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Our Healthier Mongolian Beef and Broccoli tastes just as delicious as the version from your favorite restaurant.
Like so many of you, Jack and I are buckling down after our holiday indulgences, and we’re making some healthier-eating resolutions. But good news…this Mongolian Beef and Broccoli is one of those recipes that anyone would enjoy — even if you aren’t watching what you eat these days!
This is a healthier version of the popular Mongolian Beef and Broccoli dish you’d find on the menu at most Chinese-American restaurants. We made some simple ingredient swaps so that this dish still has the same trademark sweet and savory brown sauce everyone loves when they eat Mongolian Beef — but with more natural, less-processed ingredients.
(In fact, if you are following the Whole30 program this January, this recipe is a great meal option! Our ingredients list below includes some Whole30-compliant swaps.)
How do you make Healthier Mongolian Beef and Broccoli?
Tender strips of sirloin steak are marinated in a flavorful mixture of chicken stock, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, scallions and red pepper flakes, plus Medjool dates add a touch of sweetness. All of these ingredients are simmered together, then pureed to create a marinade and sauce.
After the beef marinates, it is seared in a hot skillet or wok until cooked through. Then — in the same skillet or wok — you’ll cook up broccoli florets until just tender.
The earlier marinade mixture is cooked further and thickened, creating a delicious sauce for your Mongolian Beef and Broccoli.
We served our Mongolian Beef and Broccoli over riced cauliflower — a great choice if you are looking for a lower carb alternative to rice. (We include instructions for how to make your own riced cauliflower too, in the steps below.)
Enjoy!
You may enjoy these other homemade versions of Asian take-out favorites:
- Sweet and Sour Chicken
- Beef Teriyaki and Vegetables
- Korean Barbecue Chicken Wings
- Miso Fried Rice
- Bulgogi (Korean Beef Barbecue)
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Healthier Mongolian Beef and Broccoli
Our Healthier Mongolian Beef and Broccoli tastes just as delicious as the version from your favorite restaurant.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons ginger, minced
4 teaspoons garlic, minced
1/2 cup scallions, top and bottom
Pinch red pepper flakes
3/4 cup pitted Medjool dates, chopped
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock, divided
1 cup soy sauce, divided (or coconut aminos if you are following the Whole30 program)
1 1/2 pounds sirloin steak
4 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 pounds cauliflower
1 cup onion, diced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
2–3 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 head of broccoli cut into small florets, about 4 cups
1 1/2 tablespoons corn starch (or tapioca flour if following the Whole30 program)
Instructions
Place the sesame oil in a medium skillet or sauté pan over medium heat and add ginger, garlic, scallions and pepper flakes and cook two minutes. Then add dates, one cup of stock and soy sauce (or coconut aminos), reserving two tablespoons of the soy sauce (or coconut aminos) to use later to dissolve corn starch (or tapioca flour).
Bring to a boil then simmer on medium low for 15 minutes to reduce to about 2 cups. Pour into a blender and puree.
Cool this mixture while preparing the beef.
Cut the beef into thin strips on the bias with a sharp knife. I bought thin cut sirloin steaks, held the knife on an angle and sliced off strips about 2-4 inches long.
Place the beef and the cooled liquid into a zip lock bag and marinate for at least one hour, overnight if possible.
Once ready to cook, make the cauliflower rice by cutting off florets of cauliflower from the head and placing in food processor. Process in batches to rice size, using pulses to get the texture perfect. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet or saute pan over medium high and add one tablespoon of the canola oil and add the onion and cook for three minutes then add one more tablespoon of oil and all of the cauliflower.
Cook for 2-3 minutes until tender, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
Remove the beef from the marinade by wiping each piece with your fingers so that most of the marinade stays in the bag. The marinade will be cooked later in this recipe so wipe as much of the marinade as possible back into the bag.
Lay out paper towels and place beef over with more paper towels over top and pat dry.
Heat a large skillet or saute pan over medium high and add 1 tablespoon of the canola oil and lay out half of the beef strips one at a time, cook for one minute, flip and cook for one minute more. As you flip, sprinkle the sesame seeds over the cooked side of each piece. Then remove the beef to a plate. Repeat for rest of beef, and oil.
Heat the marinade in a small sauce pan and once bubbling, reduce and simmer until thick, about three minutes then hold.
Mix the corn starch (or tapioca flour) with the reserved soy sauce (or coconut aminos) to dilute. Set aside.
Heat a large saute pan or wok to high heat and add the ½ cup of chicken stock along with the broccoli and cover. Just as it starts to boil (less than two minutes – see Notes below), remove cover and add the corn starch mixture as well as the reserved sauce and heat and toss. Finally add the beef and toss again.
Serve with riced cauliflower.
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Notes
The broccoli can overcook quickly. You want it still vibrant green with the raw crunch cooked out. Ours was done before the stock came to a boil, about 1 ½ minutes.
Where can I find the nutrition info for this dish?
Hi Susan – I just added the info to the bottom of the card – sorry about that!