Beef and Broccolini Stir Fry

Tender marinated beef and snappy, crisp-tender broccolini are the stars of this easy beef and broccolini stir fry. It's finished off with a quick and dependable sauce that's perfectly balanced and can be used on pretty much any stir fry recipe. When you've got a hankering for take out and a bunch of broccolini in the fridge...this recipe is THE ONE!

A well-executed stir fry is hard to beat when it comes to getting a healthy, balanced dinner on the table in a hurry. This beef and broccolini stir fry is an excellent example: it's loaded with veggies, has plenty of protein, and even with a modest amount of brown rice, comes in at under 500 calories per serving. It can be prepped ahead and thrown together in minutes. Is there a better formula for fast and healthy weeknights?

The magic of wok hei and how to achieve it at home

One of the things I love about this beef and broccolini stir fry is that I can dependably achieve a bit of wok hei flavor. Wok hei is a smoky, intense flavor that develops in food cooked at high heat and is highly desirable in Asian dishes. It is the flavor of fire...caramelized, smoky, and deeply savory. It is difficult to achieve in your home kitchen, but it is not impossible. Here are the strategies I use:

If you don't own a wok, use a cast iron skillet. High heat is critical to developing wok hei. Cast iron absorbs heat readily and retains heat well, allowing it to get hotter and stay hotter than most pans. Do NOT use a nonstick pan to make stir fry, as the chemicals in nonstick cookware can become airborne at high heat.

Use oil sparingly. Add just enough to keep the ingredients from sticking, but not so much that they don't develop a bit of char. One of the ways to do that is to have your oil in a squeeze bottle and use it as needed, rather than adding it all at the beginning. This allows the ingredients to deposit caramelized bits in the pan, which is critical to achieving wok hei.

Keep your ingredients moving. The motion involved in stir fry gives not only gives the dish its name, it also helps produce the signature flavor. Use a long-handled, wide spoon or wok spatula to stir vigorously and constantly as you are cooking your vegetables. This keeps things from sticking and also helps the charred bits break free from your veggies and caramelize in the pan.

Pour the sauce around the edges of the stir fry, not the middle. This allows the sauce to cook and caramelize a bit, which contributes to the wok hei flavor. I always give the sauce a quick 5-count (or a 1-2-3-Mississippi) to cook before tossing everything together.

Ingredients and Substitutions

For the stir fry:

• Beef sirloin or flank steak - For best results, slice your steak very thin (~1/16 inch) and be careful not to overcook. You can also substitute sliced chicken or cubed tofu.
• Soy sauce - Soy sauce seasons and flavors the meat and helps to tenderize it. Tamari (gluten free) or coconut aminos (gluten free, lower sodium) also get the job done.
• Baking soda - Believe it or not, baking soda is an excellent meat tenderizer for stir fry.
• Broccolini - Choose firm, bright and dark green bunches of broccolini that don't look dried out or yellow. Substitutions include regular broccoli, asparagus, Chinese broccoli (gai lan), and broccoli rabe.
• Red bell pepper - Any color will work.
• Red onion - Adds color and flavor. Yellow onion will work as well.
• Neutral high-heat cooking oil of your choice - I use Graza's "Frizzle" high heat extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.
• Brown rice for serving - Manage your carbs by watching portion size carefully when you are consuming rice. I recommend ½ cup rice per serving.
• Roasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions - These are optional, but tasty and pretty!

For the sauce:

• Soy sauce - Soy sauce serves as the foundation for this sauce. Tamari or coconut aminos will also work.
• Sweet soy sauce - Sweet soy sauce (also known as kecap manis) is one of my favorite Asian condiments. I find ABC Sweet Soy Sauce at my local grocery store, and it can also be found at Asian markets and on Amazon. If you can't find sweet soy sauce, substitute 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce -or- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce plus 2 teaspoons of honey.
• Fresh garlic and ginger - I use fresh ginger and garlic in my stir fry sauce so it is only lightly cooked and the taste remains strong. It is also easy to replace with a teaspoon each of garlic powder and ground ginger.
• Toasted sesame oil - Adds a nutty sesame flavor to this dish.
• Chicken bouillon - Totally optional, but it adds more depth of flavor. Leave out if you are following a low-sodium diet.
• Corn starch - This helps the sauce thicken and coat your stir fry. Make sure there are no lumps of corn starch in your sauce before adding to the pan.
• Ground white pepper - You can leave this out if you want, but I love the flavor of white pepper in stir fry. You can substitute black pepper to taste.

Meal prep suggestions and storing leftovers

This beef and broccolini stir fry recipe can be prepped ahead, including the vegetables, meat, and sauce. If you plan to marinate the meat more than a couple of hours before cooking, add the baking soda about 20 minutes prior to cooking (or you can leave it out if you don't have the time).

Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat in the microwave for at least 90 seconds on high heat, stirring once. Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes before eating.

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5 from 5 votes

Beef and Broccolini Stir Fry

Tender beef, crisp-tender vegetables, and a well-balanced sauce make weeknight magic in this fast and easy beef and broccolini stir fry.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Calories: 470kcal

Author: Parsley & Parm

Equipment

• Microwave-safe bowl and cover
• Jar with a tight-fitting lid -such as a pint Mason jar
• Wide spatula for stirring stir fry
• Wok, heavy-bottomed skillet, or cast iron pan -at least 10 inches (I use a 12-inch cast iron skillet)

Ingredients

• ¾ pound beef sirloin or flank steak
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce -use tamari for gluten-free or coconut aminos for lower-sodium options
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ pound broccolini -1-2 small bunches
• 1 red bell pepper -medium
• 1 red onion -medium
• 2 tablespoons neutral high-heat cooking oil of your choice - I use Frizzle high heat olive oil from Graza.
• ½ cup brown rice (uncooked) -½ cup cooked rice per serving, optional
• 2 teaspoons roasted sesame seeds and/or sliced scalions -optional garnish

For the sauce:

• ¼ cup soy sauce -use tamari for gluten-free or coconut aminos for lower-sodium options
• 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce -see notes for substitutions
• 2 teaspoon grated fresh garlic -or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger -or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon -optional, especially for low-sodium diets
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

Instructions

Prep your ingredients:

• Start your brown rice and cook according to the package instructions.
  ½ cup brown rice (uncooked)
• Slice the beef into thin slices. They don’t have to be paper thin but definitely in the 1/16 to ⅛ inch range or thinner. Place the slices in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1 teaspoon baking soda. Set aside.
  ¾ pound beef sirloin or flank steak, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Trim the ends of the broccolini and separate the stems from the tops. Cut the stems into 1-inch pieces. Separate the florets into bite-size pieces.
  ¾ pound broccolini
• Add the broccolini to a microwave-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and microwave for 90 seconds, then drain the water and set aside.
• Core and and trim the bell pepper and cut it into ¼ inch-wide strips. Cut the onion into ¼ inch slices.
  1 red bell pepper, 1 red onion

Make the sauce:

• Add all of the ingredients for the sauce into a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously, or add to a small bowl and whisk.
  ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce, 2 teaspoon grated fresh garlic, 2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, ½ teaspoon chicken bouillon, 1 tablespoon corn starch, ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

Cook your stir fry:

• Have a clean plate or bowl ready to hold the meat once it's cooked. Heat a 12-inch skillet or cast iron pan over medium high heat for at least 4 minutes. It should be almost smoking hot.
• Add the oil and then the beef, and stir fry until just cooked through and starting to brown. Keep it moving so it doesn’t stick. If your pan is hot enough, this should take less than 2 minutes. Remove the steak to a clean bowl and set aside. It will go back in the pan, so it doesn’t have to be cooked all the way through yet, just focus on getting it browned on both sides.
  2 tablespoons neutral high-heat cooking oil of your choice
• If needed, add another splash of oil, then add the onions. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute, or until the onions are just beginning to soften.
• Add the red bell peppers. Cook 1-2 minutes more, or until the ingredients are all hot and the peppers begin to soften. If the stir fry starts to stick too much or seems dry, add another splash of oil.
• Add the beef back into the pan, followed by the microwaved broccolini. Stir everything well to combine and cook for about a minute or two to make sure everything is nice and hot.
• Pour the sauce around the edge of the stir fry (this allows it to easily reach the bottom of the pan and-more importantly-to caramelize a bit). Let it come to temperature for a 5-count, then toss it with the meat and vegetables, using your spatula to scoop sauce from the bottom. The sauce should thicken up quickly as you stir.
• Remove from the heat and top with the sesame seeds, if using. Serve immediately.
  2 teaspoons roasted sesame seeds and/or sliced scalions

Notes

Substitutions:

• If you can't find sweet soy sauce, substitute 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce -or- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce plus 2 teaspoons of honey.
• Thinly sliced chicken or chunks of tofu may be substituted for the beef.
• Regular broccoli, asparagus, broccoli rabe, or Chinese broccoli (gai lan) may be substituted for the broccolini.

Prep notes:

• If you prefer, you can blanch your broccolini in salted boiling water for 2 minutes instead of microwaving.
• I do not recommend nonstick pans for this type of cooking. The key to keep your food from sticking in this case is to make sure your pan is adequately pre-heated and keep it all moving.

Need more servings?

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Nutrition*

Calories: 470kcal | Carbohydrates: 45.1g | Protein: 27.1g | Fat: 19.8g | Saturated Fat: 3.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9.4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 1829.4mg | Potassium: 495.6mg | Fiber: 4.2g | Sugar: 11.8g | Vitamin A: 2433.1IU | Vitamin C: 118.6mg | Calcium: 113.6mg | Iron: 3.4mg

*All nutritional values are estimates only. They are calculated by an online resource.