extract as a substitution.
Tips For Making Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Overcooked broccoli becomes soggy and has an unpleasant, fishy smell. To prevent broccoli from getting overcooked, boil the broccoli only briefly for about 2 minutes. After adding the broccoli to the stir-fry, keep the stove at a high temperature so the vegetables stay crisp throughout the cooking.
- For this recipe, the stir fry sauce should be thick enough to coat the beef and veggies without being too runny, like a curry dish. If the sauce becomes too thin, consider adding cornstarch to thicken it a little bit. You can make this cornstarch slurry by mixing 1-2 tsp of cornstarch with 1 tbsp of water. After adding the slurry, simmer the sauce for a few minutes until it thickens to your desired consistency.
- It’s always a good idea to taste your dish at different stages of cooking. Start with a small amount of salt and seasonings and adjust as necessary. If you find the sauce has become too salty, add a little amount of sugar or honey to balance the flavor of the dish.
- While preparing the meat and vegetables, make sure the beef and the broccoli are cut into uniform sizes. This helps all the beef slices to get cooked evenly while the broccoli remains tender and crisp.
- If the dish tastes too spicy after your cooking is done, serve it with a side of yogurt or dairy-based sauce to counteract the heat and provide a soothing contrast.
Recipe Card
Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe | Easy Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry Dinner
Ingredients
For Beef Marination
- 500 grams Beef (Thinly Sliced)
- 1 tbsp / 15 ml Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp / 15 ml Oyster Sauce
- ½ tsp / 2 g Baking Soda
- ¼ tsp / 1 ½ g Salt
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp / 8 g Cornstarch
For Stir-Fry Sauce
- 2 tbsp / 30 ml Light Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp / 15 ml Oyster Sauce
- 1 tsp / 5 ml Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp / 15 ml White Vinegar
- ½ tsp / 3 g Salt
- 1 tbsp / 12 g Sugar
- 2 tbsp / 16 g Cornstarch
- ½ tsp / 1 g Black Pepper
- 1 cup / 250 ml Water
For Cooking
- 500 grams Broccoli
- 2 tbsp / 30 ml Cooking Oil (Divided)
- 1 tbsp / 8 g Garlic (Minced)
- 1 tbsp / 7 g Ginger (Minced)
- 1 tsp / 2 g Chili Flakes
- 1 tsp / 5 ml Sesame Oil
- Sesame Seeds (For Garnish)
Instructions
Marinate The Beef
- Take a mixing bowl and add 500 grams of thinly sliced beef.
- Pour light soy sauce and oyster sauce into the bowl. Sprinkle baking soda, salt, and black pepper over the beef, then add 1 tbsp of cornstarch to the mixture.
- Use your hands to mix the beef with all other ingredients. Marinate it for 30 minutes.
Prepare The Stir-Fry Sauce
- In a small mixing bowl, add 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar.
- Sprinkle ½ tsp of salt, 1 tbsp of sugar, 2 tbsp of cornstarch, and ½ tsp of black pepper over the sauce.
- Add 1 cup of water to the mix.
- Use a fork to combine all the ingredients until they dissolve and the sauce is smooth. Set the sauce aside for later use.
Boil The Broccoli
- Place a deep cooking pot filled with water on the stove and bring it to a boil.
- Once the water is boiling, add 500 grams of broccoli to the pot. Use a spoon to press down and submerge the broccoli completely in the water.
- Boil the broccoli for 2-3 minutes.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the broccoli from the boiling water and drain any excess water.
Beef Stir Fry
- Grab a large skillet or pan and put it on the stove over high heat.
- Pour 2 tbsp of cooking oil into the skillet and heat it until the oil is smoking hot.
- Add the marinated beef slices to the skillet and spread them across the pan using a spatula.
- Cook the beef for 4-5 minutes.
- Flip the beef slices once one side is brown. Keep stirring and flipping until both sides are brown and cooked through.
- Transfer the beef to a separate plate and keep it aside.
Saute Ginger-Garlic and Add Broccoli
- In the same skillet, add another 1 tbsp of oil.
- Toss in 1 tbsp of minced garlic and 1 tbsp of minced ginger.
- Add 1 tsp of chili flakes to the skillet and fry for a few seconds.
- Add the boiled broccoli to the skillet.
- Stir to coat the broccoli with the spice and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Combine Broccoli and Beef
- Add the cooked beef slices to the skillet.
- Pour in the stir-fried sauce you prepared earlier into the mix.
- Add 1 tsp of sesame oil to the sauce.
- Stir to combine everything and cook for 1 more minute until the sauce is thickened.
Garnish, Serve and Enjoy!
- Garnish the dish by sprinkling some sesame seeds over the beef slices.
- Serve it hot with plain rice, and enjoy!
Video
This stir-fried dish not only satisfies your meat cravings but also sneaks in tender, crisp broccolis to balance your meal in terms of flavor and nutrition. With meat and veggies in one tasty package, it brings the best of both worlds and gives you a meal that’s so rewarding that you will be going back for seconds! I hope you enjoy this recipe and it quickly becomes a favorite addition to your family meals.
Recipe FAQs
You can add various vegetables, including mushrooms, bell peppers, peas, carrots, baby corn, zucchini, green beans, and spinach.
You can add 1 tbsp of your favorite hot sauce while preparing the stir-fry sauce. Alternatively, you can add red pepper flakes as a garnish to increase the spiciness of the dish.
You can pair beef and broccoli stir fry with plain steamed rice, fried rice, noodles, spring rolls, steamed dumplings, kimchi, etc.
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