The sauce tastes too salty. What can I do?

Either stir in another teaspoon of brown sugar OR add up to a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to help cut the saltiness!

Can I use frozen broccoli for this recipe?

Yes! You'll have to cook the broccoli a little longer when adding to the skillet, and it may take a little longer for the sauce to reduce because of the extra liquid, but frozen broccoli works great in a pinch.

Can I use a different vegetable for this recipe?

While broccoli is the traditional vegetable to use, feel free to switch it up by using cabbage, snap peas, cauliflower, green beans, asparagus, bok choy, or any combination of those!

Ground Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry (Gluten Free)

Description

Saucy Ground Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry makes a fast and healthy weeknight dinner that's done in less than 30 minutes!

For the best results, mix baking soda into the meat as described in the first step. If you're in a rush, you can skip that step and season the ground beef with salt while you cook it.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (optional, see Notes)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/3 cup beef broth
6 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoons sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot powder (or cornstarch)
2 garlic cloves, minced (2 teaspoons)
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
6 cups small fresh broccoli florets
2 cups hot cooked white rice OR roasted cubed sweet potatoes
Sesame seeds, crushed red pepper, or sliced scallions for serving

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Instructions

[Optional] Add the ground beef, baking soda, salt, and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a medium bowl. Stir with a fork until combined and the meat starts to stick to the sides of the bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk together beef broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, arrowroot powder, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add broccoli florets. Partially cover the skillet and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until broccoli is tender-crisp and vibrant in color. Scoop the broccoli into a bowl and set aside.
Increase the heat to medium-high and add remaining 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking large chunks up with a wooden spoon as you go, for about 3 minutes until mostly browned. Stir in broth mixture and cook for about 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet, until the sauce starts to thicken. Turn off the heat and add the broccoli back to the skillet, stirring to coat the broccoli in the sauce.
Serve the beef and broccoli over rice or sweet potatoes. Garnish with sesame seeds, crushed red pepper, and/or scallions, to taste.

Notes

Adding a little baking soda tenderizes the ground beef by raising the pH level slightly. It makes a big texture difference, and you'll never taste the baking soda!