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. Remove from the pan and set on a plate. 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!
Tried this recipe the other day and LOVED it. Really easy to make and super delicious. With a little tinkering I’m hoping I can get the “beef” crispier and modify it into my family favourite, Crispy Ginger Beef — something I gave up 12 years ago when I went vege. THANKS for this!
You’re so welcome, Liz! Thank you so much for sharing your fantastic feedback and review!
Another great recipe from you! Soy curls taste unbelievably like beef in this recipe it just blows my mind. This recipe is perfect just the way it is , I wouldn’t change a thing. my husband couldn’t stop eating it. Thanks again for a great meal.
That is so wonderful to hear, Maria! I’m so glad you and your husband liked it 🙂 Thank you for your feedback and review!
Made this recipe super easy to make and tasted great and delicious
Amazing flavor!!!! Instead of soy curls, I used Trader Joes frozen 10oz Korean Beefless Bulgogi. This dish was amazing! The broccoli was tender but crisp and the sauce was incredible. I really can’t believe how good this was. Bravo and THANK YOU!
Hi Alice. You are welcome! I’m so happy you loved the recipe! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback and review!
This recipe has such great flavor, and I love the steaming technique for the broccoli. It was perfectly cooked. I added some red bell pepper too. My soy curls stuck to the “non-stick” pan despite using oil. I think next time I won’t bother tossing them with cornstarch and will just immediately mix them in with the sauce to thicken. They don’t really need to be cooked in my experience. I’ve never let them rehydrate for such a long time either, so I wonder if they would be a better texture and not too soft with less soaking time. I needed to add a little extra sauce (I used some bottled teriyaki) in order to have enough. All the cornstarch left the soy curls a little gummy and made the sauce a bit too thick for me. That said, I’ll definitely make this again!
Made this tonight for dinner….. was great!! My husband and I are saucy peeps so I doubled the sauce and had extra to mix into our rice. Had lots of left overs…. can’t wait until lunch tomorrow!
Oh yumm! Leftovers are the best! Thanks for sharing your great feedback! I’m thrilled you guys loved the recipe!
Nora, I bow down yet again. You never fail me! This is a total winner. Thanks so much for all you do.
Why thank you! I’m thrilled you love the recipe! Thank you for your encouraging feedback! I love creating recipes, and feedback like yours is wonderful! Happy cooking!
can u sub out the soy curls for TVP?
Sure, you could do that.
I used a seitan steak I had frozen from your recipe (the ‘steak’ is admittedly just okay) instead of soy curls. And I have to say this recipe is so freaking good. I was legitimately shook at how much it tasted like I had Chinese food delivered. I used ground dried ginger because I don’t have fresh, added a scant pinch of msg, and used a little beefless better than bouillon with the soy sauce (used less soy sauce). Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Hi Jesse. You’re welcome! I’m glad you loved the recipe! Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback and ideas!
This was amazing! I have never used the soy curls or kitchen bouquet. They were both very easy to use. The soy curls tasted just like beef. This was a winner!
I’m so glad you loved the recipe! I really enjoy using soy curls in several of my recipes! Thank you for sharing your review and feedback! Happy cooking!
I made this with seitan and absolutely LOVED it! Thank you! I added more garlic & pepper flakes to spice up the sauce to my liking but all of the flavors were spot on before additions were made – this will definitely be a go-to!
Your additions sound delicious! So glad you loved the recipe and thanks so much for your feedback! Happy cooking!
What are soy curls and where do I find them at my grocery store?
Soy curls are a minimally processed, dehydrated soy product. I can find them at my natural grocery store, but I often order them online.
All your food looks so good I can’t wait to try to make it
Soo good 🙂 thank you for sharing !
Thank you for sharing your great review! Glad you like the recipe!
I had never used soy curls before, but really wanted to try them and used this recipe. It was SO GOOD! We will definitely make it again, . .and again. . . and again!
Could I roast the curls in the oven at high temp to crisp them up instead of with oil in a pan?
I haven’t tried it but it might work!
The flavors in this were spot on! My daughter actually questioned me and thought it was meat! Loved this dish!
LOL! I’m so glad you guys loved the recipe! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review and comments!
This recipe was surprisingly stellar and I’m so glad I tried it! Now one of my favorite ways to use soy curls. I couldn’t find Kitchen Bouquet so I subbed Maggi seasoning, which seems similar. I cut back on the Maggi by about half (1.5 Tbsp) and it was still plenty savory/salty. Loved this quick preparation of broccoli and that everything can be made in one pan. I have a good large nonstick pan, and the soy curls definitely stuck but eventually crisped up— may try turning down the heat next time. Sliced scallions and sesame seeds are the perfect garnish. Looking forward making this again. Thanks for another winner, Nora!
You are welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you so much for taking your time to share your wonderful review and comments! I know that I love one pan meals! Happy cooking!
This was super yummy! A few things; kitchen bouquet is hard to find! Went to 3 stores and nothing. Amazon link sells it for $19! I skipped it.
This was my first experiment with soy curls. How squeezed out do they need to be to get crispy? I didn’t get any crisp. My sauce turned really gummy and not sure if I had the heat too high. Would heat make it gummy? The flavor was fantastic! Will definitely make again! Thank you!
Oh wow! It’s easy and inexpensive to buy where I am. $19 is crazy! But no worries, you can skip it. Did you stir fry the soy curls in oil like the instructions say? I squeeze them quite well, then fry them up until crisp and dried out even more. You may have cooked them in the sauce a bit too long if your sauce got weird. You really just mix it in and it will quickly thicken, then you should turn off the heat and serve it. Hope that helps!
I will definitely try again! I did fry them in oil. I’m guessing they were still too watery though. We are the leftovers last night and they were still delicious! I’ll perfect it soon!
Yeah, I think you should squeeze them out more, and/or cook them for longer. They will dry out. Thanks!
Looks amazing! I’ll be trying it this week.
It should work just as well if I replaced the soy curls with oyster mushrooms instead of seitan or tempeh, right?
Thanks!
Yes for sure! Enjoy!