Healthy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

This healthy beef and broccoli stir fry is better than takeout! This recipe combines thinly sliced and seared steak and crisp tender broccoli, and it’s all tossed in a super flavorful savory sauce. The entire recipe cooks up in one pan! Serve alone or over rice or cauliflower rice for the perfect weeknight stir fry.

Got a busy week ahead? Add this healthy beef and broccoli recipe to your meal planning list! This quick and easy asian-inspired beef and broccoli stir fry is a rendition of one of my favorite takeout dishes. It’s packed with protein, perfectly crisp-tender veggies, and is covered in a savory stir fry sauce. In fact, this recipe is even better than takeout! And best of all, you can make it quicker than the time it would take to get takeout delivered.

As a mom of two, it’s hard to find dishes that the whole family will eat. This healthy beef and broccoli recipe is one that everyone will gobble up. It’s got just the right amount of seasoning, and the sauce is a little salty, savory, and sweet.

And best of all, it’s a one-pan dish! I love when I only have one skillet to clean. With prep work, the whole thing comes together in just 30 minutes. It also fits a variety of needs. Serve it over cauliflower rice for a paleo beef and broccoli recipe!

What You’ll Need to Make Healthy Beef and Broccoli

There are just a few simple ingredients you’ll need to make this healthy beef and broccoli recipe. The ingredients are fresh, healthy, and super flavorful. Here’s what you’ll need:

For the Stir Fry:

• Beef (sirloin, skirt, or flank steak)
• Avocado oil (or cooking fat of choice)
• Broccoli florets 
• Water
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Green onions
• Sesame seeds, for garnish
• Rice or cauliflower rice, for serving

For the Sauce:

• Coconut aminos
• Toasted sesame oil
• Red Boat fish sauce
• Garlic cloves
• Fresh ginger
• Arrowroot flour
• Red pepper flakes
• Hot water

How to Make Healthy Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry

The best part about this healthy beef and broccoli recipe is that it’s incredibly easy to make. Just prep your beef, cook the broccoli and steak, and toss it in the sauce! Here’s how to make it in five easy steps:

1. Prepare the beef. Thinly slice the beef into bite-sized strips, about ¼ inch thick.
2. Cook the broccoli. Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the broccoli florets, 1/4 cup water, and a small pinch of sea salt. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. 
3. Make the sauce. Whisk together all of the ingredients for the sauce. Set aside.
4. Cook the steak. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the remaining avocado oil to the skillet. Season the steak with the salt and pepper. Add the steak slices to the pan in a single layer and cook until browned, about 2 minutes each side. Cook the beef in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pan.
5. Combine and serve. Add all of the steak pieces back to the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low. Pour the sauce into the pan and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the broccoli and green onion to the pan, and stir-fry for another minute. Serve with a sprinkle of sesame seeds over rice or cauliflower rice.

What’s the Best Beef for Stir Fry?

Most tender cuts of beef, including flank, skirt, and sirloin, are best for stir fry recipes. When stir frying steak, thinly slice the steak against the grain into strips that are about 1/4 inch thick. If you have a steak that’s on the larger side, you can cut the strips at an angle, or cut longer strips and then cut them in half. Ideally, you want the strips of beef for stir fry to be about 3 inches in length.

The Secret Lies in the Skillet

For the perfect golden color, make sure your pan is hot before adding the beef. When you place the beef in, you should hear a sizzling sound. Sear the beef in one layer without disturbing it for about 2 minutes, and then flip to the other side. Stay close—you want the golden color to appear, and then get it out of the pan. I highly recommend cooking the beef in two batches. This will cut down on cooking time, and allow the beef to get a nice sear without overcooking it.

From my experience, this is best done in a stainless steel pan. While I typically use ceramic cookware, I have a large 12-inch stainless steel skillet for searing dishes just like this one!

How Do I Store Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry?

Beef and broccoli stir fry stores great in the fridge or freezer, which makes it ideal for meal prep! Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. If you want to freeze this recipe for meal prep, simply store it in a sealable silicone storage bag. It will last in the freezer up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to eat it, just let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then, reheat it in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through. Serve it with fresh rice or cauliflower rice.

Paleo Beef and Broccoli

Looking for a low carb or paleo beef and broccoli recipe? This is it! Because the ingredients are simple, both the stir fry and sauce are paleo friendly. If you have a different fish sauce other than Red Boat fish sauce, check the ingredients to make sure there are no sugars or other additives. When serving beef and broccoli, skip the rice and serve it alone or over cauliflower rice for a low carb meal.

Can I Make Substitutions?

Sure can! However, this is where I make that special note that you won’t get the same consistent results if you vary from the original recipe. But, if you find yourself short, here’s a few swaps you can make when preparing healthy beef and broccoli stir fry:

• Avocado oil: Use a cooking oil of your choice.
• Coconut aminos: Coconut aminos is a delicious alternative to soy sauce that is gluten free and soy free. It’s made from the sap of the coconut palm. You can swap this for soy sauce, however, soy sauce has about 60-70% more sodium than coconut aminos. Because of this, you’ll need to use only 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and 3 tablespoons water in place of the coconut aminos.
• Toasted sesame oil: Use olive oil instead.
• Arrowroot flour: You can swap this for tapioca flour.
• Garlic: Swap out the fresh garlic for 1/4 tsp garlic powder.

Cooking Tips + Tricks

• Skirt steak, flank and sirloin work best in this healthy beef and broccoli recipe.
• To make it easier to cut the steak thinly, freeze the thawed steak for 30 minutes prior to cutting the slices.
• The strips of steak should be about three inches in length.
• I highly recommend using avocado oil for this recipe as has a high smoke point.
• Make sure to use coconut aminos for the sauce, not liquid aminos.
• For the perfect golden color, make sure your pan is hot before adding the beef. Sear the beef in one layer without disturbing for about 2 minutes, then flip to the other side.
• When searing the beef, don’t overcrowd the pan. Even with a larger 12-inch skillet, you’ll get better results working in two batches.
• Swap out the fresh garlic for 1/4 tsp garlic powder.
• Don’t pack in the freshly grated ginger when making your measurement. It will compact down and release water and you’ll end up overdoing it.

What I Love About This Healthy Beef and Broccoli Recipe

• I kid you not, this healthy beef and broccoli recipe tastes better than takeout!
• This recipe contains simple, nourishing ingredients. It’s packed with veggies and protein.
• While this dish is unique and flavorful, the prep work is kept to a minimum.
• This is a one-pan paleo beef and broccoli recipe!
• This dish can be made with a variety of cuts of beef, so use whatever you got in the freezer!

Stocking the Pantry

I personally use Thrive Market for most of my pantry needs because it saves me some cash—especially when it comes to commonly used items like coconut aminos and Red Boat fish sauce. For a complete list of my recommend pantry items and what I use in my home, check out my Baking and Cooking Resources Page.

Other Recipes You’ll Love

• Easy Mini Meatloaf
• 15-Minute Egg Roll in A Bowl
• Sheet Pan Chicken, Broccoli, and Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Herb Aioli
• Creamy Crockpot White Chicken Chili
• Chicken Broccoli Cauliflower Rice Casserole

What did you think about this healthy beef and broccoli stir fry? Let me know in the comments below!