Vegan Beef with Broccoli (1 pan, 30 minutes, gluten-free, nut-free)

One pan vegan beef with broccoli with soy curls is packed with flavor and is so simple to make! The broccoli cooks right in the sauce to save you time and dishes. This is just an incredibly flavorful, 1 Pan, 30 min, easy stir fry, perfect for weeknight dinners.

This is a quick stir fry that is popular in Chinese restaurants(in the US). It needs just 1 pan, everyday ingredients and is quick and easy. I use soycurls for the beef. Soycurls are made with soy beans and have a meaty texture. They are available in dried form in stores and online. You can also use seitan or other vegan chicken or beef substitutes.

For the beef, we use soy curls soaked in broth and crisp them up on a skillet with some dark soy sauce and lots of garlic and ginger. The broccoli steams and cooks in the sauce to save a pan, and then we add in a thickener to help the sauce cling to the beefy soy curls and broccoli.

fork taking a bite of vegan beef with broccoli

It’s a super quick recipe that just needs one pan, and it makes this ridiculously delicious vegan beef with broccoli.

For the best flavor, use vegan beef-flavored stock for soaking the soy curls.

close-up of vegan beef with broccoli in the pan after adding garnishes

Why You’ll Love Vegan Beef with Broccoli

all that meaty texture and beefy flavor with none of the meat
simple to make in one pan
broccoli cooks along with the sauce to save on time and dishes
naturally nut-free and easy to make gluten-free
soy-free option

vegan beef with broccoli in a bowl with rice

For the Soy Curl ‘Beef’

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Make the soy curls.

Warm up the 3 1/2 cups stock in a microwave or saucepan until warm-hot, and add to a bowl. Then, mix the vegan oyster sauce into the stock and add the dried soy curls. Press and mix well, and let the soy curls soak for at least 15 minutes. Once the soy curls have soaked and are not dry, remove them from the stock mixture. Do not throw out the stock, we will use it later. (Transfer all of the soy curls to a strainer, then press the soy curls to squeeze out some of that excess moisture. You don’t want to over-squeeze them, just lightly squeeze them). Then add to a large bowl.
In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch, black pepper, garlic, and baking soda, then sprinkle all over the soy curls, tossing well to coat.
Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, and add the oil. Then, once the oil is hot, transfer the soy curls to the skillet, and toss well to coat with the oil. Continue to cook for 2 minutes, then stir and flip some of the soy curls, and cook for another 1 minute or so. Then, drizzle the dark soy sauce all over, and toss well to coat again and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the soy curls are dry-ish and the sauce has coated all of the soy curls. You can cook for another minute to brown more, if you like. Remove the soycurls from the skillet and set these aside.

Make the sauce.

Heat the same skillet over medium heat. Add the sesame oil then add the garlic and ginger and cook for one to two minutes, or until the garlic is starting to turn golden. Then, add in the broccoli and toss well with the ginger-garlic mixture and cook for half a minute. Add in all of the sauces, brown sugar, black pepper, and 1/2 cup of the reserved stock from soaking the soy curls. Mix well, then cover with the lid, so that this mixture can come to boil and also steam the broccoli, about 3 to 5 minutes. Check if the broccoli is cooked to about al dente, then mix the cornstarch in the reserved stock, and add the cornstarch-reserved stock mixture to the skillet, and bring to a boil.
Fold in the soy curls, tossing well to coat, and then switch off the heat. Taste and adjust flavor of the sauce. If you want some heat, add some pepper flakes, and if you want it’s saltier, then add in a pinch of salt. Let the soy curls sit in the sauce to soak for 2 to 3 minutes, then garnish with green onion and sesame seeds, and serve over rice or quinoa, or lettuce and enjoy.

This recipe is gluten-free, if you use tamari instead of soy sauce and dark soy sauce. Or you can use tamari mixed with a little molasses instead of the dark soy sauce. Also make sure that your vegan oyster sauce or hoisin is gluten-free.
This recipe is nut-free.
ix the coconut aminos with a little molasses. Also make sure that your vegan oyster sauce or hoisin sauce is soy-free.

Calories: 203kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 0.4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 989mg, Potassium: 313mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 427IU, Vitamin C: 62mg, Calcium: 146mg, Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

vegan beef with broccoli ingredients in bowls on the kitchen counter

Ingredients and Substitutions

stock – Vegan beef-flavored stock will yield the best flavor. You will use this to soak the soy curls, then reserve it to use in the sauce at a couple of different points in the cooking process.
vegan oyster sauce – If you can’t find vegan oyster sauce, use hoisin sauce instead. Choose gluten-free and/or soy-free, if needed.
soy curls – This is your vegan beef substitute. For soy-free, you can use seitan or chickpea tofu instead.
cornstarch – Helps the soy curls crisp up.
ground spices – You will season the soy curls with black pepper and garlic powder. The sauce uses more black pepper.
baking soda – Helps the coating on the soycurls get light and crisp.
oil – To sauté.
dark soy sauce – This is different from conventional soy sauce. If you can’t find it in stores, mix a teaspoon of molasses with a tablespoon of soy sauce for each tablespoon of dark soy sauce. You are using dark soy sauce to flavor the soy curls and the sauce. Use tamari instead of soy sauce for gluten-free or coconut aminos for soy-free.
aromatics – Garlic and ginger bring so much flavor to the sauce!
broccoli – Chop into 1″ florets.
soy sauce – Adds umami and moisture to the sauce. Use tamari instead of soy sauce for gluten-free or coconut aminos for soy-free.
brown sugar – Adds sweetness to the sauce.
cornstarch – Mix the cornstarch with some of the vegan beef stock. This will add moisture and help thicken the sauce.
garnishes – Garnish with sesame seeds and green onion.

💡 Tips

You want to press excess moisture from the soaked soy curls, so they’re not soggy, but you don’t want them too dry, either.
Don’t worry if the soy curls seem dry after crisping in the skillet. They will get moisture from the sauce at the end of cooking.

How to Make Beef with Broccoli

Warm up the 3 1/2 cups stock, and add to a bowl. You can warm it up in the microwave or in a saucepan. Then, mix the vegan oyster sauce into the stock and add the dried soy curls.

Press and mix well, and let the soy curls soak for at least 15 minutes. Once the soy curls have soaked and are not dry, remove them from the stock mixture. Do not throw out the stock, we will use it later. Transfer all of the soy curls to a strainer, then press the soy curls to squeeze out some of that excess moisture. You don’t want to over-squeeze them, just lightly squeeze them. Then add to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch, black pepper, garlic, and baking soda, then sprinkle all over the soy curls, tossing well to coat.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, and add the oil. Then, once the oil is hot, transfer the soy curls to the skillet, and toss well to coat with the oil.

Continue to cook for 2 minutes, then stir and flip some of the soy curls, and cook for another 1 minute or so. Then, drizzle the dark soy sauce all over, and toss well to coat again and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the soy curls are dry-ish and the sauce has coated all of the soy curls. You can cook for another minute to brown more, if you like. Remove from the skillet and set these aside.

Heat the same skillet over medium heat. Add the sesame oil then add the garlic and ginger and cook for one to two minutes, or until the garlic is starting to turn golden.

Then, add in the broccoli and toss well with the ginger-garlic mixture and cook for half a minute. Add in all of the sauces, brown sugar, black pepper, and 1/2 cup of the reserved stock from soaking the soy curls.

Mix well, then cover with the lid, so that this mixture can come to boil and also steam the broccoli, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Check if the broccoli is cooked to about al dente, then add the cornstarch-reserved stock mixture to the skillet, and bring to a boil. Fold in the soy curls, tossing well to coat, and then switch off the heat.

Taste and adjust flavor of the sauce. If you want some heat, add some pepper flakes, and if you want it’s saltier, then add in a pinch of salt. Let the soy curls sit in the sauce to soak for 2 to 3 minutes, then garnish with green onion and sesame seeds, and serve over rice or quinoa, and enjoy.

adding garnishes to the cooked vegan beef with broccoli

What to Serve with Vegan Beef and Broccoli

Serve this over rice or quinoa. This goes great with spring rolls or spring rolls fried rice, too!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this recipe allergy friendly?

Vegan beef with broccoli is nut-free.

It would be difficult to make this soy-free, but you could use seitan or chickpea tofu instead of soy curls. For these proteins, no need to soak in the broth, just toss them directly with the cornstarch mixture and cook them until crisp in the pan, then proceed with the recipe as written. Instead of the soy sauce, use coconut aminos, and instead of the dark soy sauce, mix the coconut aminos with a little molasses. Also make sure that your vegan oyster sauce or hoisin sauce is soy-free.

How to store this dish?

Store in a closed container refrigerated for upto 3 days. Reheat in a skillet or microwave. The soycurls absorb moisture on sitting, so add splashes of water, mix and reheat

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