Super fast Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry will make you want to skip the classic takeout meal and opt for a healthier, tastier version at home.
I would be lying if I told you the main reason I make stir-fry is because it’s fast. Nope. Not the reason. In fact, I grew up eating stir-fry for dinner once a week and was burned out on the meal by age 11. It was one of my Dad’s weekly meal requests and Mom happily made it— probably because it took less than 20 minutes to prepare. The reason I make stir-fry is because it’s the ONLY way Joey will eat [ok chew and spit out] broccoli. Seriously! This beef and broccoli stir-fry is toddler and Mom approved. I should stop cooking everything else, right?!
I turn to ground beef more often than not when I’m in need a fast and healthy weeknight meal. In fact, since I started the Protein Challenge last month I actually cook a few extra batches of ground beef each week to add into egg scrambles at breakfast, quick microwaved quesadillas at lunch, or added to this stir-fry. How? Well once I’ve cooked the veggies I throw in the cooked beef + sauce and heat through before serving! So you are actually saving yourself a cooking step by making a batch ahead of time! If there’s one lesson I learned from participating in the Protein Challenge it’s that the more healthy foods I prep on the weekend, such as browning a batch of lean ground beef, the more likely I’m going to eat well balanced meals throughout the busy week. So take an hour or two on Sunday and do just that! Here’s a cheat sheet I also referenced for some protein-rich foods I could prep ahead on the weekend to make sure I was getting enough protein throughout the day.
I’m usually intimidated by Asian sauces and ingredients, but after some recipe testing, I came up with one simple stir-fry sauce that includes ingredients you are sure to have in your pantry. And as far as the add-in’s go, feel free to mix and match whatever veggies you have on hand! And if you’d rather have steak vs. ground beef, more power to you. But as you can probably tell from many of my recipes, we are a ground beef eating family. And once I have a nutritious meal I know all the boys gobble down, I do not. I repeat. I do not change it up. Enjoy!
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice
- 1 lb. lean ground beef [93% lean or leaner]
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Cook rice as directed on package.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add Ground Beef; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into small crumbles and stirring occasionally. Remove from skillet.
- In the same skillet, add oil and turn up heat to high. Add onion, garlic, broccoli and cauliflower. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring consistently.
- Add soy sauce and sesame oil. Continuing cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes until sauce is heated through.
- Serve with rice and Sriracha sauce [optional].
Disclosure: I am proud to partner with the Michigan Beef Industry Commission to bring you healthy recipes that are both kid tested and parent approved. Because of these great partnerships I am able to share delicious and nutritious family-friendly recipes. As always all opinion and ideas are 100% my own.
Yum! I will try this. I like the idea of using ground beef, I have a hard time sauteeing strips of beef and having them not dry out.
This sounds amazing! I like to add edamame to a stir-fry or nuts such as cashews or slivered almonds. Yum!
We like to do stir fry every once in a while too, and we use a similar recipe as well. We like adding onions and especially carrots because we don’t really eat the vegetable otherwise. We have also done okra and garlic a couple times, which we found surprisingly delicious.
Ooh! I really like this! This could be a great weeknight meal for my roommates and I! The one loves stir fry!
Looks yummy! Do you have any alternatives other than soy sauce for this dish to make it lower in sodium?
I love making stir fry for my family and throwing in whatever we have on hand!
We make stir-fry about monthly and I only recently started making it with ground beef rather than steak (although I still do that too). It’s such a time save and easier for the kids to eat. I don’t know why I never made it that way before!
Great weeknight meal idea for using leftover ground beef and veggies! I’m also going to try with steak and add some ginger.
I’m the same about being intimidated with Asian recipes…nice to have an easy go to for stir fry. My fam loves stir fry and they would really love this one. I haven’t made beef and broccoli at home but my husband loves ordering it out!
When my brother was little, stir fry was the only way he would eat broccoli, too! Must be universal among toddlers 😛 This looks so delish, especially smothered with sriracha!