Crispy Beef With Broccoli
Crispy beef with broccoli is the perfect recipe to make on any night when you need a nutritious, easy dinner but don’t want to compromise on flavor. Stir fries are perfect option for weeknight dinners because they’re packed with healthy veggies and meat, while pairing them with a tasty sauce to satisfy your cravings. This recipe is only 11 ingredients and ready in 30 minutes — the perfect recipe to jazz up your weeknight meals.
Can you make crispy beef with broccoli in advance? I recommend making crispy beef and broccoli right before serving in order to keep the beef as crispy as possible. If you’re okay with the beef losing some of the crisp, you can prepare it up to one day in advance, just be prepared for the beef and broccoli to soak up some of the sauce and become more tender than if you had cooked it right before serving.
What to serve with crispy beef with broccoli? The best side dish to serve with crispy beef with broccoli is freshly steamed rice. Rice as a side dish serves as the perfect accompaniment to the saucy, crispy beef and will soak up all of the flavor of this dish perfectly.
Can you use frozen broccoli when making crispy beef with broccoli? Yes, you can definitely use frozen broccoli when making this recipe. I recommend sautéing the broccoli as instructed in the recipe and then draining any excess water that may develop in the pan from the ice thawing before continuing the recipe.
What cut of meat to use for crispy beef with broccoli? For this recipe, or any stir fry dish, I recommend using thinly sliced flank steak. To accomplish very thin strips, you can partially freeze the steak and use a very sharp knife to make small strips of meat. If you’re looking to save time when making this recipe, often grocery stores will sell already thinly sliced beef labeled as “beef stir fry,” and this works perfectly when making crispy beef with broccoli.
Can you make beef with broccoli with ground beef? Yes, you can definitely substitute ground beef for flank steak when making this recipe. The only adjustment you’ll need to make is skipping the step where you toss the beef with cornstarch and fry it, instead you’ll just brown the meat in a tablespoon of olive oil and continue with the rest of the recipe as is.
How to thicken beef with broccoli sauce? The key to this sauce being thick is cornstarch. Cornstarch is a gluten free, starchy powder that will add luscious texture to any sauce when used properly. Here are tips for success when using cornstarch:
Add cornstarch to a liquid (in this case, broth) and mix thoroughly before adding to the pan. Cornstarch will become clumpy and won’t thicken the sauce properly if you add the powder directly to a pan without combining it with a liquid first.
Bring the sauce to a boil after you add cornstarch to reach peak thickness and cook off any raw cornstarch flavor or texture.
Why does this recipe call for liquid aminos as an option instead of soy sauce? I love cooking with liquid aminos because it has just as much flavor as soy sauce without all of the added sodium. I often find that you’re able to get a deeper, richer flavor when using liquid aminos compared to soy sauce because you can use more of it. With that being said, you can easily substitute soy sauce for liquid aminos in this recipe, I just recommend using less of it to compensate for the salt added.
Can you substitute any other vegetables for broccoli in crispy beef with broccoli? Yes, there are so many vegetables that go perfectly with the sauce and beef in this recipe, consider substituting broccoli for (or even just adding) one of the following:
Carrots
Snow peas
Cauliflower
Red bell pepper
Mushrooms
Zucchini
How to make beef with broccoli:
Crispy Beef With Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 lb flank steak
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 tbsp olive oil, separated
- 1 large head of broccoli
- Sesame seeds, for serving
- ½ cup of broth (chicken or beef)
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp fresh grated ginger
- 2 tsp grated garlic, about 3 cloves
- 6 tbsp liquid aminos (or 4 tbsp soy sauce)
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
Instructions
- Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
- Thinly slice flank steak and toss with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Add the meat to the skillet and fry the strips until they’re golden brown and crispy on all sides. Don’t rush this step, it takes about 15 minutes to fully brown every piece of beef.
- Meanwhile, chop the broccoli into florets.
- Remove the beef from the skillet and set aside, turn the heat down to medium-low, add an additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the broccoli. Stir fry the broccoli for about 5-7 minutes, until the broccoli is cooked and tender.
- While the broccoli is cooking, assemble the sauce in a small bowl on the side.
- Once the broccoli is ready, add the beef and sauce to the pan and stir fry all of the ingredients together for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce is thickened.
- Top with sesame seeds and serve immediately.
Notes
This recipe originally calls for liquid aminos instead of soy sauce. I recommend using liquid aminos because it develops a deep, rich flavor without the added sodium in soy sauce. However, you can easily substitute soy sauce for liquid aminos in this recipe, I just recommend using about 1/3 less of it to compensate for the added salt.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
937.92Fat
56.48 gSat. Fat
11.19 gCarbs
53.4 gFiber
8.59 gNet carbs
44.83 gSugar
23.18 gProtein
58.13 gSodium
463.43 mgCholesterol
136.08 mg
