Beef & Broccoli
Takeout-style beef and broccoli in a glossy tamari, ginger and garlic sauce — sweetened with a keto sweetener and thickened with a pinch of xanthan gum instead of cornstarch.
Nutrition per serving
about 1½ cups- Net carbs
- 6.1g
- Calories
- 493kcal
- Protein
- 40g
- Fat
- 33g
- Total carbs
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 3.1 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Shrimp & broccoli: Large shrimp in the same glossy ginger-garlic sauce. Dinner is even faster, since shrimp cook in a couple of minutes.
- Toss the shrimp with the tamari and baking soda for 15 minutes as in step 1 — it gives them a plump, snappy texture.
- In step 4, sear the shrimp in a single layer 1–2 minutes per side, just until pink and opaque (145°F/63°C), then add the sauce. Pull them as soon as they curl into a loose C; overcooked shrimp turn rubbery.
Soy-free (coconut aminos): Coconut aminos replace the tamari for anyone avoiding soy. They are naturally sweet, so the added sweetener is dropped; the sauce carries about 2 g more net carbs per serving.
- Use the coconut aminos wherever the recipe calls for tamari, leave out the sweetener, and add the salt to the sauce — coconut aminos are much less salty than soy. Taste at the end and add another pinch if needed.
With snow peas & shiitakes: Crisp snow peas and meaty shiitake mushrooms stand in for the broccoli, like the beef with snow peas on many takeout menus.
- In step 3, stir-fry the shiitakes for 2 minutes until they start to brown, then add the snow peas and water, cover and steam just 1–2 minutes — snow peas should stay bright and crunchy.
- Beef
- Sauce
- Vegetables & garnish
- Nice to have (optional)
- Beef
- Sauce
- Vegetables & garnish
- Nice to have (optional)
- Beef
- Sauce
-
1 tbsp allulose or brown keto sweetenerleave out - Vegetables & garnish
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
- Beef
- Sauce
- Vegetables & garnish
- Also add
- Nice to have (optional)
Estimated cost $28.88 for 4 servings ($7.22 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Toss the sliced beef with 1 tablespoon tamari and the baking soda and let it sit 15 minutes while you prep everything else. The baking soda raises the surface pH, which keeps the thin slices tender the way restaurant "velveting" does.
-
In a measuring cup, whisk the remaining tamari, broth, sweetener, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger and pepper flakes. Sprinkle the xanthan gum evenly over the surface and whisk hard for 30 seconds until no clumps remain.
-
Heat 1 tablespoon avocado oil in a large wok or skillet over high heat. Add the broccoli and stir-fry 1 minute, then add the water, cover and steam 2–3 minutes until bright green and crisp-tender. Tip onto a plate.
-
Wipe the pan dry, add the remaining oil and heat until shimmering. Sear the beef in two batches in a single layer, 1–2 minutes per side, until browned. Slices this thin cook through well past 145°F (63°C) almost instantly; crowding the pan steams the meat instead of searing it.
-
Return all the beef to the pan, pour in the sauce and toss for 1–2 minutes, until it bubbles and turns glossy. Add the broccoli back and toss to coat.
-
Scatter with green onions and sesame seeds. Serve on its own or over cauliflower rice.
Tips for success
-
Freeze the steak for 20–30 minutes before slicing. Partly frozen meat cuts into thin, even strips far more easily. - Xanthan gum thickens fast and clumps if dumped in all at once. If the finished sauce is too thick, loosen it with a splash of broth.
- Tamari is usually brewed without wheat, which makes it the go-to for gluten-free cooking; regular soy sauce tastes almost the same here.
Nice to have, not needed
- A carbon-steel wok gives the hottest, smokiest sear — a 12-inch skillet works if you cook the beef in batches.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Toss in a hot skillet 2–3 minutes with a splash of broth; the microwave works but softens the broccoli.
Prep tip: For meal prep, pack the beef and sauce in one container and the broccoli in another, then combine as you reheat.
Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot skillet rather than the microwave so the broccoli stays crisp.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosShrimp & broccoli
ProteinLarge shrimp in the same glossy ginger-garlic sauce. Dinner is even faster, since shrimp cook in a couple of minutes.
- flank or sirloin steak → large shrimp
6.1 g net · 273 kcal · 40 g protein · 9.5 g fat · ≈$5.58 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
Soy-free (coconut aminos)
DietCoconut aminos replace the tamari for anyone avoiding soy. They are naturally sweet, so the added sweetener is dropped; the sauce carries about 2 g more net carbs per serving.
- tamari or soy sauce → coconut aminos
- tamari or soy sauce → coconut aminos
- + ¼ tsp salt
- no allulose or brown keto sweetener
8.4 g net · 498 kcal · 38 g protein · 33 g fat · ≈$7.28 per serving (+2.3 g net carbs vs the original)
With snow peas & shiitakes
VeggiesCrisp snow peas and meaty shiitake mushrooms stand in for the broccoli, like the beef with snow peas on many takeout menus.
- broccoli florets → snow peas
- + 2 cups shiitake mushrooms
5.8 g net · 490 kcal · 39 g protein · 33 g fat · ≈$8.22 per serving (−0.3 g net carbs vs the original)
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