It’s no surprise this Healthy Beef and Broccoli recipe is a family fave, since it’s easy to make, absolutely delicious, and ready in just 15 minutes! This Beef and Broccoli is great for meal prep, is clean-eating, paleo, and keto-friendly, and is easily altered for GF diets.
This Healthy Beef And Broccoli recipe is one of our favorite family meals. And, when I say favorite meals, I mean we probably have it at least every other week. Ooh, and it makes a yummy meal prep lunch, too!
Not only is this delicious, it's also super fast to prepare and healthy, too.
If you liked Beef and Broccoli, then check out my Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe! The rich, slow-cooked flavors make it a great addition to your recipe collection.
While we often have this beef and broccoli just by itself, it's really yummy with some simple steamed brown rice. Serving it with rice is also a great way to make this recipe go further for more servings (hello, budget meal prep!).
If you liked Beef and Broccoli, then check out my Healthy Homemade Chili recipe! The rich, slow-cooked flavors make it a great addition to your recipe collection.
If you enjoyed this Beef and Broccoli recipe, then you'll also enjoy Sheet Pan Beef Kebabs, Healthy General Tso Chicken | Better Than Takeout!, and Healthy Meatloaf | With A Tasty Glaze.
If you’re a fan of my Beef and Broccoli, then my Healthy Broccoli Cheddar Soup is a must-try for a cozy, nutritious twist on a classic favorite!
In This Post You'll Find:
Reasons You'll Love It
- Great meal in 15 minutes.
- Another great meal prep idea.
- A healthy take on a favorite takeout.
- Fits many different diet preferences.
Watch Me Make Healthy Beef And Broccoli
Is Beef and Broccoli Healthy?
Unfortunately, restaurant-style beef and broccoli tneds to be
- very high in sodium
- contain added sugars
- fried in unhealthy oils
So, instead, let's make a healthier version of Beef and Broccoli:
- cook the ingredients in olive oil instead of deep-frying anything (less trans fats)
- use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar (less refined sugar)
- used low sodium soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce (less sodium)
- serve with steamed brown rice, not fried rice (but if you want fried rice that's actually healthy, you could check out this healthy cauliflower fried rice recipe)
For more healthy takeout options, check out my post on 3 Healthier Takeout Options to Make at Home!
How To Make Beef And Broccoli
Step 1: Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until well-browned, about 6-8 minutes. Once well-browned, remove from pan and set aside.
Step 2: In the same pan, add garlic, shallot and green onions to the beef drippings. Cook one minute, stirring frequently. Add broccoli and cover for 5 minutes.
Step 3: In a small mixing bowl, combine water and arrowroot starch and mix until no longer lumpy. Combine soy sauce, coconut sugar, ginger and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Add arrowroot starch mixture and stir to combine. Set aside.
Step 4: Remove cover from pan and add sauce. Cook until sauce starts to thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Add beef and stir to combine, cooking an additional 2-3 minutes.
Step 5: Serve over brown rice, if desired.
How To Make Beef Tender (Not Chewy)
I use flank steak because it is very flavorful and full of nutrients without too much fat. Because flank steak can be tough when overcooked, I really pay attention to when the meat is fully cooked through, and then I slice it very thinly across the grain. With any steak you choose for this recipe, however, you'll want to slice it ACROSS the grain.
Why do we do this? Slicing across the grain makes the beef more tender and not chewy. It means you're not eating the entirety of a muscle fiber but instead a bunch of cross-sections. This is the difference between very chewy meat and very tender meat.
Pro Tip: If you pop it in the freezer for 20-ish minutes and allow it to just start to freeze, you will more easily be able to slice the beef into thin slices. This is a technique I use with my Keto Philly Cheesesteak Peppers, too.
How To Store
This beef and broccoli stores very well in the fridge or freezer, making it a great make-ahead meal for meal prep. If properly stored in an air-tight container (like these meal prep containers), leftover beef with broccoli will last 5-6 days in the refrigerator.
You can also freeze your beef and broccoli to store it for longer. To freeze it, store it in airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags (I like these reusable storage bags). You can store beef with broccoli for up to 4-5 months in the freezer.
When ready to enjoy, allow to thaw overnight in the fridge, and then reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through. You can also reheat thawed beef and broccoli on the stove in a fry pan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
Substitution Ideas
The good news is it's very easy to swap out ingredients for this recipe to suit your diet. As written, this recipe complies with clean-eating, paleo, Whole 30, and keto. Here are some common substitutions to help you out for other healthy lifestyles.
- Vegan or Vegetarian Substitutions: Replace steak with tofu or mushrooms.
- Gluten-Free Substitutions: Replace low-sodium soy sauce with liquid aminos or GF soy sauce.
- Red Meat Substitutions: Replace steak with chicken, shrimp, tofu, or mushrooms.
Did I miss a substitution you need? Add a comment below and let me know!
Beef Meal Prep Ideas
- Sheet Pan Beef Kebabs
- Keto Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers | Keto Meal Prep
- Easy Meal Prep Salisbury Steak Recipe
- How to Marinate Tri Tip
- 7 Best Steak Marinades
- 7-Day Meal Prep For Weight Loss
15-Minute Healthy Beef and Broccoli
Equipment
- Skillet
- mixing bowl
*This post may contain affiliate links for products I use often and highly recommend.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1 ½ lbs flank steak, very thinly sliced across the grain
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 4 cups broccoli florets, about 2 small crowns
- 2 tablespoon arrowroot starch
- ¾ cup water
- ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until well-browned, about 6-8 minutes. Once well-browned, remove from pan and set aside.
- In the same pan, add garlic, shallot and green onions to the beef drippings. Cook one minute, stirring frequently. Add broccoli and cover for 5 minutes.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine water and arrowroot starch and mix until no longer lumpy. Combine soy sauce, coconut sugar, ginger and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Add arrowroot starch mixture and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Remove cover from pan and add sauce. Cook until sauce starts to thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Add beef and stir to combine, cooking an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Serve over brown rice, if desired.
Anna
This was such a delicious recipe and so easy to make! I had a craving for Chinese, but didn't want to order in, so you saved the day! Thanks so much for sharing.
Alyssa
This was delicious! And so easy to make. You're absolutely right - it's a no fail recipe! The quick video on how to make it was incredibly helpful. Can't wait to search your website for more recipes and subscribe to your e-newsletter!
Erin
LOVED this! So delicious and easy. I used a giant bag of frozen stir fry mixed vegetables and this was so quick and easy. Cutting the meat takes the most time, but it is worth it. So tender! Sauce is also addictive. I used flour instead of cornstarch and it worked just fine.
Kimberly
SO Good!!!
Matt Schindler
Just started getting into cooking this year. Made this last night and it was delicious AND didn’t take longer than posted (30 minutes). I’ll definitely keep this in the rotation. Thanks!
Jorge
Just made this, came out really good. Very simple to make.
Doreen Tucker
Made this for my parents tonight, they loved it! As I'm a vegan, I'd like to try it with tofu instead of the steak.
Laura
Love this recipe! We actually add sugar snap peas and carrots to it and it is wonderful with all the extra veggies!
I've also marinated the beef in some lime juice and a bit of soy sauce beforehand to give a little extra kick. Delicious
Heisenburg
Made this for me and my picky girlfriend. Its one of our new favorites. Thumbs up on this one!
Roze
Made this last night and it was super yummy! We ate it without rice too!
Richard
I made this today for my family and they loved it. They asked me what I'm making tomorrow for dinner and I laughed at them. Not knowing what half these things were or how to chop them, it took me a bit of time. However it was well worth it, not only for what I've learned today, but because the meal turned out so well. I left out the coconut sugar and cornstarch, and used a spoon with drain slots to serve. I will definitely be making this again.
Miss Tawo
I doubt I will find coconut sugar at my local grocery store (Lagos, Nigeria) . What can I sub it with? Welldone Lacey!
Lacey Baier
You can use raw honey.
Aanchal
Hi Lacey ,
I made this today.
It took me way longer than the time specified but I was prepping as I go . The taste was fabulous & I appreciate your detailed pictures & explanation .
I cooked it in rice bran oil , topped it up mushrooms , sesame seeds & sesame oil too . Added brown sugar & corn starch. Voila . Thankyou for posting it . Kind regards, aanchal.
Denny
Can one use jasmine rice with this dish
Honey
You can use any kind of rice you want, obviously.
Heath
I tried this with bell peppers and onions instead of broccoli and it was awesome. Thanks!
Mary
Wonderful recipe! I used 1 1/2 lbs of the flank steak and added 50% more of the other ingredients and it worked out great! Also, I added some mushrooms after the broccoli was almost finished cooking and let them cook for a short time before adding the sauce and beef back in to heat through. My 12-year-old daughter and husband loved it, so I'll definitely be making it again - I might even add some snow peas next time!