Orange Beef With Broccoli

Fresh and easy weeknight meal giving all the homemade flavors and feels.

Orange Beef with Broccoli from Eat Happy Too, recipe and photo by me, Anna Vocino

When you get diagnosed with celiac disease, the only remedy is to avoid gluten, which means your Chinese food take-out game is severely hampered.

When you go low carb/NSNG®, you are cutting out sugars, grains, and seed oils, which means your Chinese food take-out game is ALSO severely hampered.

Whether you’re dealing with food allergies, or your goal is to keep it low carb, it’s my goal in life to help you navigate this transition so you don’t miss your favorite comfort foods.

This recipe for Orange Beef with Broccoli is one of your new fave delights.

We get all the Chinese food feels and flavors, without added processed sugar, gluten, seed oils, or a ton of sodium or preservatives. Fresh, delicious Chinese food is a thing of wonder, and I bow down to the culinary mastery of these flavor profiles.

While we will never be able to replicate the syrupy sweet and thick sauces you find at most Americanized Chinese restaurants (and why would you—our homemade version is so much fresher, tastier, and healthier IMHO), we will use the juice of an orange and some arrowroot powder to get there. If you find your sauce is too thick, you can let it reduce longer to help thicken it up, or add more arrowroot if desired, but no need to overdo it.

This recipe also works great with chicken thighs or ground pork, so feel free to experiment with the proteins (or even different cuts of beef). I love flat iron and don’t cook with it often enough, so that’s why I chose that particular cut for this recipe, but you can chop up some sirloin, Denver steak, rib eye, New York, or even filet if you’re feeling fancy.

Heat up some cauliflower rice for a side dish, or just gobble up a whole bowl of this on its own.

If you’re going to use soy sauce, triple check the label to make sure it’s gluten free. Or you can use GF Tamari or coconut aminos.

As always, here’s the downloadable, printable PDF of this recipe.

Reprinting this here with permission from myself to myself from Eat Happy Too, which also has 160 other incredible recipes, so I hope you pick up a copy for your cookbook collection and low carb inspiration.

I’ve been working my way through both of my cookbooks, taking photos of the recipes that we weren’t able to photograph for the book. I got so excited by this one, I had to share it on my Substack.

XOXO and ENJOY!!

ORANGE BEEF WITH BROCCOLI

(serves 4)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound flat iron steak, halved, and then cut into 1/8” thick pieces

• 3 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos, divided

• Freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning

• 2 green onions, palest white parts minced, reserve green parts chopped for garnish

• 3 teaspoons olive oil, divided

• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger

• 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1/2 teaspoon minced orange zest

• Juice of 1 orange

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

• 1/2 cup water

• 3 cups broccoli florets (about 2 crowns, chopped into florets)

• 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium bowl, toss beef pieces and 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce until beef is coated, then season with freshly ground black pepper. Let sit for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk together minced green onions, 1 teaspoon olive oil, fresh ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, orange zest, orange juice, sesame oil, and remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Set aside.

In a large nonstick sauté pan, cast iron pan, or wok, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil until shimmering and hot. Add beef pieces to pan, discarding any excess soy sauce, and cook for 1-2 minutes per side. Remove beef to a plate.

Add remaining 1 teaspoon olive oil to pan, add water and broccoli florets, cover, and let steam for 2-3 minutes until broccoli turns bright green. Remove lid, drain off excess water, and move broccoli to outer edges of the pan. Pour in onion/ginger mixture and heat for 1 minute, until fragrant. Fold in broccoli until broccoli is coated. Fold beef pieces back into pan. Sprinkle and stir in arrowroot powder. Cook until thickened, about 1-2 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat, garnish with green parts of the green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.