This Garlic Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe is a super quick 10 minute dinner that’s light, fresh and veggie packed.
Updated February 2020. This Vegan Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe is my go-to meal for those nights when I just don’t feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen. It is so darned fast and unbelievably delish!
Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe
Truthfully, when I whipped up this broccoli stir fry I was going for a Broccoli in garlic sauce kind of dish that could replicate one of my go-to takeout orders.
While it missed the mark on being an exact copycat recipe, this broccoli stir fry certainly packs a garlicky kick, and combined with the freshness of the veggies, this stir fry is a winner for me. The hint of lime at the end really perks up all of the flavors in this stir fry.
I served this with rice and since the rice was already made ahead of time, this was such a quick and easy meal. I use my rice cooker to make all of our rice and I love it because it’s so quick, easy and un-screw-up-able.
To make this even quicker of a meal, I took a shortcut and used a 12 oz. bag of fresh steamable broccoli in the produce aisle (not frozen).
How to Customize this Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe
- Substitute the peppers. Use red, yellow or orange bell pepper interchangeably. Green bell pepper can be used, but the others tend to be sweeter and better suited for this dish.
- Add Baked Tofu. This stir fry is pretty light, so adding in some baked tofu would add a little heartiness. Just add in the baked tofu towards the end just after adding in the sauce.
- Serve over rice noodles. I do think you’d need to double the sauce (note – I haven’t tried this myself and will update the post after I do!) so that the noodles would have plenty of sauce to soak into them, but this meal would be fantastic over rice noodles or lo mein noodles.
Additional Healthy Broccoli Stir Fry Options
This easy broccoli stir fry is vegan, vegetarian, and completely customizable. If you have something you think would be good in, give it a try! If you don’t eat vegetarian, by all means, add in some meat. The options are endless. Here are a few of our top ideas for you to try:
- Shrimp – Devein and peel jumbo or large shrimp. Add it to the stir fry when it’s almost done because they will only take a couple of minutes to cook.
- Chicken – Cut up chicken into 1-inch pieces and cook in a little bit of olive oil before you start anything else. Once it’s done, take it out and set it aside. Add it back in the last 5 minutes of cooking. So good!
- Steak – Buy a good quality steak and cut it into thin pieces. It adds a lot of flavors, and if you get good quality steak, it will be fall-apart tender.
- Carrots – Slice up a couple of carrots and toss them into the stir fry. They add a subtle sweetness and a little bit more crunch.
- Mushrooms – Add some fresh sliced mushrooms to the stir fry to add some earthy flavors.
How To Make Stir Fry
You can make this broccoli stir fry so quickly, and it’s practically effortless. The flavor is fantastic, and it will taste like it simmered and cooked for hours. Let’s get started:
First Step: Make the sauce by mixing together garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, vegetable broth, maple syrup, and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Mix it well using a whisk.
Second Step: Heat the vegetable oil and begin sauteing the onion, pepper, and broccoli at medium-high heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook for 6-8 minutes.
Third Step: Turn the heat down to medium and add in the sugar snap peas and drizzle with sauce. You’ll need to stir continuously until the sauce becomes thick.
Fourth Step: After the sauce has thickened, remove from heat and add green onions, lime juice, and sesame seeds. Enjoy hot!
Substitute Honey For Maple Syrup?
The dish needs that sweetness to offset the saltiness from the soy sauce. I recommend if you don’t like maple syrup or are just out of it, to use honey instead. It’s a similar flavor and will taste great in this sauce.
Is This Stir Fry Recipe Spicy?
No, this isn’t a spicy stir fry recipe. So, if you are looking for lots of flavors and not heat, then you are in luck! However, if you want to make it a little spicy, then just add some red pepper flakes and a dash of cayenne pepper. I don’t recommend adding a ton of red pepper flakes because once it gets too hot, there isn’t much you can do. Just a sprinkle or two is good.
Do I Need A Wok To Make This Broccoli Stir Fry?
No, you don’t have to have a wok to make this stir fry. Just a non-stick skillet will work well. I do like using a wok because the heat seems to be more even as it cooks. Plus, you don’t need as much oil, and it will cook a little faster because woks tend to be thinner than a skillet. It’s by no means required, but they are helpful.
Can I Use Frozen Broccoli Instead Of Fresh?
Yes, you can use frozen broccoli if you want to, but I recommend defrosting it first. The texture of using frozen broccoli is going to be a little bit different, so I want to warn you upfront. The flavors are going to be the same. To defrost the broccoli, put it in a glass microwave-safe bowl and heat it for a couple of minutes. You aren’t trying to cook it, just get rid of the freeze. Once it’s defrosted, for the most part, you can follow the directions and prepare as instructed.
What Goes With Broccoli Stir Fry?
There are several items that would go lovely with broccoli stir fry. It’s actually so good you could eat it on its own, but I often like to serve it with something else. Try some of these ideas out:
- Quinoa – Add some extra nutrition to the meal by serving it over a bed of quinoa!
- Cauliflower Rice – You can use simple cauliflower rice or try my cauliflower fried rice recipe. They both go perfectly with this stir fry recipe.
- Rice – Use your favorite rice and add the stir fry on top. Wheat, jasmine, white rice, they are all good!
How Do You Store Leftover Stir Fry?
While stir fry is better when eaten fresh, it can be refrigerated and eaten later too. First, let the stir fry cool down after it’s been cooked. Then place it in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.
Can I Freeze Broccoli Stir Fry?
Yes, absolutely, you can freeze broccoli stir fry. After it cools down, add it to a freezer-safe bag or container. It will last in the freezer for around three months. To serve it, thaw the stir fry in the refrigerator or microwave. Then toss it in a skillet to warm it up and reheat it or microwave.
How Do I Know If Stir Fry Has Gone Bad?
You’ll know pretty quickly if broccoli stir fry has gone bad. First, the odor will be pretty pungent and apparent that it’s no longer suitable to eat. Secondly, you may notice that there is mold growing or it seems really watered down. Never eat if there is any question because it’s not worth getting sick because of it.
If you like this recipe, make sure to check out these!
Honey Teriyaki Chicken-This one will have you skipping the chinese take out forever more! You will never need to go back! Go ahead, you can double the batch! I’ll admit that we have!
Cauliflower Fried Rice-Perfect for a Friday night to stay in and avoid the hustle and bustle of take out! Plus the bonus of being so much healthier!
Super Simple Cilantro Lime Rice-If you are considering rice dishes, don’t overlook this Chipotle Copycat that is quick to fool! You will love how quick this is to make and how great it tastes!
Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 Red Onion thinly sliced
- 1 Orange Bell Pepper thinly sliced
- 12 oz Broccoli Florets Fresh (I used bagged, fresh from produce section)
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 cup Sugar Snap Peas
- 1 Green Onion chopped
- 1 tbsp. Sesame Seeds
- Juice of half a lime
Sauce:
- 5 Garlic Cloves minced
- 2 tsp. Sesame Oil
- 1/4 Cup Soy Sauce low Sodium
- 1/2 cup Vegetable Broth
- 2 tsp. Maple Syrup
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 2 tsp. Corn Starch
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, vegetable broth, maple syrup and corn starch. Mix well. Set aside.
- Add vegetable oil to a pan over medium high heat. Add red onion, bell pepper and broccoli florets. Season with salt and pepper. Saute for about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Reduce to medium heat. Add sugar snap peas and sauce. Stir constantly and cook for another 3 minutes or so until sauce thickens slightly.
- Remove from heat. Stir in green onion, juice of half a lime and sesame seeds.
- Serve immediately over rice.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This Stir Fry was so good. My meat eating husband loved it. I served it over cauliflower rice.
I added some unsalted peanuts along with the sugar peas and sauce – also added some cooked whole wheat thin spaghetti instead of serving on brown rice. I break the spaghetti before cooking (you wrap it in a towel and break on the edge of a table).
I also used more sauce as you suggested, with some chili paste added.
Great recipe – yummy! Thanks!
Sarah that is awesome!! I love it when people make it their own!
This is delicious. O e of my new favs. I used quinoa instead of rice. Yum!
FYI – first time visitor…just to let you know that there are so many pop ups that it makes it almost unreadable. If things aren’t popping up, the page keeps shifting. I was lucky enough to quickly be able to push the print button so it opened up a new window. I also copied the link and tried to pin it on Pinterest but it froze my Pinterest app numerous times. I just bookmarked it in my browser.
In fact, I just had to X a pop up just now trying to write this comment. Not complaining, just giving feedback. 🙂 I’m using an iPhone with safari browser…not sure if that means anything
All that being said, I did print it and I’m making it this week :). It looks really good.
I made this tonight with honey instead of maple syrup and reduced the amount of soy sauce a little, adding more sesame oil instead. It was the best stir fry sauce I’ve made yet, and I’ve made a lot! Thanks so much for providing 🙂
Olivia! Thank you for stopping by and letting me know! I really appreciate it! I’m so glad you liked it. I love sesame oil as well!!
For how long do you think the sauce lasts in the fridge?
I would keep a sauce like this in the refrigerator for up to 5 days is all. Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!
Jordan, I only keep sauces like this in my refrigerator up to bout 3-5 days top! 🙂