Easy Ground Beef and Broccoli Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Beef and Broccoli recipe is a quick and easy 30-minute meal cooked in a flavorful Asian-inspired sauce with vegetables like broccoli and bell peppers. Perfect for speedy weeknight dinners!
Why I Love Ground Beef and Broccoli
- It’s a 30 minute meal: A simple stovetop dinner ready in minutes!
- An easy skillet recipe: Rice is cooked separately, but the beef and broccoli are cooked in one skillet.
- Delicious, saucy, and perfect for bowl foods!
Ground Beef and Broccoli is a classic stir-fry dish simmered in a rich brown sauce and is often a favorite takeout meal. This Chinese takeout recipes post has 7 more ideas you may want to try!
And while letting someone else do the cooking for you on busy evenings, this recipe is an EASY one to make at home with simple ingredients… filled with veggies… and one the family will love.
It’s also a little easier on the budget as we’re using ground beef!
RELATED: Easy Cold Peanut Sesame Noodles
Ground Beef and Broccoli Ingredients
Here’s what you need:
For the stir-fry sauce:
- Beef broth
- Soy sauce (I’m using reduced-sodium)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced or pressed)
- Brown sugar (or honey if you prefer)
- Ground ginger (or minced fresh ginger if you have it on hand)
- Toasted sesame oil
- Rice wine vinegar
- Cornstarch slurry (equal parts cornstarch and water)
- Optional: Sriracha for added heat
Skillet ingredients
- Cooking oil
- Lean ground beef
- Broccoli florets
- Red bell pepper sliced
How to Make Beef and Broccoli
Begin by whisking the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and cooking the rice according to package instructions. Then, here’s how I finish the dish.
Step 1: Saute the broccoli
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the broccoli, toss to coat, and cook until slightly softened and bright green. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
Step 2: Cook the ground beef and pepper
Add the ground beef to the same skillet and cook over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks, until browned and cooked through. Remove accumulated grease or fat from the skillet, add the bell pepper, and saute for 1 minute.
Step 3: Add the sauce and simmer.
Pour in the sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and water in a lidded jar or whisk together. When the sauce is bubbling, slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry. Let it simmer until desired thickness.
How to Serve
I like to serve this easy skillet meal over rice (both white and brown rice), but customize it to your preferred grain. Or, skip the grain altogether.
I love green onions sliced on the diagonal, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds for garnishes.
Variations:
- Ground Meat: While I’m using the classic ground beef, you can also substitute ground chicken or ground turkey.
- Vegetables: It’s easy to substitute vegetables for ones you have on hand, like cabbage, Swiss chard, bok choy, carrots, cauliflower, and more.
- Frozen Broccoli: This is an easy substitution if you don’t have fresh. It’s best to thaw the broccoli and then pat dry before proceeding with the recipe.
More Recipes to Try
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear your comments and consider giving it a 5-star rating. Explore the recipe index for more easy, delicious ideas, and stay updated by subscribing to our newsletter and following us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!
Beef and Broccoli Bowl Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Cooking Sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (or 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger)
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha Optional for added heat
Thickening
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch plus 2 tablespoons water
Beef and Broccoli
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 2 cups broccoli florets (about 1 large head)
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
For Serving (Optional)
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 2 green onions sliced thinly
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Cook rice according to package instructions.
- Whisk together cooking sauce ingredients and set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add the broccoli, toss to coat, and cook until slightlhy softened and bright green. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Add the ground beef to the same skillet and cook over medium high heat, breaking it up as it cooks, until browned and cooked through. Remove accumulated grease or fat from the skillet, add the bell pepper, and saute for 1 minute.
- Pour in the sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the cornstarch and water in a lidded jar or whisk together. When the sauce is bubbling, slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry. Let it simmer until desired thickness.
- Stir the broccoli into the skillet and heat through before serving with cooked rice. Garnish with green onions, red pepper flakes, and sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- Rice: Use your favorite rice and follow the package instructions. For, here is my favorite method to cooking light and fluffy white long grain rice: Rinse 2 cups of rice in cold water to remove added starch. Add to a saucepan, season with salt and pepper. Then add 2 1/2 cups of cold water to the pan and cover. Bring to a boil over high, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, not lifting the lid. Fluff with a fork before serving.
- Ground Meat: While I’m using the classic ground beef, you can also substitute ground chicken or ground turkey.
- Vegetables: It’s easy to substitute vegetables for ones you have on hand, like cabbage, Swiss chard, bok choy, carrots, cauliflower, and more.
- Frozen Broccoli: This is an easy substitution if you don’t have fresh. It’s best to thaw the broccoli, and then pat dry before proceeding with the recipe.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.