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This easy Ground Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry is your go-to for a quick, weeknight dinner that's both delicious and satisfying!
Ground Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
This easy Ground Beef and Broccoli is a healthier alternative to take-out! I adore Chinese food, but cooking from scratch helps me stay on track with my health goals. This dish features lean ground beef, broccoli, and onions simmered in soy sauce, honey, ginger, and garlic. If you’re a fan of beef and broccoli, you might also enjoy my Broccoli Beef with flank steak or Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry. For more homemade take-out options, check out my General Tso’s Chicken or Spicy Shrimp Fried Rice.
How To Serve
You can serve this delicious stir-fry over white rice, jasmine rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice. For an extra veggie boost, consider adding blanched asparagus, peppers, or zucchini. Enjoy, and let me know in the comments if you love this dish as much as I do!
What is beef and broccoli sauce made of?
Many beef and broccoli sauces are heavy and greasy due to excess oil and sugar, often lacking the right balance of sweet and savory. In this recipe, we’ve lightened and perfected the sauce with just a few key ingredients:
- ½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce, or gluten-free tamari
- 1 tablespoon honey (instead of sugar!)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil (you actually don’t need a lot of oil!)
What are the benefits of eating beef and broccoli?
Lean ground beef (preferably from humanely-raised animals) is a great source of protein and packed with essential vitamins and minerals, especially iron and zinc. Broccoli is an underrated superfood, offering fiber, protein, and a wealth of nutrients including iron, potassium, calcium, selenium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, E, K, and several B vitamins like folic acid. This lighter version of Ground Beef and Broccoli uses less sugar and oil than most recipes—substituting honey for sugar and using just ½ tablespoon of sesame oil—making it a genuinely healthy Chinese food option.
How do you blanch broccoli?
This recipe uses blanched broccoli, which is a quick and easy way to cook vegetables. Simply bring a large pot of water to a boil, add the florets, and cook for two to three minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Drain in a colander and then transfer to an ice bath (a large bowl of ice water) to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, drain the broccoli again.
This easy Ground Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry is your go-to for a quick, weeknight dinner that's both delicious and satisfying!
Course: Dinner Cuisine: Chinese
Equipment
- large deep skillet
Ingredients
- ½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce, or gluten-free tamari
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 pound ground beef, 93% lean
- ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large head broccoli, cut into florets and blanched*
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 3 medium scallions, sliced on the bias
- cooked rice, or cauliflower rice, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and cornstarch. Set aside.
- Add the sesame oil to a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is just about cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Pour in the reserved sauce, stir to combine, and cook for 1 minute. Add the broccoli and cook for 1 more minute.
- Divide mixture evenly among 4 plates or shallow bowls, layering rice first, if using.
- Top each with sesame seeds and scallions.
