gluten free takeout style beef and broccoli (one pan, 30 minutes)
faster and cheaper than delivery and you KNOW it is gluten free!
This weekend was a full one. We watched the Masters at home and then with friends and honestly I do not think I sat down and took a breath the entire weekend. By Sunday night Andrew was still watching the final round and I started a new audio book and found myself standing in the kitchen thinking about ordering takeout. I have those nights too! But then I looked at the ingredients I already had in the house and thought “this is cheaper, faster, and I already have everything. I cannot be lazy about this.” so I made beef and broccoli instead and honestly it felt like the most relaxing half hour of my whole weekend.
If you read my pork fried rice post you already know about the Chinese food restaurant from my childhood that knew us by our phone number instead of our name. My sister and I thought that was the funniest thing. Beef and broccoli is one of those dishes I genuinely cannot order at most restaurants now because I cannot trust that the soy sauce is gluten free. So making it at home is just the smarter move every single time. This gluten free takeout style beef and broccoli is made in one pan in 30 minutes and is celiac safe as long as you use tamari, gluten free soy sauce, or coconut aminos in place of regular soy sauce (all three are completely interchangeable here). Check your sweet chili sauce and chili crunch labels too since gluten can sneak into both!
If you love this recipe, make sure to check out this week’s meal plan here:
Make It Even Easier | Busy Mom Shortcuts
Use instant or boil-only rice noodles to save time. You want about 1 cup of cooked noodles per serving and you can get those ready while the beef is cooking so everything finishes at the same time. Pad Thai rice noodles work great here too. Different shape, same ingredients, same great result.
Cook the broccoli first in the same pan, then remove it. This way you only have one pan to wash at the end. Pan fry the broccoli, set it aside, cook the beef in the same pan, then fold the broccoli back in at the end. One pan, less cleanup, same incredible flavor!
Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl before you start cooking. Once the beef is in the pan things move fast so having the sauce ready to pour in saves you from scrambling. 30 seconds of prep before you start and dinner comes together SO smoothly!
Cook Smarter, Not Harder
Be generous with the oil when you cook the beef. This is the most important tip for a first-timer. The cornstarch coating on the beef will stick to the pan if there is not enough oil and you will lose all that crispy texture you worked for. A generous drizzle of olive oil in a hot pan before the beef goes in is what gives you those golden crispy edges.
The cornstarch and flour coating is what makes this taste like real takeout. Before the beef goes in the pan toss it with the cornstarch, gluten free flour, garlic powder, and ginger until every piece is lightly coated. It should look dusty and slightly dry. That coating crisps up in the hot oil and gives the beef those slightly crunchy caramelized edges that soak up the sauce perfectly. Do not skip this step!
Shaved beef cooks SO fast. Watch it closely. You are looking for brown crispy edges with no pink remaining. It takes just a few minutes per side. Turn the heat up to medium high and do not crowd the pan or it will steam instead of fry. Cook in batches if needed!
Make the noodles while the beef is simmering in the sauce. The sauce needs 3 to 5 minutes to warm and thicken up around the beef and that is exactly enough time to get your noodles ready. Everything lands on the table at the same time with zero waiting!
Make It Your Own
Tamari is what I used here and it is naturally gluten free. Gluten free soy sauce and coconut aminos are both perfect swaps. All three are completely interchangeable in this recipe so use whatever you already have in the house. Regular soy sauce contains wheat and is NOT celiac safe so always make sure yours is labeled gluten free before it goes in the pan.
Check your sweet chili sauce and chili crunch labels before you use them. Gluten can hide in both. Any brand of chili crunch works great here as long as it is labeled gluten free. And fair warning, make sure your sweet chili sauce is not too spicy! Mine was and I was absolutely sweating through this dinner. Lesson learned!
I use Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten free flour in the blue bag for the coating on the beef. It is my go-to for any recipe that calls for a small amount of flour and it works perfectly here.
Want to dial back the heat? Skip the chili crunch entirely or just use half. The dish is still full of flavor without it. If you are making this for anyone who is sensitive to spice start without it and add a little at the table instead.
Protein swaps: stir fry beef strips are the closest swap to shaved beef. Ground chicken or ground turkey work great for a lighter version. Ground beef works if that is what you have on hand. Tofu makes this fully vegan and holds up really well in the sauce!
Vegetable swaps: peppers and onions work beautifully here instead of broccoli, or grab a bag of frozen stir fry vegetables for an even easier weeknight version.
Serve over rice instead of noodles if that is easier. Both are delicious and this recipe is naturally dairy free either way!
gluten free takeout style beef and broccoli
gluten free | dairy free | nut free option
serves 4 | prep 10 min | cook 20 min | one pan
Ingredients
For the beef:
1 lb shaved beef (or stir fry beef strips, ground chicken, ground turkey, or ground beef)
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp gluten free flour
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp ginger
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
2 shallots, minced
1 to 2 tbsp garlic, minced
Olive oil for the pan
For the sauce:
3 tbsp tamari (or gluten free soy sauce or coconut aminos. all labeled gluten free)
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce (check label for gluten free)
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 to 2 tsp chili crunch (check label for gluten free. Start with 1/2 tsp if you are sensitive to spice!)
1 tsp sesame oil
For serving:
4 cups cooked stir fry rice noodles or Pad Thai rice noodles (about 1 cup per serving)
Directions
In a small bowl combine all sauce ingredients: 3 tbsp tamari, 2 tbsp sweet chili sauce, 1 tbsp honey, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 to 2 tsp chili crunch, and 1 tsp sesame oil. Stir to combine and set aside.
Heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add 1 head of broccoli florets and pan fry for 4 to 5 minutes until bright green and slightly charred at the edges. Remove from the pan and set aside.
In a bowl toss 1 lb shaved beef with 3 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp gluten free flour, 2 tbsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp ginger until every piece is lightly and evenly coated. It should look dusty and dry.
Add another generous drizzle of olive oil to the same pan over medium high heat. Add 2 minced shallots and 1 to 2 tbsp minced garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the coated beef and pan fry until brown and crispy on the edges with no pink remaining. Do not crowd the pan. Cook in batches if needed!
While the beef cooks prepare your rice noodles according to package directions.
Pour the sauce over the beef and let it warm and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats everything beautifully.
Fold the broccoli back into the pan and stir to combine. Serve immediately over the cooked rice noodles!
For Your Little Ones
Fletcher skipped this one because of the spice level but if you make a mild version it is a totally toddler friendly meal! Skip the chili crunch entirely, make sure your sweet chili sauce is not spicy, and serve over rice instead of noodles for easier little hands. Set aside a small portion of the beef and broccoli before adding the sauce for the simplest toddler plate. Just plain pan fried beef and broccoli over rice. Easy and SO good!
Make It, Save It, Reheat It
In the fridge, store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. This makes an incredible next day lunch. The sauce soaks into everything overnight and the flavors are even better the second day!
To reheat, warm in a skillet on the stovetop with a tiny drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. The microwave works great for individual lunch portions too. jJust give it a good stir halfway through!
This is a great meal prep dinner. Make a full batch on Sunday and portion it out into individual containers with rice or noodles for easy grab and go lunches all week. Four servings from one 30 minute cook is SO worth it!
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