This 30-minute Ground Beef and Broccoli recipe is a quick, one-pan meal made with a coconut aminos sauce, making it gluten-free and soy-free. Serve it over rice for a flavorful, easy dinner that everyone will love.
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Recipe Overview
- Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to cook
- Cooking Method: Stove-top
- Dietary Info: Paleo, Ancestral diet, Gluten-free and grain-free options with swaps for rice
- Tools Needed: large stainless steel pan or a wok
- Skill Level: Moderate
What is an ancestral diet? Read my post on what nourishing foods are based on the traditional dietary principles of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Reasons to Love This Ground Beef and Broccoli Recipe
I get it—on busy nights, it feels like there’s never enough time to make a meal that’s both tasty and nourishing.
That’s exactly why I love recipes like this one-pan ground beef and broccoli —it’s quick, budget-friendly, and packed with flavor.
Plus, I finally got to break in my shiny new stainless steel wok from Costco. And it's a keeper.😍 There’s something so exciting about using a new kitchen tool, right? It made cooking this dish even more fun, and the results were perfectly cooked, nutrient-dense, and full of flavor. All under 30 minutes. Faster than you can grab take-out!
Ingredients
- Ground beef: Using 85/15 ground beef provides the best balance of fat and flavor, preventing the meat from drying out. If using leaner beef, add a teaspoon of avocado oil to boost flavor (because fat is flavor!).
- Broccoli: Make sure to use uniform, bite-sized broccoli florets to ensure even cooking and a nice fork-tender texture. Cutting the broccoli into similar sizes prevents some pieces from becoming too soft while others remain undercooked.
- Aromatics: Ground beef and broccoli go well with ginger and garlic as they both add that Asian-inspired flavor to the dish. You can add crushed red pepper flakes here too or save them for garnish only.
- Sauce: A simple blend of beef broth (you'll love my beef bone broth recipe), coconut aminos, fish sauce, and hot honey creates a rich umami base with a perfect balance of savory, sweet, and slightly tangy flavors. Whisking in arrowroot starch will help thicken the sauce and create a velvety texture.
- Finishing touches: Finally, a drizzle of toasted sesame oil brings everything together (but we're not heating the oil - just a finishing drizzle!), diced green onions, and white sesame seeds.
Substitutions and Variations
- Thickening options - Instead of arrowroot powder (I like using this for gluten-free option), use tapioca starch, or even organic cornstarch. If you're not gluten-free, regular all-purpose flour will also work to thicken the sauce.
- Sauce adjustments - Coconut aminos is an excellent soy-free alternative to soy sauce but you could use soy or tamari sauce if gluten isn't a concern. Similarly, swap the hot honey for regular honey with a pinch of chili flakes or a teaspoon of coconut sugar.
Make it Ancestral
Make this ground beef and broccoli recipe truly ancestral by using an Ancestral Blend (my own recipe coming soon but Force of Nature has excellent products!) - a mix of ground beef with organ meats like liver and heart - for a nutrient-dense twist. Pair it with homemade bone broth rice for added minerals and gut-healing benefits and you have a comforting and deeply nourishing meal.
How to Make Ground Beef and Broccoli
The complete printable recipe is below in the recipe card for your convenience. Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for the best results.
Step 1. Sauté
Heat a large stainless steel pan over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned and fully cooked. Stir in the garlic and ginger, cooking for about a minute until fragrant.
Step 2. Whisk
In a small bowl, whisk together the beef broth, coconut aminos, fish sauce, hot honey, and arrowroot powder until smooth. Make sure the arrowroot starch is broken up (it can get clumpy).
Step 3. Steam
Add the broccoli florets to the skillet and pour in the sauce. Stir well to coat, then cover and reduce the heat to medium. Let steam for a few minutes until the broccoli is tender but still crisp and the sauce has thickened. Time is your friend here.
Step 4. Garnish
Drizzle with toasted sesame oil and toss to combine. Serve over bone broth rice and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
Helpful Tips
- Brown the beef until crispy. This gives major flavor - cook the ground beef until it's browned and slightly crispy before adding the garlic and ginger. The caramelized bits at the bottom of the pan will add rich flavor.
- Whisk the sauce ingredients well. If using arrowroot powder (instead of all-purpose flour), make sure that it dissolves completely in the broth mixture to prevent any clumps from forming in the sauce.
- Adjust sauce thickness. If the sauce is too thin, whisk in a bit more arrowroot powder to thicken it. If it's too thick, add more broth to balance the consistency.
- Steam the broccoli properly. Cover the skillet while the broccoli steams to retain moisture and make sure the florets cook evenly while staying crisp. But be careful not to overcook to avoid mushy broccoli.
Troubleshooting
- Broccoli not cooked through? It may need a little more time steaming. Simply cover the skillet again and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes until the broccoli reaches desired tenderness.
- Sauce clumping? If the arrowroot powder doesn't fully dissolve, whisk it more thoroughly with the broth and other ingredients before adding it to the pan. It helps to add it slowly and whisk continuously. You got this!
💭Meal Prep Suggestion!
For easy meal prep, chop the broccoli, mince the garlic and ginger, and whisk the sauce in advance. Cook the beef mixture and store it separately in the fridge for up to three days. When ready to eat, reheat the beef with a splash of broth, add the broccoli, and toss everything with the sauce until heated through. Serve with rice or noodles for a fast, nourishing meal.
Serving Suggestions
The most obvious way to serve this ground beef and broccoli recipe is over a bed of bone broth rice. You could use cauliflower rice for a low-carb option or spaghetti squash (check out how to cut spaghetti squash to get long strands).
If you, like me, try to limit your carbs - I still serve it over a small side of rice but focus on the ground beef and broccoli part.
Garnish with sesame seeds and fresh green onions. If you find that the sauce absorbed into the meat and broccoli, add a few splashes of coconut aminos and a drizzle of sriracha for some moisture but otherwise, it's good as is.
To round off the meal, consider serving some simple salads like cabbage and cucumber salad or Asian cucumber salad. And I always like adding a small serving of a fermented food like spicy sauerkraut or kimchi.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover ground beef and broccoli in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. These glass snap containers are perfect for leftovers. To reheat, warm it in a skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, and add a splash of broth if the sauce has thickened too much.
Yes, you can freeze this. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Yes, you can use frozen broccoli, but keep in mind that it releases more water as it cooks, which can thin out the sauce. To counteract this, cook it uncovered for the last few minutes to allow excess moisture to evaporate. You may also need to extend the cooking time slightly to ensure the broccoli is fork-tender. That said, I personally haven't tested this with frozen broccoli, so results may vary!
Looking for more ground beef recipes? Here are some ideas:
Did you make this ground beef and broccoli recipe? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ recipe rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comments. Thank you!💚
Printable Recipe
Ground Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1" knob knob ginger grated
- 1 cup beef broth
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon hot honey
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 5 cups broccoli florets
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- bone broth rice for serving
- sesame seeds and green onions for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large stainless steel pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound ground beef and cook, breaking it up, until browned and cooked through. Stir in the 4 garlic cloves and 1" knob knob ginger and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 cup beef broth, ¼ cup coconut aminos, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon hot honey, and 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder until smooth.
- Add the 5 cups broccoli florets to the skillet and pour in the sauce. Stir well to coat, then cover and reduce heat to medium. Let steam for 3-4 minutes, until broccoli is tender but still crisp. The sauce should thicken by that time.
- Drizzle with 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and toss to combine. Serve over bone broth rice and garnish with sesame seeds and green onions.
Notes
- Brown the beef until crispy. This gives major flavor - cook the ground beef until it's browned and slightly crispy before adding the garlic and ginger. The caramelized bits at the bottom of the pan will add rich flavor.
- Whisk the sauce ingredients well. If using arrowroot powder (instead of all-purpose flour), make sure that it dissolves completely in the broth mixture to prevent any clumps from forming in the sauce.
- Adjust sauce thickness. If the sauce is too thin, whisk in a bit more arrowroot powder to thicken it. If it's too thick, add more broth to balance the consistency.
- Steam the broccoli properly. Cover the skillet while the broccoli steams to retain moisture and make sure the florets cook evenly while staying crisp. But be careful not to overcook to avoid mushy broccoli.
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