Beef and Broccoli
This is the best beef and broccoli recipe - the secret is letting the beef sit in baking soda to tenderize it. It takes a bit of prep to chop the meat and veggies, but cooks up in minutes! This meal is also gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free. Better than takeout 100%!
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
Beef and Broccoli:
- 1 1/2 lbs flank, skirt, or sirloin steak
- 1 1/2 tbsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- 3 tbsp peanut, avocado, or vegetable oil any high heat oil
- 1 1/2 lbs broccoli, chopped into bite size florets, stalks peeled and chopped if using
Sauce:
- 1/2 cup beef broth or water
- 1/3 cup coconut aminos or liquid aminos or soy sauce
- 2 tbsp fish sauce or sub more coconut aminos/soy sauce
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar or 1 1/2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp dried ginger or thumb size knob fresh ginger, grated
- 1/4 tsp Sriracha or pinch of red chili flakes
For serving:
- 2 cups jasmine rice or rice noodles, cauliflower rice, or sautéed cabbage
- 2 green onions, chopped optional garnish
- 1 tbsp chia seeds or toasted sesame seeds optional garnish
- pinch red chili flakes optional garnish for extra heat, if desired
Instructions
- Trim the fat and slice the steak as thinly as possible against the grain (it helps to use partially frozen steaks for quick and easy slicing). Add to a non-metal bowl (use glass, ceramic, or plastic) along with the baking soda and toss to combine. Let sit for at least 15 minutes (or up to 30).
- Put on a pot of rice if desired. I cook jasmine rice in my Instant Pot with a 1:1/12 ratio of rice:water and run the rice cycle with a quick pressure release when timer is up. Turns out perfect every time!
- Meanwhile, chop the broccoli and prepare the sauce by adding all sauce ingredients to a jar and shaking to combine (or whisk in a bowl). Set aside.
- After 15 minutes, rinse the beef well under cold water in a colander to get rid of all the baking soda (it will not taste good if you leave it on!).
- Pat the meat dry with paper towel and then toss with 1 tbsp cornstarch and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper.
- Heat a large skillet or wok with the oil until very hot.
- Stir fry the beef in batches, adding only enough to make a single layer in your frying pan (otherwise the beef will boil instead of sear). Let the strips sear nicely on one side, then toss to sear the other side until both sides are seared, a minute or two per side. Remove to a plate (do not overcook). If too much liquid is building up in the pan from the meat, drain it off quickly in the sink and return to the heat so it can sear properly. Repeat until all beef is seared.
- Add broccoli to the hot pan and stir fry for a minute or two until it turns vibrant dark green in colour. Add a splash of water to slow down the cooking if the pan is too hot/dry.
- Add the sauce to the broccoli and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula. Bring to a boil and lower heat to simmer until broccoli is just cooked and sauce is slightly thickened, a minute or two.
- Add the beef to the broccoli and sauce and toss to combine. Turn off heat.
- Serve immediately over a bed of rice or rice noodles (sautéed cabbage or cauliflower rice would be good low carb options!). Garnish with chopped scallions, chia or toasted sesame seeds, and red chili flakes for heat if desired.
