Diabetic Friendly Beef and Broccoli Recipe

It's no surprise this Healthy Beef and Broccoli recipe is a family fave, since it's easy to make, absolutely delicious, and ready in just 30 minutes!  This Beef and Broccoli is great for meal prep, is clean-eating, paleo, Whole 30, and keto friendly, and is easily altered for GF diets.

This Healthy Beef And Broccoli recipe is one of our favorite family meals.  And, when I say favorite meals, I mean we probably have it at least every other week.  Ooh, and it makes a yummy meal prep lunch, too!

Not only is this absolutely delicious, it's also super fast to prepare and healthy, too.

While we very often have this healthy beef and broccoli recipe just by itself, it's really yummy with some simple steamed brown rice. Serving it with rice is also a great way to make this recipe go farther for more servings (hello, budget meal prep!).

Is Beef and Broccoli Good Healthy?

Unfortunately, restaurant-style beef and broccoli isn't that healthy for you.  While it is a better option to order for takeout than some high-sugar, deep-fried options, it still is:

• very high in sodium
• has added sugars
• cooked in unhealthy oils

So, instead, to make a healthier version of Beef and Broccoli, I made the following tweaks:

• cooked the ingredients in olive oil instead of deep-frying anything;
• used coconut sugar instead of brown sugar;
• used low sodium soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce;
• serve with steamed brown rice, not fried rice (but if you want fried rice that's actually healthy, you could check out this healthy cauliflower fried rice recipe).

That all being said, even restaurant beef with broccoli is well-balanced with protein and fiber, and isn't deep fried or coated in a sweet glaze – this is simply a way to make it even healthier and get your beef and broccoli fix at home!

For more healthy takeout options, check out my post on 3 Healthier Takeout Options to Make at Home!

How To Make Beef Tender (Not Chewy) For Beef and Broccoli

For this beef and broccoli recipe, I use flank steak because it is very flavorful, and full of nutrients without too much fat — as compared to a ribeye, for example.  With any steak you choose for this recipe, however you're going to want to slice it ACROSS the grain in as think of slices as possible.

Why do we do this?  Slicing across the grain essentially means you're not eating the entirety of a muscle fiber, but instead a bunch of cross sections of it.  This is the difference between very chewy meat and very tender meat.

A tip on thinly slicing the beef: If you pop it in the freezer for 20-ish minutes and allow it to just start to freeze, you will more easily be able to slice the beef into small slices.

Also, overcooking the beef will also make it overly chewy, so try to just cook it through, and not overcook it.

How To Store Beef and Broccoli

This Beef and Broccoli stores very well in the fridge or freezer, making it a great make-ahead meal for meal prep.  If properly stored in an air-tight container (like these meal prep containers), left-over beef with broccoli will last for 5-6 days in the refrigerator.

To store it for longer, you can also freeze your beef and broccoli.  To freeze it, store in an airtight containers or heavy-duty freezer bags (I like these re-usable storage bags).  You can store beef with broccoli for up to 4-5 months in the freezer.

When ready to enjoy, allow to thaw, and then reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes, or until heated through.  You can also reheat thawed beef and broccoli on the stove in a fry pan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

Substitution Ideas For Beef and Broccoli

The good news is it's very easy to swap out ingredients for this recipe to make it better suit your dietary needs. As written, this recipe complies with clean-eating, paleo, Whole 30, and keto.  Here are some common substitutions to help you out for other healthy lifestyles.

• Vegan Substitutions: Replace steak with tofu or mushrooms.
• Gluten-Free Substitutions: Replace low sodium soy sauce with liquid aminos or GF soy sauce.
• Vegetarian Substitutions: Replace steak with tofu or mushrooms.
• Red Meat Substitutions: Replace steak with chicken, shrimp, tofu, or mushrooms.

Did I miss a substitution you're needing?  Add a comment below and let me know!

It's no surprise this Healthy Beef and Broccoli recipe is a family fave, since it's easy to make, absolutely delicious, and ready in just 30 minutes! This Beef and Broccoli also makes great meal prep, and is easily altered for GF diets. This recipe is clean-eating, paleo, Whole 30, and keto friendly!

Categories: Easy Dinner

Difficulty: Easy

Keyword: healthy beef and broccoli, healthy beef broccoli recipe, healthy beef recipes

Servings: 4

Calories: 350 kcal

• 1 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 1/2 lbs flank steak, very thinly sliced across the grain
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 4 cups broccoli florets, about 2 small crowns
• 2 tbsp arrowroot starch
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until well-browned, about 6-8 minutes. Once well-browned, remove from pan and set aside.

2. In the same pan, add garlic, shallot and green onions to the beef drippings. Cook one minute, stirring frequently. Add broccoli and cover for 5 minutes.

3. In a small mixing bowl, combine water and arrowroot starch and mix until no longer lumpy. Combine soy sauce, coconut sugar, ginger and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Add arrowroot starch mixture and stir to combine. Set aside.

4. Remove cover from pan and add sauce. Cook until sauce starts to thicken, about 3-5 minutes. Add beef and stir to combine, cooking an additional 2-3 minutes.

5. Serve over brown rice, if desired.

Nutritional info provided does not include brown rice. Including 1/2 cup steamed brown rice would increase calories by 108 calories, 2 g fiber, and 2.5 g protein.

Nutrition Facts

15-Minute Go-To Healthy Beef and Broccoli

Amount Per Serving (1.5 cups)

Calories 350 Calories from Fat 108

% Daily Value*

Fat 12g 18%

Saturated Fat 3g 15%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 6g

Cholesterol 104mg 35%

Sodium 854mg 36%

Potassium 972mg 28%

Carbohydrates 20g 7%

Fiber 3g 12%

Sugar 7g 8%

Protein 41g 82%

Vitamin A 706IU 14%

Vitamin C 85mg 103%

Calcium 112mg 11%

Iron 4mg 22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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