- February 5, 2021
- 30 Minute Meals
How To Make Beef and Broccoli with Spaghetti Squash
Beef and broccoli with spaghetti squash is a fresh, wholesome twist on one of the most beloved takeout dishes of all time, made entirely with real, simple ingredients and ready in under an hour.
If you have ever found yourself craving takeout on a weeknight but wanting something that actually makes you feel good after eating it, this recipe is exactly what you need. Classic beef and broccoli is already a pretty simple dish at its core, but the restaurant version is usually loaded with sugar, cornstarch, and sodium that add up fast.
This version keeps all the flavor and makes a few smart swaps that turn it into a genuinely nourishing meal. Spaghetti squash stands in for rice or noodles and adds a satisfying, slightly tender bite that soaks up the savory sauce beautifully. It is the kind of dinner that feels indulgent but is actually full of good things.
Why This Recipe Works
- Cooking the steak in batches gives you a proper sear. Crowding the pan traps steam and causes the meat to cook instead of brown. Searing the flank steak in two batches on a hot cast iron skillet gives you those deep, caramelized edges that make every bite more flavorful.
- Arrowroot powder thickens the sauce naturally. Tossing the steak in arrowroot powder before cooking is what gives the finished sauce that glossy, clingy texture you expect from a great stir fry, without any cornstarch or refined thickeners.
- Coconut aminos bring all the savory depth without the soy or sugar. It has a slightly sweeter, milder flavor than soy sauce and works perfectly as the base of this sauce, making the whole dish naturally gluten-free and paleo-friendly without any compromise in flavor.
- Spaghetti squash is a genuinely satisfying base. Unlike some vegetable swaps that leave you feeling like something is missing, spaghetti squash has enough texture and mild sweetness to hold its own under a bold, saucy stir fry. Microwaving it first means it is ready in about 15 minutes and does not slow down the rest of the cooking at all.
Ingredients
Protein
- Flank steak
- Arrowroot powder
Vegetables
- Broccoli florets
- Yellow onion
- Spaghetti squash
Sauce and Aromatics
- Coconut aminos (or soy sauce if not strictly paleo)
- Fresh ginger, minced
- Garlic cloves, minced
- Sesame oil
Optional Garnishes
- Sesame seeds
- Green onion, sliced
- Red pepper flakes
Substitutions
Flank Steak: Flank steak is ideal here because it is lean, flavorful, and easy to slice thin against the grain. Sirloin or skirt steak are both great alternatives. Chicken breast or thighs sliced thin also work really well with the same sauce and cooking method if you want to switch up the protein.
Coconut Aminos: Soy sauce can be used as a 1:1 substitute if you are not avoiding soy or gluten. For a lower sodium version, use reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari, which is also gluten free.
Arrowroot Powder: Tapioca starch works as a direct swap at the same amount. If you are not keeping this paleo, cornstarch works fine too.
Broccoli: Any hearty vegetable works here. Snap peas, bell peppers, baby bok choy, or a combination all cook at roughly the same rate and taste great with this sauce.
Sesame Oil: This adds a really distinct, nutty, toasty flavor that is hard to replicate, but avocado oil or a light neutral oil works if you need to substitute. Just know that some of that signature stir fry flavor comes from the sesame oil, so use it if you can.
What beef cut is best for making beef and broccoli stir fry?
There are a lot of cuts to choose from, but my favorite cut to use is flank steak. Flank steak is a thinner, lean, affordable cut of beef that is easy to cook up quickly and works really well with sauces and marinades.
I’ve gravitated towards flank steak for family recipes when making tacos with this Adobo Marinated Flank Steak and with these delicious pepper and provolone flank steak pinwheels, but it really is a great cut for thinly slicing and using in a stir fry recipe.
When using a flank steak for stir fry, you need to slice pieces very thin (around 1/4 of an inch at most). Slice against the grain for a more tender bite as well. Additionally, you can get even thinner slices to brown and sear nicely if you partially freeze the meat before slicing, if desired.
Slice the meat and place the pieces into a large mixing bowl. I prefer to coat the meat with a little sea salt and arrowroot powder (sub with cornstarch or xanthan gum) to help brown the meat and thicken the sauce.
How to prep your spaghetti squash “noodles”:
Like the spaghetti squash pad Thai, I am a huge proponent of microwaving your sliced and halved spaghetti squash. Squash takes a long time to cook, and I genuinely think in this instance the microwave is the best way to go. If you want tips on roasting the squash, check out this recipe.
Here are some tips for cooking a spaghetti squash in the microwave-
- Start by placing the entire squash into the microwave. It should be completely whole at this point. Microwave it for 5 minutes like this and then carefully remove it.
- Doing this first helps soften the outside to help you slice it (this makes it a little safer and easier to do). I cut the top and the bottom off the squash to create a flat, stable surface for slicing. Slice down the middle.
- Once it is halved lengthwise, use a spoon to scoop out and discard the seeds.
- To microwave it, get a dish or Pyrex that can be microwaved and that will fit at least one half (or both) of your squash pieces. If the squash is very large, you may have to split it up and cook each one separately.
- Place water at least an inch or so in the bottom of the dish, place the squash into the water cut side down, and microwave on high for 7-10 minutes to start. Carefully check it (it will be hot). When the squash is tender (press down on the outside rind), then it’s cooked. Add another 5 minutes or so if it needs more time.
- Remove it from the baking dish and let it cool a bit before using a form to scrape out the insides into a bowl.
Not a fan of spaghetti squash? Sub with any other veggie noodle, white or brown rice of your choice or even serve with rice noodles or ramen noodles if desired.
How to make a low carb whole 30 beef and broccoli sauce:
My sauce is only three main ingredients:
- Coconut Aminos – You can sub with soy sauce if preferred
- Fresh Garlic – Minced
- Fresh Ginger – Minced
Add some to your cooked meat mixture and then some to your broccoli and onion mixture to keep the flavor profile consistent throughout. The arrowroot powder used on the meat is an easy, gluten free way to naturally thicken the sauce mixture as well.
Expert Tips
Slice the steak against the grain. This is the single most important tip for tender steak in a stir fry. Look for the direction the muscle fibers run and slice perpendicular to them. The difference in texture between slicing with the grain versus against it is dramatic.
Get the pan really hot before adding anything. A properly hot pan is what separates a good stir fry from a great one. If the pan is not hot enough, the steak will steam instead of sear, and you will miss out on all that deep, caramelized flavor.
Do not skip cooking the garlic and ginger in stages. Adding half with the beef and the other half with the vegetables means the aromatics build in layers throughout the dish. Every component gets that savory, garlicky depth rather than it all sitting in one place.
Microwave the spaghetti squash to save time. Roasting the squash is great, but it adds 40 plus minutes to your total time. The microwave method gets you equally tender results in about 15 minutes, which fits perfectly into the workflow of making this dish on a busy weeknight.
Taste the sauce before serving. Coconut aminos vary by brand, and some are sweeter than others. Taste the finished dish and add a small splash more if it needs more savory depth, or a tiny drizzle of sesame oil if you want more of that toasty, nutty finish.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep the spaghetti squash and the stir fry stored separately if possible to prevent the squash from getting watery as it sits in the sauce.
To reheat, warm in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, tossing occasionally, until heated through. You can also microwave in 60 second intervals, stirring between each, until hot. If the sauce has thickened too much in the fridge, add a small splash of water or coconut aminos to loosen it back up.
This recipe does not freeze particularly well since spaghetti squash becomes quite watery after freezing and thawing. The stir fry portion on its own can be frozen for up to 2 months if needed.
More Recipes To Try
How To Make Beef and Broccoli with Spaghetti Squash
Ingredients
- 1.5 -2 lb. Flank Steak
- 2 tsp. Sesame Oil
- 4 cups Broccoli Florets
- 1/2 Yellow Onion sliced thin
- 1/2 tsp Fresh Ginger minced
- 3 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1/2 cup Coconut Aminos or soy sauce
- 1 sp. Arrowroot Powder
- 1 Spaghetti Squash
Instructions
- Roast or microwave your spaghetti squash to start. See blog post for more in-depth details. I recommend microwaving because it takes about 15 minutes and can be done while finishing your food prep and cooking your stir fry.
- Slice your flank steak into 1/4 inch thin pieces, cut against the grain. Place in a large mixing bowl and toss in the arrowroot powder.
- Prep your broccoli florets, slice your onion, and mince the garlic and ginger and set everything aside.
- Preheat a large skillet (cast iron preferred) on higher heat. Add 2 tsp. sesame oil to the pan and let it heat up. Sear half the steak and stir after a minute. Remove from the pan and repeat this process again. Cooking in batches reduces steaming the meat and promotes searing.
- Mix all the meat back into the pan, add half the ginger, garlic, and coconut aminos. Mix for about a minute and remove the beef and set it aside in a bowl.
- Add in your broccoli, onion, and remaining ginger, garlic, and coconut aminos. Stir the browned bits of steak off the bottom of the pan and let the broccoli mixture cook about 3-4 minutes until tender. Mix the beef back in and sauté until the liquid thickens a bit (about 3-4 more minutes max).
- Remove from the heat and serve over the spaghetti squash or serve inside and stuff the spaghetti squash if preferred.
- Garnish with sesame seeds, green onion, and red pepper flakes if desired.