Healthy Beef and Broccoli Recipe

Skip the takeout, and make this healthy beef and broccoli recipe at home instead! Tender flank steak and steamed broccoli are coated in a sweet and tangy teriyaki sauce. Combined in a single skillet, it’s a family-friendly meal you can have on the table in minutes. 

You will Love this Healthy Beef and Broccoli Recipe!

I’m a big fan of Asian-inspired recipes like honey sesame chicken and teriyaki salmon noodles. However, I don’t always love the ingredients used in restaurant varieties. So, I do my best to recreate my favorite dishes at home instead, and this beef and broccoli teriyaki is one of my absolute favorite recipes!  

Made with a homemade teriyaki sauce, it’s naturally dairy free, gluten free, soy free, and refined sugar free. Plus, it's full of protein, nutrients, and fiber, too. 

Even better, it comes together with minimal prep time and a total time of less than 30 minutes! It's so tasty, that even the pickiest eaters approve. One bite and you'll never go back to restaurant versions again!

Healthy Beef Broccoli Ingredients

Sauce

• Coconut aminos - This creates a classic teriyaki flavor without the need for soy sauce. However, soy sauce will work too but you might want to skip the additional salt.
• Sesame oil - Used to provide a subtle, nutty taste. A bland olive oil or lightly flavored oil will work as well.
• Ginger - Opt for freshly grated ginger instead of ginger powder for a strong, bright, slightly tangy taste. 
• Garlic - Freshly chopped garlic will provide the strongest flavor, but garlic powder can be used too if that’s what you have on hand. 
• Arrowroot starch - This helps thicken the sauce. Swap with cornstarch if needed.

Meal 

• Olive oil - Used to cook the broccoli and steak. I prefer the savory flavor of olive oil, but avocado oil or coconut oil works, too. 
• Broccoli - Use fresh or frozen broccoli. Just make sure it’s thawed first. 
• Flank steak - Flank steak is a very large thin piece of meat. Trim any excess fat along the edges. Then, cut it in half along the grain (should be the short side of the steak). Next, cut against the grain to slice the meat into very thin bite-sized pieces. 
• Rice - I use brown rice, but white rice will also work or even quinoa.

Best beef for beef and broccoli

Because it cooks so quickly, the best cuts of beef for this recipe are tender and lean varieties. I prefer to use flank steak, but you could also use top sirloin steak, top round steak, or tri-tip steak. 

How to Make Beef and Broccoli (Healthy)

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Prepare the sauce. Add the coconut aminos, water, sesame oil, honey, minced garlic, ginger, and sea salt to a bowl, and whisk well to combine. 

Step 2: Create a slurry. In a separate small bowl, whisk the arrowroot starch and a spoonful of the teriyaki sauce until combined. It will be very thick, like a paste! Add the mixture to the sauce bowl, and stir until it combines and dissolves. 

Step 3: Steam the broccoli. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, and add two tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, add the broccoli florets, and place the lid on the skillet. Steam the broccoli until it is soft, and transfer it to a separate bowl. 

Step 4: Cook the steak. Add the remaining oil to the skillet along with the strips of steak. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until it is medium rare.

Be sure not to overcook it since it will continue to cook as you add the broccoli and sauce.

Step 5: Combine the ingredients. Add the broccoli back to the skillet, and pour the sauce on top. Gently toss to combine and coat the ingredients. Then, allow them to simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the skillet from the stove once the sauce has reached your desired thickness. 

Beef with Broccoli Recipe Tips

• Try to let the flank steak sit at room temperature for about an hour before preparing the recipe. Beef cooks more evenly when it’s not chilled, and it will soak up more of the flavors.
• Cut the steak into thin, bite-sized slices. Flank steak can be a leaner cut of meat, making it more difficult to cut once cooked.
• Stir the arrowroot starch into a spoonful of the sauce in a separate bowl before adding it to the entire sauce mixture. This allows the starch to fully dissolve into the sauce so you aren’t left with clumps of starch.
• Only cook the flank steak until it’s just cooked through as it will continue to cook as the sauce and broccoli are added.

How to Tenderize Beef

There are several ways to tenderize beef for stir-fry recipes. For example, you could marinate the steak strips in the teriyaki sauce before cooking. 

However, to achieve restaurant-quality beef that practically melts in your mouth you want to use a method called velveting beef. 

1. Sprinkle ¾ teaspoon of baking soda over your steak strips. 
2. Toss to coat, and let the meat rest for 30 minutes. 
3. Rinse the baking soda off, and use clean paper towels to pat the beef dry. 
4. Follow the recipe as usual. 

What to Serve with Beef and Broccoli

I love to serve this recipe over a bed of brown rice topped with sesame seeds! However, you could also pair it with white rice or your favorite noodles. 

How to Store this recipe for Beef and Broccoli

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days. When ready to enjoy, warm up a serving in the microwave in 20-second intervals until warm.

Freezing Healthy Broccoli Beef

Leftover healthy beef and broccoli can also be frozen for several months. Just keep in mind that the broccoli will likely become a bit softer once thawed. 

Healthy Beef Broccoli Recipe FAQs

For more quick meals, try my: 

PS : If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star review and comment below! Also be sure to follow along with me on Instagram and Pinterest to stay up to date on all tasty recipes here at The Fit Peach!

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Recipe

Beef with Broccoli Recipe (Healthy Version)

Skip the takeout, and make this healthy beef and broccoli recipe with simple ingredients in less than 30 minutes at home instead!

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 691kcal

Author: Ansley Beutler

Equipment

• 2 Mixing Bowls
• 1 Large Skillet

Ingredients

  

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For the sauce

• ⅓ cup coconut aminos
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• 3 teaspoon arrowroot starch

Meal ingredients

• 3 tablespoon olive oil - divided
• 1 head broccoli - cut into florets, about 3 cups
• 1 lb flank steak - cut into thin strips*
• 2 cups rice - I used brown rice
• Sesame seeds - to garnish

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

• Prepare the sauce by adding the coconut aminos, water, sesame oil, honey, minced garlic, ginger, and sea salt to a bowl. Whisk well to combine.
  ⅓ cup coconut aminos, ⅓ cup water, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 clove garlic, 1 teaspoon ginger, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
• In a small bowl, add the arrowroot starch with a spoonful of the sauce. Stir well to combine. This will be very thick, almost like a paste. Add the paste to the sauce bowl and stir until it’s dissolved into the liquid. Set aside.
  3 teaspoon arrowroot starch
• Heat a large skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the broccoli florets. Place the lid on the skillet and allow the broccoli to steam until soft, about 3 - 5 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to a separate bowl and set aside.
  3 tablespoon olive oil, 1 head broccoli
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet along with the strips of flank steak. Cook the steak for 1 - 2 minutes on both sides. Depending on the thickness of your steak, it shouldn’t take long to cook. You want the steak to be medium rare as it will continue to cook in the sauce.
  1 lb flank steak
• Add the cooked broccoli back to the skillet and pour the sauce over top. Gently toss everything together and allow the sauce to simmer for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken up as it heats up. Remove the skillet from the stove once it’s reached your desired thickness.
• Serve the beef and broccoli over rice of choice (I love to serve mine with brown rice), garnish with sesame seeds, and enjoy!
  2 cups rice, Sesame seeds

Notes

*Cutting the steak - Flank steak is a very large thin piece of meat. Trim any excess fat along the edges, then cut it in half along the grain (should be the store side of the steak). Then cut against the grain to slice the meat into very thin bite-sized pieces. 

Storage : Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. When ready to enjoy, warm up a serving in the microwave in 20-second intervals until warm.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 691kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 641mg | Potassium: 982mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 947IU | Vitamin C: 136mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 4mg

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