Healthy Ground Beef and Broccoli is one of the BEST ground beef recipes...a flavorful, quick and easy skillet dinner that comes together in 15 minutes in just one pan!
If you're a fan of quick and easy ground beef recipes, you'll also love 30-Minute Skillet Lasagna, Instant Pot Egg Roll in Bowl, and Ground Beef Stroganoff!
At least once a week, dinner around here starts with a pound of ground beef. These dinners are quick, they're easy, and everyone in my family love them. As a result, I have a variety of ground beef recipes in my repertoire, but I'm always on a quest to come up with new ones. Enter today's quick and easy Ground Beef and Broccoli!
My One-Pan Asian Beef and Rice Skillet is on regular rotation at our house, but last week, I was craving something similar...yet different. Luckily, inspiration hit when I decided to call upon the flavors of a beloved Chinese restaurant classic for a new, shortcut, healthy ground beef recipe and dinner idea.
Beef and Broccoli has been one of my favorites since childhood and still I love it today. The hubby and kids enjoy it as well. However, since I don't always have flank steak or some other stir fry-friendly cut of beef on hand -- but I always have ground beef -- I decided to modify the traditional recipe into this simple, lightning-quick, one-pan Ground Beef and Broccoli.
How to Make It
I'm not exaggerating when I say this recipe took me about 15 minutes to make from start to finish, y'all. Here are the easy steps:
- Throw your ground beef into a skillet.
- Mix together the sauce while the beef is browning.
- Add said sauce -- plus a package of frozen broccoli -- to the beef.
- Let it bubble for a few more minutes and then thicken with a cornstarch slurry.
Voilà! All the flavor of Chinese take-out...except healthier!
And dare I say tastier *and* faster than delivery? 😉
Sauce Ingredients
In addition to the ground beef and the broccoli (that recipe title is such a spoiler, eh?), there are some important Asian-influenced ingredients that make this recipe so delicious.
In fact, the sauce in this recipe is so good that I've witnessed family members literally licking their plates clean...and I may have been guilty of doing so a time or two myself.
I also find that the amount of sauce in this recipe is perfect to allow for seepage down into a bed of rice.
So what goes into it?
- Low-sodium beef broth and low-sodium soy sauce. If you don't use LOW-SODIUM beef broth and soy sauce, you dish may turn out too salty.
- Oyster sauce. I like to use a natural oyster sauce with no MSG added. I'm typically able to find it at my regular grocery store.
- Honey.
- Rice vinegar.
- Garlic powder.
- Red pepper flakes.
A funny side note about this sauce is that I actually based it on a recipe I originally developed for my cookbook. That Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli I was attempting way back when tasted great, but I couldn't get the texture of the beef to my liking using the crock pot.
So I ended up scrapping the recipe. But -- hoarder that I am -- I fortunately still had the sauce ingredients and proportions hanging out in the deep, dark recesses of my computer files. 😉
Ingredient Substitutions
My family loves this ground beef recipe so much -- and I make it so often -- that I always keep the ingredients on hand.
However, if you want to make it and find that you're lacking an ingredient or two, you can find some information on making substitutions below, under the heading "Helpful Tips, Tricks, & Equipment" (just above the recipe card). All of your questions about substituting the oyster sauce are there! 😉
Variations
This dinner is also nicely balanced with protein and vegetables.
That being said, even though Beef and Broccoli is usually made with, well, beef and broccoli, it would be easy to change up the veggies in this dish. A few yummy options:
- Snow peas.
- Carrots.
- Baby corn.
- Bell peppers.
Let your imagination run wild and free!
So are you a fellow beef and broccoli aficionado? Or a fan of ground beef recipes?
A lover of speedy skillet suppers?
A hater of washing dishes?
All of the above?
If so, this Ground Beef and Broccoli recipe definitely deserves a spot on your must-make list.
After all, it relies on ingredients that you probably already have in your fridge/freezer/pantry, and it's a nice change of pace from spaghetti or meatloaf or Sloppy Joes when you've got ground beef to use up.
One family-pleasing dinner, coming right up! 😉
Helpful Tips, Tricks, & Equipment
- You may use fresh broccoli instead of frozen. Or you may substitute other veggies for some/all of the broccoli. Snow peas, shredded or thinly-sliced carrots, baby corn, or bell peppers would all be delicious. Keep in mind that firmer veggies may require a few extra minutes of simmering to become tender. You can always add a little extra broth if too much sauce is evaporating due to additional cooking time.
- If you don't have fresh ginger on hand, 1 teaspoon ground ginger may be substituted for the 1 tablespoon fresh. However, the ginger flavor in the final dish won't be as strong.
- Many people ask if this recipe can be made without oyster sauce. The answer is yes, although the final dish may be missing some of its depth of flavor. Some commenters have said the recipe turns out fine leaving out the oyster sauce altogether. Otherwise, possible substitutes for the oyster sauce are as follows. You will want to taste and adjust these ingredients if something still seems to be missing.
- Increase the total soy sauce in the recipe to 3 1/2 tablespoons and increase the total honey to 1 1/2 tablespoons. Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce, if you like.
- Increase the total soy sauce in the recipe to 3 1/2 tablespoons and add 1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, if you have it.
- At 5 1/2 quarts, the stainless steel saute pan pictured in this post is deep enough to cook the beef without splattering grease everywhere. It's also big enough to fit plenty of extra veggies, should you feel so inclined. 😉
More One-Pan Ground Beef Recipes
- One-Pot Taco Pasta Skillet
- One-Pot Pizza Pasta
- One-Skillet Sloppy Joe Tater Tot Casserole
- 30-Minute Skillet Pastitsio
Ground Beef and Broccoli Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced/grated ginger, OR 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 (12-ounce) bag frozen broccoli florets
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cool water
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, optional
- Cooked rice or noodles, for serving
Instructions
- Set a large skillet, saute pan, or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking apart and stirring as the meat cooks.
- While the beef is cooking, combine the beef broth, oyster sauce, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes in a bowl or large measuring cup; set aside.
- After the beef is cooked, push it to the edges of the pan, add the garlic and ginger in the center, and stir for a minute or two until fragrant. Drain the grease from the pan. Add the sauce and the broccoli to the pan; stir to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for several minutes (using the cooking time on the package of frozen broccoli as a guide) and stir occasionally until the broccoli is cooked to your desired tenderness.
- In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk the cornstarch into the water until dissolved. Slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the pan while stirring the beef and broccoli. Bring to a boil and cook for a minute or two, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened. Stir in the sesame oil, if using, and serve hot over rice or noodles.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
Notes
- You may use fresh broccoli instead of frozen, or you may substitute other veggies for some/all of the broccoli, such as snow peas, shredded or thinly-sliced carrots, baby corn, or bell peppers. Keep in mind that firmer veggies may require a few extra minutes of simmering to become tender. You can always add a little extra broth if too much sauce is evaporating due to additional cooking time.
- If you don't have fresh ginger on hand, 1 teaspoon ground ginger may be substituted for the 1 tablespoon fresh, though the ginger flavor in the final dish won't be as strong.
- If you don't use LOW-SODIUM beef broth and soy sauce, you dish may turn out too salty.
- I like to use natural oyster sauce with no added MSG, which I can typically find it at my regular grocery store.
- Many people ask if this recipe can be made without oyster sauce. The answer is yes, although the final dish may be missing some of its depth of flavor. Some commenters have said the recipe turns out fine leaving out the oyster sauce altogether. Otherwise, possible substitutes for the oyster sauce are as follows. You will want to taste and adjust these ingredients if something still seems to be missing.
- Increase the total soy sauce in the recipe to 3 1/2 tablespoons and increase the total honey to 1 1/2 tablespoons. Add a splash of Worcestershire sauce, if you like.
- Increase the total soy sauce in the recipe to 3 1/2 tablespoons and add 1 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, if you have it.
Post originally published on October 12, 2017.
Megan
Thank you for providing a great recipe for inspiration! I didnโt have many of the suggested ingredients on hand (oyster sauce, fresh ginger, etc), so I needed to improvise with onions and Maggi umami sauce. Followed your instructions otherwise, including using my rarely seen dutch oven, and the whole family enjoyed tonightโs dinner! Thanks again for sharing!!
George
I was browsing online on what to make with my ground beef and came across this recipe. It was quite easy and tasty! All ingredients came together perfectly!
Erin Z
Amazing recipe! It was a big hit with adults and kids alike! I subbed coconut aminos for oyster and soy sauce and added a pinch of salt and it was delicious. Iโll be adding it to the rotation. Thanks!
Colette
This is an excellent recipe. A real keeper. I followed the recipe exactly and thought it was very tasty. It had just the right amount of heat for me. We did put some peanuts on top and i would do that again. Nice to have the crunch. I used fresh brocolli and microwaved that first and then just stirred it all together .
Lisa Steiman
Made this with impossible meat and it was a big hit! Delicious!
Donna
Is there a substitute for the oyster sauce because one of my kids has a seafood allergy.
Samantha Skaggs
Hi Donna! If you'll look at the bottom of the recipe card, there's a "Notes" section where I've included some information about omitting or swapping out the oyster sauce. Hope that helps! ๐
Rachel Ann
I stumbled upon this recipe looking for how to use up some ground beef & Oh my ! This recipe seemed so simple I was concerned it would be lacking, minus the fact that beef and broccoli does not excite me.... however ..... this recipe is top notch, healthy, delicious, filling, amazing, flavorful, easy, and truly took me 15 min from start to finish ( can you tell I really loved this recipe?) Everyone from my 22 month old to my husband loved it.
I used a Dutch oven like the author suggested. I used coconut aminos because Iโm very allergic to soy and love the low- sodium. Even though I had oyster sauce it wasnโt a natural version so I upped the soy sauce / coconut aminios & honey as suggested in the comments and was terrific, lacking nothing ( great suggestion) . Last sub, was using arrow root powder as a corn starch replacement since most non- gmo versions are hard to find in my area.
Thank you SO much for this fantastic recipe!!! Itโs a keeper for sure ! ... and we are doubling it the next time ๐
Kei
I just made this and It turned out delicious I added hoisin sauce and teriyaki sauce also
moti
awesome recipe thank you everyone loved it including fussy
Carol
It was Ok......but failed to wow. I w/o,t be doing it again. I followed recipe exactly.
Angier Shaw
This beef broccoli recipe is great. I added onion & celery & a sauce I had containing soy sauce,sesame,orange juice.& ginger. I cooked lo-mein noodles to go with the dish.
Krista
A very tasty change of pace that we all loved! Just spicy enough and on hand ingredients made this easy. Surprise hit!
Thank you!๐
Jill
I thought it was super bland. I love Asian food! Not sure what it was missing, but youโd think with all those items in the sauce itโd be more flavorful.
Carol
Can I freeze left overs?
Samantha Skaggs
Sure! Just keep in mind that the broccoli will probably get even softer upon thawing and reheating. ๐
Jeff Bloomberg
I was in a pinch. Thank you very flavorful . Easy to make. Made me look like a professional chef.
Nancy
My husband and I love this recipe, This delicious dish comes together quickly and is so flavorful and healthy. I made the dish last night (for about the 10th time) and since I was out of broccoli I substituted a bag of summer vegetables. It was turned out delicious.
Robin
Weโre veggie lovers so I made the recipe as listed and added celery, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, onion and bell pepper with the broccoli. I added an extra 2 tablespoons of beef broth to stretch the sauce. Delicious! Great way to use up leftover ground beef and will definitely make again.
Kristina Koschorreck
Flavor was there but was too salty. Followed directions.
Trish
My family loved it. Not to difficult to prep
Natasha
Thanks, great recipe. I added chopped onions, green and red peppers, carrots and celery. It became a stir-fry stile served with rice noodles. Garnished with green onions. My daughter calls it Asian Spaghetti )).