🇨🇳 Chinese
Beef + Broccoli Stir-fry
⏱ 25 min
🍞 ~30g (kid-default: beef + broccoli + ⅓ cup real jasmine on the side)
🍽 4 servings
⭐ 5/5
⚠️ Estimates only — not medical advice. Carb counts vary by brand and portion. Always verify with your endo or CDCES.
🌍 Cultural note
Beef and broccoli is the "training wheels" Chinese dish for most American kids — savory, glossy, just two main ingredients to recognize. It's also one of the most balanced takeout orders you can recreate cleaner at home.
Why this recipe is T1D-friendly
- Protein-forward + fiber-rich broccoli = slow, predictable carb absorption
- Sauce uses just a few drops of monk fruit syrup (or a half-tsp of brown sugar) instead of the 2-3 tbsp restaurants use — keeps it under 2g sauce carbs per serving
- Served over a measured ⅓ cup of real jasmine for predictable dosing — see "Rice & base options" below
Ingredients
- 1 lb flank steak, thinly sliced against the grain (0g)
- 4 cups broccoli florets (16g total / ~4g per serving)
- 2 tbsp avocado oil (0g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (1g)
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated (1g)
- 1/4 cup low-sodium tamari (2g)
- 2 tbsp beef broth or water (0g)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (0g)
- A few drops monk fruit syrup (0g) or 1 tsp brown sugar (4g sugar / ~1g per serving)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil (0g)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (slurry) (7g total / ~2g per serving)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (1g)
- 1⅓ cups cooked jasmine rice (⅓ cup per serving — see "Rice & base options" below)
Directions
- Toss sliced beef with 1 tbsp tamari and a pinch of cornstarch. Let sit 10 min while you prep.
- Whisk together remaining tamari, broth, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Set sauce aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add beef in a single layer, sear 1-2 min per side. Remove to plate.
- Add remaining oil + broccoli. Stir-fry 3 min. Add 2 tbsp water, cover, steam 2 min until bright green and just-tender.
- Add garlic and ginger, stir 30 seconds.
- Return beef + juices to pan. Pour in sauce. Stir cornstarch slurry, add to pan, and cook 1-2 min until glossy.
- Top with sesame seeds. Serve over a ⅓ cup scoop of warm rice.
Dash's kid tips 🐆
- Tell your kid the broccoli florets are "little trees" — Dash says T-Rex would eat the whole forest.
- If broccoli is the battle, blanch 1 min in salted water first — it softens the bitter edge kids notice.
- Slice beef thin enough that it twirls onto a fork — bite-size always wins.