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Beef and Broccoli made vegan! This plant-based take on the classic Chinese-American dish is loaded with tender vegan “beef”, fresh broccoli, garlic, and ginger and comes with a rich stir-fry sauce. Super meaty, saucy, and just 1-pan required!
📘 What is Beef and Broccoli
Beef and broccoli is a classic Chinese-American dish that consists of sautéeed beef cuts and broccoli cooked in a soy-based sauce. Traditionally, the Chinese version of this dish makes use of Gai Lan, also known as Chinese broccoli or kale.
⭐️ Why You Should Try This Recipe
- Meaty, saucy, and SO delicious. This vegan take has nothing to envy to the classic version! The vegan beef is incredibly tender and juicy, the broccoli fresh and crunchy, and the sauce has the perfect balance of flavors!
- High-protein and healthy. Served over steamed rice, this dish is filling and packed with protein.
- Simple and quick. This beef and broccoli dish requires just 1 pan and about 30 minutes. It’s perfect for a weeknight dinner, plus leftovers keep very well!
🥦 Ingredient Notes
This recipe requires just 12 ingredients. Here are some of the key ingredients you will need:
- Vegan beef – I went with TVP (textured vegetable protein) slices to replace the beef. You can find TVP slices online or in Asian supermarkets. It’s a dry product that is made from soy flour. Check below to read about other possible substitutes.
- Broccoli – Or broccolini. I recommend using fresh broccoli for the best flavor and texture. Frozen broccoli will work but won’t be as good.
- Garlic
- Ginger – Use fresh ginger for a citrusy and peppery flavor.
- Soy sauce – We will be using two different kinds of soy sauce. Regular soy sauce for umami and flavor and dark soy sauce to give the TVP a dark brown color.
- Cornstarch – To thicken the sauce. You can use tapioca starch if you prefer.
- Sesame oil – Preferably toasted sesame oil for some nuttiness.
- Sugar – I went with light brown sugar, but coconut sugar or maple syrup are good substitutes.
- Black pepper – For an earthy aroma and a subtle heat.
Substitutes for the vegan beef
If you can’t find large TVP slices, you can replace them with vegan beef slices, soy curls, unripe jackfruit, or even vegan chicken strips (about 1 and 1/2 cups).
🥣 How to Make Vegan “Beef” and Broccoli
This recipe consists of three basic steps: preparing the vegan beef, steaming the broccoli, and stir-frying them with the sauce.
To prepare the TVP:
- Rehydrate the TVP. Soak the slices in water for about 30 minutes or until soft.
- Drain and rinse. Squeeze the slices to remove the moisture. Rinse, and squeeze again. Repeat this step 3-4 times, it will help get rid of the soy flour taste.
- Tear into thin strips. Cut the slices into thin strips using your hands or a pair of scissors.
- Marinate. Finally, let the TVP marinate with soy sauce and oil for about 10 minutes.
Next, it’s time to cook the broccoli and the beef.
- Steam the broccoli. Add the broccoli florets to a skillet and pour in about 1/3 cup of water. Bring to a boil and cover to steam the broccoli. Usually, 1-2 minutes are enough, as you want the broccoli just tender. Set the broccoli aside.
- Sauté the vegan beef. Sauté the TVP strips until slightly golden brown. Add minced garlic and ginger, and cook for one more minute.
- Pour in the sauce. Add the sauce to the skillet and stir to coat. Let the vegan beef simmer for 1-2 minutes in the sauce.
- Add the broccoli and the slurry. Finally, add the steamed broccoli back to the skillet and add the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. Cook for one more minute and serve!
You can serve this vegan beef and broccoli on top of rice (especially delicious with this Clay Pot Rice!) or quinoa for a healthy and filling meal!
📔 Tips
- Do not overcook the broccoli. You don’t want the broccoli to be mushy, it should retain some texture and be slightly crunchy.
- Pat the skillet dry after steaming the broccoli. To prevent the oil from spilling when sautéing the vegan beef, make sure you pat the skillet dry using a clean kitchen paper towel.
- Make thin “beef” slices. Thinner slices will absorb the sauce better and won’t be as chewy. If your TVP slices are too thick, feel free to slice them in half, thick-wise.
- Double the recipe for leftovers. This beef and broccoli keep very well in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can then reheat it gently on the stove for a few minutes before serving it with your favorite grain.
This beef and broccoli dish is so meaty you will never believe it is vegan! It’s one of my favorite Chinese-inspired recipes!
🍜 More Classic Takeout Dishes
Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!
Vegan Beef and Broccoli
Ingredients
Vegan "Beef"
- 4 large TVP slices or vegan beef slices
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp oil
- 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
Stir Fry
- 2 cups broccoli florets or broccolini
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 tsp grated ginger
Sauce
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth or "Better Than Bouillon No Beef" broth
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp cornstarch diluted in 2 tbsp of water
Instructions
- Prepare the vegan beef: Add the TVP slices to a bowl and cover with water. Rehydrate the slices for about 30 minutes or until soft.
- Squeeze the slices to remove the excess water. Rinse under cold water and squeeze again. Repeat this step 3-4 times to eliminate the soy flour taste.
- Cut the slices into thin strips using your hands or scissors. Transfer to a bowl. Add the soy sauce, oil, and dark soy sauce. Stir to coat and let marinate for about 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the vegetable broth, soy sauce, brown sugar, dark soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and ground black pepper. In another bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water. Set aside.
- Stir fry: To a non-stick skillet, add 1/3 cup of water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the broccoli and cover with the lid. Steam the broccoli for 1-2 minutes or until just tender (do not overcook it). Remove the broccoli from the skillet and set aside. Discard the cooking water and pat the skillet dry using a clean kitchen paper towel.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in the skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the vegan beef and sauté for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.
- Next, add the minced garlic and ginger and cook for 1 more minute. Pour in the sauce and let the beef simmer for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the steamed broccoli back to the skillet. Pour in the cornstarch slurry and stir to combine. Cook for one more minute or until the sauce has thickened.
- Serve immediately on top of white rice or quinoa!
Notes
- Do not overcook the broccoli. You don’t want the broccoli to be mushy, it should retain some texture and be slightly crunchy.
- Make thin “beef” slices. Thinner slices will absorb the sauce better and won’t be as chewy. If your TVP slices are too thick, feel free to slice them in half, thick-wise.
- Double the recipe for leftovers. This beef and broccoli keep very well in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can then reheat it gently on the stove for a few minutes before serving it with your favorite grain.
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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I never use soy so as a substitute for TVP or even tofu, I’ve discovered PUMFU which is pumpkin seeds processed like the soybeans in tofu. The Pumfu can be frozen and then defrosted, which will give it a meaty texture when squeezed of all its water content. And it’s great in your recipe!
Yes, I heard about Pumfu but haven’t tried it yet 🙂
This is the first time I use this broccoli for cooking. It taste is different than the traditional one but it’s excellent. My family loved it. Thank you for sharing.
Yes, broccolini has a slightly different taste 🙂
Glad your family loved this recipe!
Thomas, could I use Dried Bean Curd Sticks or Knots instead?
Yes, in that case, you can cut them into smaller sections after rehydrating them.