This is Better than take-out! healthy beef and broccoli stir fry with Juicy flank steak paired with fresh broccoli florets and tossed in a thick, and flavorful stir fry sauce. This recipe is not only delicious but is also whole30 friendly, paleo, gluten-free, and soy-free too.

Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry is one of my favorite comfort foods growing up. My dad has the best stir fry recipe!

Since I have been craving Asian food a lot lately, I had to recreate this beef stir fry and give it a healthy twist of my own.

Some other flavorful and healthy Asian recipes you may also love:

  1. Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry (Whole30)
  2. Slow Cooker Korean Short Ribs
  3. Whole 30 Sticky Asian Meatballs

What’s your favorite when it comes to Chinese take-out food?

I love to eat stir fry because it’s a great way to incorporate a lot of vegetables in a tasty way, but the take-out versions are loaded with salt, fat, and refined carbs.

This healthy version of beef and broccoli stir fry is just as tasty as take-out (almost as good as my dad’s authentic version).

Even better? It is whole30, paleo, gluten-free, soy-free and easy to make too!

.

Why Do I Love This Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry?

Gluten Free Beef and Broccoli, Stir Fry Beed and Broccoli topped with Sesame Seeds

I have gotten asked a lot about what I’ve been craving during my pregnancy so far.

There have been a lot of cravings and aversions but one thing that I have been loving throughout pregnancy is Asian cuisine, my ultimate comfort food.

This healthy beef and broccoli stir fry is perfect during the cold weather months (or all year round really).

Moreover, it makes a balanced meal with both protein and vegetables that the whole family can enjoy.

Additionally, it’s easily customizable, so you can add any vegetables that you like and change them up so that you have a variety of options.

This stir fry can also be frozen, so this is a perfect meal prep recipe where you can make a large amount ahead of time and pull it from the freezer as you need it.

What’s better than healthy, tasty, easy comfort food?!

.

Ingredients Needed to Make Healthy Broccoli Stir Fry

Flank steak- a flavorful piece of meat, very lean. Best when marinated.

Arrowroot flour- used for thickening the sauce; helps the sauce to stick to the beef and broccoli. Used in place of corn starch to make this recipe whole30 friendly.

Broccoli- full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Carrots- loaded with vitamins including vitamin A, K, and C, along with potassium and fiber.

Ingredients for the healthy dish, Broccoli Florets, Shredded Carrots

Garlic- great for immune support, reducing blood pressure, lowering the risk of heart disease, and is a good source of antioxidants.

Cooking oil- oils like olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil work best.

Coconut aminos- used in place of soy sauce for a whole30 friendly option.

Rice vinegar- great for using in marinades.

Garnish- sesame seeds and green onion.

*Optional: Whisky – It is the closest I can find in the US to replace “Huang Jiu” (Yellow Rice wine), one is my dad’s secret weapon in his Chinese cooking.

.

How to Make Healthy Beef and Broccoli stir fry

Prepare the flank steak trips, coconut aminos and salt pepper.
Marinate the steak with coconut aminos, salt, and pepper.

While the steak is marinating, sauté broccoli in a pan with cooking oil and remove when cooked thoroughly.

Heat cooking oil until simmering, add beef and garlic into the pan
Sear the beef and garlic until the beef is half cooked.

Be mindful to not overcook the beef; if thinly sliced it will cook quickly.

How to make the stir fry sauce for the beef and broccoli stir fry. Coconut Aminos
In the meantime, in a small dish whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce.
Add the carrots to the pan with beef and garlic.
Once the carrots cook for a couple minutes and become tender, add the broccoli back to the pan.
Stir fry all the ingredients together for a couple of minutes or until everything is cooked to the preferred texture.
Slowly pour the sauce into the pan and stir until the sauce thickens and coats all ingredients evenly.

Tips on Making the Best Healthy Beef Stir Fry

1. What Kind of Steak Can I Use For Stir Fry?

Stirring the beef and broccoli topped with sesame seeds

While flank steak is my favorite beef to use and also seems to be one of the most popular choices, skirt steak, sirloin steak, and rump steak can work for stir fry as well.

Skirt steak- similar to flank steak, it just comes from a different area on the animal. Best when marinated.

Sirloin steak- also works best when marinated. Sirloin tips or center cuts are best.

Rump steak- lean, flavorful tender cut; cooks best when thinly sliced.

.

2. What Other Vegetables Can I Use For Beef Stir Fry?

Beef and Broccoli in serving bowl with rice, Chop sticks

For variety, try adding different types of vegetables to your stir fry.

Some vegetables that I find work well with this recipe are:

  • Broccolini
  • Mushrooms
  • Water Chestnuts
  • Boy Choy
  • Snow Peas
  • Green Beans
  • Red Peppers

The possibilities are endless!

Additional Tips for Perfect Stir Fry

A pan of beef and broccoli stir fry with carrots and sesame seeds on top.
  1. Slice beef very thin; place in freezer for ~10 minutes for easier cutting.

2. Prepare all of your ingredients before turning on the heat.

3. Add ingredients based on cooking time- vegetables that take longer to cook should go into the pan first.

4. Stir often to make sure all the ingredients are cooked evenly and stir fry sauce is coated thoroughly.

5. * Optional: I love adding 1 – 2 tbsp of whisky when marinating the beef. My dad always says meat needs alcohol to bring out the flavor. Additionally, the alcohol content significantly reduces underheat and ends up with a subtle sweet flavor.

.

How to Serve Beef Stir Fry with Broccoli

Chopsticks used to show the beef in the stirfry

Serve your delicious beef and broccoli stir fry over your favorite rice or cauliflower rice if you want to keep it low carb and whole30 friendly!

You could also add an extra serving of vegetable stir fry if you need to get more veggies in for the day.

How to Store Healthy Beef and Broccoli

You can store your beef and broccoli in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop for best results.

Guess what!?  You can freeze it too!

This healthy stir fry will last up to 1 month in the freezer, so go ahead and get your meal prep on. To serve, leave it on the kitchen counter to thaw for a few hours then reheat in a microwave or stovetop.

What’s your favorite thing to add to stir fry? Leave a comment below!

Get the recipe:Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry (Whole30)

Yield: 6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
This healthy beef and broccoli stir fry is whole30 friendly, paleo, gluten-free, and soy-free. Easy to make and perfect for the whole family.
4.60 stars (61 reviews)
Print Recipe Rate Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

Beef Stir Fry

  • 1.2 – 1.5 lb Beef Flank Steak
  • 1/4 cup cooking oil, divided for stir-frying
  • 1/2 head of broccoli
  • 1 carrot, cut into slices
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 2 -3 tbsp coconut aminos, beef marinate
  • salt, or to taste – beef marinate*
  • 1 tbsp arrowroot flour, beef marinate

Stir Fry Sauce

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Cut the flank beef steak into medium/thin strips, marinate with coconut aminos, salt, and arrowroot flour. (Marinate while doing next steps- or for 20 minutes prior)
  • While the beef is marinating, clean then chop broccoli into small florets, lightly sauté with 1 – 2 tbsp of cooking oil for 3 – 4 minutes (while they still appear to be bright green).
  • In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the stir fry sauce. Set aside.
  • Heat 2 – 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sautee the marinated beef and minced garlic for 3- 4 minutes then add sliced carrots. Continue to stir and cook until the beef is close to cooked through (another ~2 – 3 minutes depending on how thin you cut the beef).
  • Stir in broccoli then the stir fry sauce.
  • Turn the heat to low and stir gently until the sauce becomes sticky and thoroughly coat the beef and broccoli stir fry.
  • Serve the beef stir fry on a bed of rice and garnish with sesame seeds or chopped green onion (optional).

Notes

  1. * When salting the chicken, take into consideration that the coconut aminos is salty itself.
  2. ** Use a little less water or stock if you are working with less beef . 1/4 cup is for 1.5 lb of beef for this stir fry.
  3. *** Check out my ONE secret ingredient under "Tip for the Best Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry".
  4. For a more flavorful dish- you can marinate and let sit in the fridge the morning of the day you will cook this dish
Serving: 1g, Calories: 363kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 33g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g, Cholesterol: 90mg, Sodium: 505mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 6g

The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.

Author: Shuang Shuang Liang
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOUR CREATIONS! YOU CAN USE “TRIED IT” ON PINTEREST OR SHARE ON INSTAGRAM BY TAGGING #SHUANGYSEATS

A bowl of healthy beef and broccoli stir fry with rice. there are green onion garnish on top and a pair of chopsticks on the side.