I don’t get cravings for food from my pre-paleo days very often, but every once in a while I get a hankering and this recipe for garlic and ginger beef with broccoli is the result of my recent nostalgia for Chinese takeout. And like most home cooked meals, it is actually far superior in taste to the “real thing” it tries to emulate as well as being much healthier, so that’s good all around!
Serve this paleo beef with broccoli with cauliflower rice if you are strict paleo, or real white rice if you do the “safe starch” thing.
Ingredient notes
I tried this recipe both with fresh garlic and ginger and then with with the dried versions. Both were good, but the one made with the dried actually had a flavor closer to what I was going for. I guess that shouldn’t come as a surprise since cheap Chinese takeout joins likely use that too!
- “Coconut aminos” is a paleo-friendly substitute for soy sauce. You can buy it at most health food stores, or online here.
- If you use the optional fish sauce, a paleo-friendly brand like this one is recommended.
- As always, homemade bone broth is recommended. But if you don’t have any on hand, this brand is a pretty good alternative.
Notes for healing diets
- Whole30 – Totally compliant!
- Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) – Coconut aminos is not SCD legal, though a lot of people use it anyway. Another option is to make the soy sauce substitute recipe found in this excellent SCD cookbook. Arrowroot is also not SCD legal, so just omit it.
- Paleo Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) – Omit the optional sesame seeds.
- Low-FODMAP – Broccoli is a high FODMAP food but it would be easy to swap it out for carrots or another acceptable vegetable. Garlic is trickier as it is a key flavor in this dish. If you try it without the garlic, let me know how it turns out.
Paleo Beef with Broccoli Recipe

- 5 tablespoons coconut aminos (divided)
- 1½ tablespoons sesame oil (divided)
- 3 drops fish sauce (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dried ginger
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder (divided)
- ¼ cup beef broth
- 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
- 2-3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 pound grass fed beef sirloin, skirt, or flank steak, cut across the grain into ¼ inch slices
- 1 head fresh broccoli, cut into florets
- sesame seeds (optional)
- Prepare the marinade by mixing 2 tablespoons coconut aminos, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, fish sauce (if using), ginger, and ½ teaspoon garlic in bowl.
- Add beef and let marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by combining broth, 3 tablespoons coconut aminos, ½ teaspoon sesame oil, ½ teaspoon garlic, and arrowroot powder. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons coconut oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Cook sirloin in a single layer for 1-2 minutes. Turn and cook other side for 1-2 minutes or until browned.
- Remove meat and set aside. If pan is dry, add another tablespoon of coconut oil.
- Add broccoli and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Add 2 tablespoons of water and cover pan for 2-3 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring constantly, until broccoli reaches desired level of doneness.
- Return beef to the pan, add sauce, combine well.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.
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Shared with Paleo AIP Recipe Roundtable.
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This looks amazing! Is the sesame oil AIP compliant?
Actually, no. At the time I wrote this post, The Paleo Approach had not yet been published and the issue on seeds and seed-based oils was not settled. It is a stage 1 reintroduction, but if you are in the elimination phase you will want to leave it out. Thanks for asking!
Why does your website revert to the entire article when I click on the recipe to print it? Very frustrating!
I’m not sure what you mean. If you click the “print button” on the recipe card, only the recipe will print.
Thanks so much for this recipe! My husband has been avoiding both gluten and soy, so we haven’t been able to do Asian takeout in what feels like forever. I made this tonight and it was AMAZING! Super easy and super yummy! I think it’ll be a once-a-week meal in our house for sure.
I am glad you like it! For even more incredible Asian takeout recipes you should get the Domestic Man’s new book Paleo Takeout… (http://amzn.to/1KL9iEm) Every recipe I have tried so far has been delicious!