Quick note from our kitchen
Stir fry cooks fast. The first time we made this, we tried to chop broccoli and other ingredients with the beef already going, and the beef got overcooked. We rearranged the recipe so you can get all the fresh ingredients chopped and waiting before the beef hits the pan. Just mix up the quick sauce while the beef cooks and you’re set.
Related -> You also have to try this 20-minute Korean beef bowl recipe.
Why ground beef works for this stir fry
The classic flank steak version is in our archive if you want it, but it takes work. Slicing thin against the grain. Dredging the beef in flour. None of that is hard, but it’s more steps than a Tuesday night deserves.
Ground beef skips all of it. No slicing, no marinating, no worrying about overcooking if you follow the recipe. The texture is looser and crumbly instead of strips of steak, and the sauce coats every piece evenly.
How to make this ground beef and broccoli stir fry
More testing notes
This one is straightforward, so testing didn’t turn up much. Two things worth noting.
Steam the broccoli to the texture you want, not time. Some people want it crisp-tender and bright green. Others want it softer. The recipe says 3 to 4 minutes. That’s a starting point, not a rule. Lift the lid, check it, and keep going if it isn’t where you want it.
The sauce will thicken the more you let it simmer at the end. Watch the sauce closely and let it thicken up so it coats every piece of beef and broccoli. Stir frequently to prevent sticking/burning and immediately remove from heat once it thickens.
What to serve it with
White rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice all work. Lo mein or rice noodles turn it into more of a noodle bowl. An Asian cucumber salad on the side is fast and adds more fresh veggies. This also pairs well in rotation with our easy ground chicken stir fry. Both use the same pantry sauce ingredients, so one shopping trip stretches into two dinners.
Ground Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry (25-Minutes, One Pan)
Ingredients
For the stir fry
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium head broccoli, cut into small florets (about 4 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tbsp water, for steaming broccoli
- Sliced green onions and sesame seeds, for serving
For the sauce
- 1/3 cup coconut aminos, or 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari plus 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp beef broth , or water
- 1 tbsp cornstarch, or arrowroot
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
- Prep the stir-fry ingredients to have them ready for cooking.1 small yellow onion, 1 medium head broccoli, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp fresh ginger
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in ground beef, yellow onion, and salt. Break up the beef and cook until browned and no pink remains, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.1 lb ground beef, 1 small yellow onion, 1/2 tsp sea salt
- While the beef is cooking, whisk sauce ingredients together in a small bowl or jar. Set aside.1/3 cup coconut aminos, 2 tbsp beef broth , 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- Add garlic and ginger. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp fresh ginger
- Push beef to one side of the skillet. Add broccoli to the other side with 2 tbsp water. Cover with a lid and steam 3 to 4 minutes until broccoli is crisp-tender and bright green.1 medium head broccoli, 2 tbsp water
- Give the sauce a quick re-whisk (the starch settles). Pour sauce over beef and broccoli. Stir to coat everything. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve over rice or noodles, topped with green onions and sesame seeds.Sliced green onions and sesame seeds
I made this last night and it was such a hit. It will be going in my rotation. My husband and I both raved on the sauce and I will keep that recipe handy for other meals. Another 5 star Real Simple Good recipe. Thank you for all you do. I have been a follower for many, many years and have never been disappointed.
Wow Amy, thank you! We appreciate the feedback and are so happy that you liked this new recipe 🙂
This recipe was delicious and everyone in the family liked it (we kept the broccoli on the side). The kids requested it as a burger instead of ground beef over rice. Do you have any tips on tweaking the recipe for that? I think if I added all of the sauce and tried to make it into patties it wouldn’t come together.
Glad to hear everyone liked it :). To make it into burgers (love the idea!) you could do it sloppy joes style and just keep it loose. Or, you could sautee down the onion and then add that, the garlic and ginger and the sauce ingredients to mix with the ground beef and form that into burgers. You could probably omit the beef broth an cornstarch if you go that route. We haven’t tried it, but I think that would work. You’ll have to report back if you try it out.