Ground Beef and Broccoli
This easy Ground Beef and Broccoli stir-fry is perfect when you need a quick and healthy weeknight dinner! We’re transforming simple ground beef into a takeout-style dinner with lots of fresh broccoli, garlic, ginger, onion, and a homemade stir fry sauce.
This recipe relies on mostly pantry staples and freezer items so it’s the perfect dinner to throw together when you’re short on time and ingredients!
Table of Contents
Takeout-Style Beef & Broccoli Made with Ground Beef
Throwing together a stir-fry is my go-to move when I need to get dinner going but I’m lacking inspiration and I need to use up ingredients from the fridge. As much as I love ordering takeout, I can’t afford it night after night so I do my best to make a healthier at-home version!
This recipe is an homage to my love of takeout beef & broccoli, but we’re using some jazzed-up ground beef and it makes the recipe extra affordable and really easy to make.
My trick is to add a little baking soda to the ground beef which changes the pH. This keeps the ground beef tender while allowing it to brown which adds tons more flavor! Say goodbye to boring ground beef because this recipe will change all your stir fries from here on out!
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Key Recipe Ingredients
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities & method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Ground beef. I like using 85/15 grass fed ground beef, but you can use any ground beef, including lean ground beef.
- Broccoli. Make sure that the broccoli is cut down into bite-sized pieces.
- Onion. I like yellow onion, but any onion can be used.
- Green onion. I like the subtle onion flavor that green onions add.
- Garlic & ginger. Thinly sliced garlic and ginger add tons of flavor.
- Stir fry sauce. You can use store bought sauce, but I like to make my own with soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch.
How to Make Ground Beef and Broccoli
- Mix the ground beef with salt and baking soda. This may sound unconventional, but it makes a huge difference! Adding baking soda increases the pH of the meat, keeping it moist as it cooks while allowing it to brown better which gives it more flavor. After mixing, let the meat sit for 15 minutes.
- Mix the stir fry sauce. While you can use store bought stir fry sauce, making your own is so easy! Just whisk everything together in a small bowl and you’re ready to go. The cornstarch help the sauce thicken and cling to the ground beef and broccoli.
- Brown the ground beef. My trick for making ground beef and broccoli starts by pinching off bits of meat so that you have chunks instead of finely ground meat. This step takes the recipe to the next level!
- Saute the vegetables. After the beef is browned, remove it from the pan with all but 2 tablespoons of oil. Then, you’ll cook the broccoli, onion, and garlic in the pan until the onion is soft and the broccoli is browned.
- Add the beef and stir fry sauce to the pan. After the broccoli is browned, add the beef back to the pan and pour in the sauce. Let everything cook together for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce is thick and coats the beef and broccoli well.
Customizing Your Stir Fry
This is an easy recipe to adapt to what you have on hand! I love stir fries for their versatility and the ability to use up any meats or veggies that I have on hand.
Switch up the protein. Obviously this is a great recipe for using up ground beef, but you could swap in chicken, ground pork, diced pork tenderloin, shrimp, or even tofu! This recipe lends itself to just about any meat or protein with great results.
Swap the veggies. I love mushrooms, red bell pepper, and zucchini but some other great options would be green beans, snap or snow peas, baby corn, bok choy, cabbage, etc. You can pretty much toss in any veggie in addition to the broccoli!
If you do give this recipe a try, I love hearing about it! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram.
More Ground Beef Recipes to Try
Best Ever Ground Beef Chili
Beef Stroganoff Meatballs
Ground Beef Enchilada Skillet
Beef Kofta Kebabs
Mexican Picadillo
Italian Meatball Soup
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One Pan Ground Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
Beef & Broccoli
- 1 lb grass-fed ground beef (85/15)
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 12 oz broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
- sesame seeds, for garnish
Stir Fry Sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger or ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Prep the ground beef. Add the ground beef to a small mixing bowl and sprinkle the salt, white pepper, and kosher salt over the top. Use your hands to mix the meat well, so that the spices are evenly distributed. Let the meat sit for 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.
- Cut the green onions. Cut the white/light green parts of the green onion into 1 inch pieces. Thinly slice the dark green parts and keep them separate.
- Make the stir fry sauce. In a small bowl, stir the brown sugar and warm water together until the sugar is dissolved. Whisk in the soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, and sesame oil. Sprinkle the cornstarch on top and whisk until there are no lumps. Set the sauce aside.
- Brown the beef. Preheat a large wok or nonstick skillet over medium heat for a full 5 minutes. Drizzle the oil into the pan so that the surface is well coated. Use your fingers to break off small pieces of the meat into the pan. The goal is to have larger, chunky pieces rather than a finely ground mixture. Let the beef cook for 3-4 minutes undisturbed until brown on one side, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to a bowl and discard all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat left in the pan.
- Saute the broccoli and onion. Add the broccoli to the pan and let it cook for 3-4 minutes, until it’s starting to brown. Add in the chopped onions, sliced garlic, and the white/light green parts of the green onion. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is starting to soften.
- Add the sauce. Return the beef to the pan with any juices and pour in the sauce. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, until the sauce is thick and coats the beef and broccoli. Sprinkle in the rest of the green onions and some sesame seeds and serve over steamed rice.
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