Vegan Beef and Broccoli! A restaurant take-out copycat, made completely vegan and ready in less than 30 minutes! Gluten free.
This easy stir fry recipe features soy curls, one of my favorite pantry staples to have on hand for quick weeknight dinners.
Vegan Beef and Broccoli is packed full of flavor, protein and broccoli. The whole family will enjoy this classic take-out favorite turned vegan!
Nora’s helpful recipe tips
- Quality pan – Use a cast iron or non-stick pan for best results. A good pan will help the soy curls not stick to the bottom.
- Kitchen bouquet – Such a simple, inexpensive ingredient but it makes a world of difference for this recipe! It’s what makes the soy curls so richly brown and dark in color, mimicking beef.
- Don’t overcook the broccoli – You will steam the broccoli in the pan for just a minute or two, until bright green and slightly softened. You don’t want totally mushy broccoli, so try not to overcook it.
Frequently asked questions
- Is it gluten free? As long as you use gluten free tamari instead of soy sauce, the dish will be gluten free.
- How long do leftovers keep? Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
- Can you freeze it? It can be frozen, but is definitely better fresh. The broccoli will get mushy. But if it’s going to be thrown away otherwise, freeze it.
- Can I use something other than soy curls? Yes! Substitute strips of seitan (try making my Vegan Chicken, but cut into strips and stir fry coated in cornstarch) or tempeh chunks/strips. You could even use tofu squares if desired, though it would be much less beef-like.
More take-out favorites made vegan
- Easy Kung Pao Tofu
- General Tso’s Tofu
- Crispy Orange Tofu
- Vegan Thai Red Curry
- Vegan Tikka Masala
- Vegan Butter “Chicken”
Vegan Beef and Broccoli
Vegan Beef and Broccoli! A restaurant take-out copycat, made completely vegan and ready in less than 30 minutes! Gluten free.
Ingredients
- 8 ounce bag soy curls
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 pound broccoli florets
- 1-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons kitchen bouquet, optional for browning
The sauce
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce *use tamari for gluten free
- 2 tablespoons kitchen bouquet, optional
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 5 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
For serving
- cooked brown or white rice, about 4-5 cups cooked
- chopped green onions
- sesame seeds
- additional chili flakes or hot sauce
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the dehydrated soy curls, then cover with about 4 cups of hot water. Let them rehydrate for about 10 minutes until they have grown in size and softened. Drain in a colander and squeeze any excess water from the pieces.
- Using the same bowl (once empty), add the soy curls back to it, along with the cornstarch and stir to coat. I use my hands to really coat the pieces as much as possible. Set aside.
- Make the sauce: In a small-medium bowl, add all sauce ingredients and whisk until the cornstarch has dissolved. Set aside.
- In a large sauté pan or wok, add the broccoli and 1/2 cup water. Turn the heat to high, cover and steam the broccoli for about 2 minutes until bright green and slightly softened. Then remove the broccoli to a plate nearby.
- To the empty pan, add 1-3 tablespoons of oil, then add the soy curls and fry, stirring frequently for 4-5 minutes until a bit golden and crisp. I also like to add a few tablespoons of kitchen bouquet while frying, which helps make the soy curls nice and brown. You may omit the oil if you have a very good non-stick pan, otherwise the soy curls will stick. Turn the heat down to medium.
- Whisk the sauce once more, then add to the pan with the soy curls. Stir constantly for a minute or two, until the sauce thickens, then add the broccoli back in and stir. Serve immediately over rice topped with sesame seeds and green onions. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutritional information does not include any added rice, just the soy curls and broccoli mixture.
- You could easily use seitan strips or tempeh in place of the soy curls, if desired.
- Leftovers will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. It freezes okay, but is better fresh.
- Kitchen bouquet is optional, but it's what makes the soy curl "beef" so brown.
Nutrition
Serving: 1of 6 servings | Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 745mg | Potassium: 302mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 570IU | Vitamin C: 68mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 5mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!
Such a hit with our family. I used the beyond meat Korean bbq steak tips instead of soy curls, though I have used the soy curls before and both times this recipe shines. Delicious.
I am so glad that you and your family are loving the beef and broccoli recipe, Tiffany! Thank you for taking time to share your awesome review and recipe experience! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
I made this last night but I used tofu instead of soy curls. Also I was out of broccoli so i used a variety of other veggies. I LOVED IT! It was a little bit on the salty side, but I probably did something wrong. I will definitely make it again and make sure I have broccoli! Lol! Thank you! 😊
This was absolutely delicious. I doubled the sauce (saved a little less than half for next time), used frozen broccoli and Gardein Stek Tips. My husband who is not a foodie type person kept saying how good this was. I know its a hit when he goes on and on because I can count on probably one hand how often that has happened! Thanks for another great recipe! This will be on repeat.
Hi Debbie, I’m so thrilled that the vegan beef and broccoli was a hit! It’s so fun making a meal that your family loves! Thank you for sharing your terrific review! Wishing you lots of happy cooking!
Another slam dunk, Nora!! I’ve made this as written and also tried Beyond Meat steak tips in place of the soy curls, which works great and makes this even quicker. So easy and delicious!!!
Hi Kate. Thanks for sharing your awesome review! I’m so glad you are loving the recipe, and found it easy to make! Happy cooking!
Loved the vegan scrambled eggs! My husband had to go vegan for health reasons. It’s been a challenge to find good tasting meat and dairy substitutes for him. He is also gluten sensitive. Thanks again for all your help!
BTW, what are TVP strips?
Thanks Kim! Those are soy curls, and they’re fantastic. 🙂 Very meaty and chewy – I bet your husband would like them!
Your blog is my go-to to check for any recipe I’m looking for, and you’ve done it again! I recently bought some dry TVP “beef” strips at a local vegan store and was looking for something to do with them. I did end up making a 1.5x amount of the sauce since there were more TVP strips than in a bag of soy curls and I’m a bit of a broccoli fiend so I tripped the amount of broccoli. It definitely coated everything (and I had to mix it together in a stock pot!) without being too saucy, which is my personal preference. Yet another recipe I will be recommending! Thanks for all the good eats over the years.
Hi Bailey. Thank you for loving my recipes through the years! I am thrilled that you loved the beef and broccoli recipe, and appreciate your glowing review! Wishing you many more years of happy cooking!