The sugar was never doing anything but sitting there.
A standard beef and broccoli sauce leans on sugar or honey to balance the salt in the soy sauce, then cornstarch to thicken it. Both are optional. Tamari and a splash of beef broth carry the same savory base, arrowroot thickens the same way cornstarch does, and nothing about the dish needed sweetening to work. The beef and broccoli were carrying the flavor the whole time.
Beef and Broccoli Skillet
Sliced beef, crisp-tender broccoli, and a glossy sauce with no added sugar.
Ingredients
Beef & Broccoli
- 1.5 lb beef sirloin, or flank steak, thinly sliced
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 tbsp avocado oil, or olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 3 green onions, sliced
No Sugar Sauce
- 0.3333 cup soy sauce or tamari
- 2 tbsp beef broth, or water
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp arrowroot powder, or xanthan gum
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 0.25 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
Instructions
Prepare the Sauce
- 1
Whisk the soy sauce, beef broth, sesame oil, rice vinegar, arrowroot powder, black pepper and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
Cook the Beef and Broccoli
- 2
Heat 1 tablespoon of the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced beef and cook until browned, about 3–4 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- 3
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Stir in the broccoli florets and cook until slightly tender but still crisp, about 4–5 minutes.
- 4
Add the garlic, ginger and green onions. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 5
Return the beef to the skillet and pour in the sauce. Stir well to coat everything evenly.
- 6
Cook until the sauce thickens slightly and the beef is fully cooked through, about 2–3 minutes more.
- 7
Serve hot on its own or over cauliflower rice.
Nutrition per serving
Net carbs here means total carbohydrate (10g) minus fiber (3g). There are no sugar alcohols in this recipe, so nothing else is subtracted. Also per serving: 2g sugar, 1240mg sodium.
Nutrition is calculated from ingredient data and will vary with brands, sizes and exactly how much sauce ends up on the plate. Treat it as close, not exact.
Soy sauce swaps. Tamari keeps this gluten-free without changing the flavor much, and is what keeps the sauce lower in sugar than most bottled stir-fry sauces.
Beef swaps. Flank steak, sirloin or ground beef all work here.
Thickener swaps. Xanthan gum works in place of the arrowroot powder. Use about a quarter of the amount and whisk it in well, since it thickens faster and can clump if added all at once.
Extra vegetables. Sliced mushrooms or bell peppers add volume without adding many carbs.
Batch note. Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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