Flavor packed Whole30 and Paleo Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry that’s easy to make, ready in 20 minutes, uses takes one pan, and only calls for 10 ingredients!
We’ve been making this paleo beef & broccoli stir fry since my last Whole30 in April and it’s about time I’ve got it up on the blog! Super easy, flavor packed, and comes together in less than 20 minutes.
And who doesn’t love some classic Chinese food?! While this might not be the real deal you can find in Chinatown, it is pretty dang delicious and isn’t loaded with MSG, strange thickeners, and hidden flours.
Chinese was a staple for us growing up during the cooler months. My mom loves it and once the weather got cold, we would probably get it a couple times a month, either on the weekend or when she didn’t feel like cooking. I never ordered beef & broccoli though – I was more of a sweet & sour chicken kind of girl. I mean it was pretty much chicken nuggets haha.
But Michael loves beef and broccoli and introduced it to me awhile back. While it’s not something I would order out, I love making it at home! It’s packed with protein, veggies, and a savory sauce with a little kick that I want to pour all over everything. And I know exactly what is going into it.
How to make Paleo Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry (Whole30)
This Whole30 & paleo beef & broccoli calls 10 ingredients total. Beef & broccoli are obviously the main ingredients and then you need 7 other ingredients to make the sauce. It makes the whole dish super flavorful while being super easy to make. This is what you need:
- flank steak
- broccoli
- coconut aminos
- sesame seeds
- lime juice
- fresh garlic
- fresh ginger
- red pepper flakes
- salt & pepper
I tested this recipe quite a few times and there are some key factors in making the best beef & broccoli. First, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce. Next make sure you cut your beef very thin. I suggest popping it in the freezer for 10 minutes so it is easier to slice.
Then make sure to liberally season your beef with salt and pepper to give it some flavor. Since it is sliced so thin, you only need to cook it for 30 seconds or so per side. Make sure not to overcrowd it – I did mine in a few batches. It will come back in the pan at the end so keep that in mind as well. No one likes overcooked beef.
After you cook the beef and remove it from the pan, you cook the broccoli in the same juices and a little of the sauce. Once that is cooked to your preference, you thicken the sauce. This is where your patience comes in.
You need to let it reduce and simmer for 3-4 minutes. You will be able to tell when you can run a spatula through it and leaves a trail. Finally you add back all the ingredients, give it a good stir, and you have your easy and healthy beef and broccoli!
It takes a few steps, but I promise it’s worth it!
Beef & Broccoli Meal Prep
Beef & broccoli makes great for meal prep. If you have a family of 4 or want leftovers, I would suggest doubling the recipe. Michael and I can eat almost the whole recipe it’s that good.
It saves great as leftovers and makes an easy meal prep dish to prep on the weekends! I love storing it in these compartment meal prep containers with some cauliflower rice or (white rice if you aren’t doing the Whole30) to make an easy balanced meal.
More Easy Paleo Recipes
Whole30 Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo
Whole30 Shrimp & Butternut Squash with Curry Peanut Sauce
Sausage, Pepper, & Rice Soup (Paleo/Whole30)
Paleo Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry (Whole30)
Ingredients
- 1 pound grass fed flank steak, thinly sliced*
- 2 heads broccoli, florets removed (7 cups/465 grams)
- 3/4 cup coconut aminos
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon spicy sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper, to taste
- optional toppings: sesame seeds, green onions
Instructions
- In a small bowl, make the sauce by combining the coconut aminos, lime juice, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Liberally season the sliced steak with salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and let it get hot. Add slices of beef, without overcrowding, and cook 30 seconds per side. Remove from pan and repeat with remaining beef (I had to do this in 3 batches).
- Leave the beef juices in the pan and add chopped broccoli. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of the sauce and cover with a lid. Cook for 3-5 minutes until tender. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add remaining sauce to the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce to medium low and cook until thickened and coats the back of a spoon, about 3-4 minutes. Add back in beef and broccoli and stir to combine and heated through, about 1 minute. Serve with cauliflower or white rice, top with optional toppings, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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This recipe is my favorite one of Kelly’s and my hubby agrees! so so delicous
It’s one of my husband’s favorites too! So glad you guys like it!!
This is delish! I didn’t have any sesame seed oil so subbed olive oil with sesame seeds ha somehow I think the flavor would be slightly different but it is still an awesome quick meal! I also added chicken only because I neeeded to use it up.
Love that you made it your own Kim! Thanks for trying it and glad you enjoyed!
So simple and quick. But tons of flavor. Love the kick if the red pepper flakes. Husband cleaned his plate!
So glad y’all liked it! I’m all about the spicy kick too! Thanks for trying Kari!
If I don’t have fresh ginger, would ground ginger work? If so, how much would you recommend?
Yes, that should work just fine! Dried herbs/spices are usually more concentrated so it’s recommended to do about 1/3 the amount. The fresh ginger is about a tablespoon, so I would use a teaspoon. Let me know how it goes!
We loved this recipe! Doubled it for lunch leftovers. I actually steam my broccoli in the microwave for 3 minutes or so, leaves it nice and crisp, just like take-out!
Oh I love that tip Laura! So glad y’all liked it, thank you for trying!!
This was SOOO good! I did not have spicy sesame oil so I did half sesame oil / half hot sauce. I also don’t think I tolerate cauliflower all that well so I put the beef and broccoli over garlic mashed potatoes. Topped it with sesame seeds and green onions. Thanks for making Day 8 of my Whole30 darn good!
That is a genius idea with the hot sauce! So glad you liked it and thanks for trying it Mandy!
Where do all the carbs come from?
The coconut aminos have about 3g carbs per tablespoon so that adds up some. Then the broccoli contributes some.
Just made this tonight. I have to say it was wonderful and better than what I would get for takeout. And better for me!! I was worried I wouldn’t have enough sauce but there is no need to worry. Two containers are waiting for lunches!!
Yay for leftovers for lunch! So glad you liked it Renee, thanks for trying it!
This is one of my family’s go to recipes! It’s quick, simple and absolutely delicious.
The tip about freezing the beef for a few minutes is a tots game changer!
We typically serve with cauliflower rice and double up the sauce. It reheats and freezes well
So glad y’all love it Megan!! I’m happy to know it freezes well too! Thanks for trying it!
This was SO GOOD & so simple! My boyfriend also enjoyed it! It was our first time doing Whole30 & I used a lot of these recipes! Will definitely make again!
So glad you both liked it Ashley!! Thank you for trying it!
Do you think this would taste decent with ground beef instead of flank steak?
Yes, I think so! The flavor would be a little different as ground beef is a little fattier, but still delicious! I would just drain some of the juice out of the pan if there is a lot from the beef. Hope that helps.
Made this tonight. Didn’t have sesame seeds (I was out) and I barely had 1/4c aminos left. BUT- it came out amazing. I added a little water to get some more out of the sauce and reduced it a bit less and it’s still so great. Big hit!
If your family isn’t a big broccoli fan, don’t combine them at the end. Sauce the meat, plate it. Sauce the veggies after, plate it. It’ll keep everything from getting the broccoli taste. Separating them for leftovers, if you even have any, will help that too.
I love this! So glad you were able to make it work and I love those tips as well! Thank you for trying it Amanda!
I made this for my family with young kids and they gobbled it up. I added some carrots which were a great addition. My husband hasn’t been a fan of the Whole30 recipes I have found in the past, but this one knocked it out of the park! I am looking forward to trying more on your blog. Thank you 😊
Yay, so glad to hear that Lynnae! Always love when the whole family approves. Thank you so much for trying it and love that you added some more veggies!
I made this last night and we absolutely loved it! Your tip
about cooking the steak in small batches and for a very
short time were appreciated! Made the steak so tender. The
sauce was amazing! Definite keeper 😋
Yes, I feel like it helps so much, just need some patience haha! Thank you so much for trying it Susan!
Amazing dinner! Next time I’m going to make 1.5x the sauce– perfect balance of sweet (from the coconut animos) and spicy.
Can never go wrong with more sauce! So glad you liked it and thanks for trying it Arielle!
GREAT recipe! Thank you so much. We made this for our weekly meal prep and it was a hit amongst the entire family. We amped up the red pepper a bit because we love spicy food. Other than that we followed it exactly. I look forward to trying more of your recipes. Keep up the great work!
Hi Elizabeth! So glad you enjoyed it and thank you so much for trying! I love the addition of more red pepper flakes – I love anything spicy too!