This Easy Beef and Broccoli Freezer Meal Recipe will have all of your other broccoli recipe s beat! It's a great freezer meal that makes your busy weeknights as delicious as a dream and as fast as chinese food take out!
This Broccoli Stir Fry Recipe uses tender beef, sesame seeds and either fresh broccoli or frozen (frozen makes the easist results!). Then you use the savory brown sauce ingredients to make a Chinese restaurant quality dish that the whole family will love.
This easy meal is going to replace your slow cooker freezer meal as well as grocery store frozen meals. It has the same delicious take out quality as my chicken fried rice that readers love!
What You'll Need
- Cut of beef - flank steak, chuck roast, etc but I recommend precooked and frozen beef strips.
- Frozen broccoli (or fresh).
- Corn Starch
- Flavorful Sauce ingredients: low sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic.
- You'll need a small bowl and a whisk
- Gallon-sized freezer bag, small bags too.
Making This Beef Broccoli Freezer Meal
You can make this dish in a large skillet, in your instant pot or in a crockpot.
If you follow the recipe instructions noted below, it works best as a weeknight meal in the skillet using the tiniest bit of broccoli beef meal prep imaginable.
All you need to do is to slice up the beef, toss it in cornstarch (that thickens the sauce when you cook it), cut up a cups broccoli florets or use my favorite method of using already frozen broccoli florets, then mix up the broccoli sauce and freeze it in a separate bag packaged inside the large gallon size bag.
How To Freeze This Recipe
Simply bag as listed above and then place into the freezer. It will freeze well for about 3 months.
How to Serve This Dish
I serve this with rice (make in your rice cooker for ease) or you can serve with cauliflower rice for a delicious broccoli teriyaki freezer meal!
Also serve with condiments and extras like red pepper flakes, sesame oil for drizzling, green onions, bell peppers,
Frequently Asked Questions FAQ's
If refrigerated, it lasts for about 3-5 days.
If you cook it again, then yes you can freeze it again for up to 3 months.
Substitutions
Soy Sauce - Equal amounts of Coconut Aminos or Brags Aminos.
Beef - use any cut of beef you prefer or its a terrific use for leftover beef
Vegetable Oil - Canola Oil or any high temperature cooking oil but not a cooking spray.
Step by Step Photos
- Place the beef, cornstarch and broccoli in a gallon size freezer bag with the sauce ingredients in a separate bag inside the larger bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw (or mostly thaw) and Remove the beef and broccoli from the bag into a skillet with a few tablespoons of oil.
- Once the broccoli and beef have heated up, add the sauce ingredients.
- As the sauce heats and thickens, add sesame seeds and serve hot.
Tips and Tricks
- This simple recipe can be made in a skillet, in a crockpot or in an instant pot. See the recipe cooking instructions below for each of those instructions.
- The best way to make this dish is to use the already frozen beef strips like one would use for fajitas, but if you are using a different cut of meat, make sure that you cut it in thin strips and precook so that it cooks quickly and is easy to chew.
- Always cut tougher cuts of beef against the grain so that they are easier to chew.
- Use a few tablespoons of garlic ginger paste instead of the powdered garlic and fresh ginger noted in the recipe for even faster assembly.
- Always choose the broccoli florets and not the whole broccoli with the stem.
- Choose tender cuts of beef that are easy to eat. We like the fajita bites. You can also cut up a easy to chew steak like a rib eye.
***PRO TIP - If using fresh broccoli, blanche the broccoli first before freezing. This keeps it from becoming mushy and allows for a quicker cooking time at the end.
Watch Sarah Make This Dish
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Easy Beef and Broccoli Better Freezer Meal Recipe
Ingredients
For Freezing
- 1 lb steak - thinly sliced
- ¼ Cup cornstarch
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 4 Tbs brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 2-3 cups frozen broccoli florets
For Cooking
- 4 Tbs vegetable oil
Instructions
For Freezing
- Add the thinly sliced beef and cornstarch to the gallon sized freezer bag. Shake until the steak is coated.
- In a quart size freezer bag, mix together the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, ginger, sesame seeds, sesame oil and red pepper flakes. Remove as much air as possible and squish the sauce ingredients up together. Fold and place into the gallon sized bag with the beef.
- Measure out the broccoli and add that to the top of the gallon size bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal the bag.
Skillet Preparation
- Thaw the bag by floating in a bowl of warm water until the contents are freely loose from one another or place into the refrigerator the day before.
- Remove the sauce packet from the bag.
- Pour the broccoli out into a dish.
- Over high heat in a large skillet, add the vegetable oil and heat until glistening.
- Pour the steak into the pan and stir-fry until the pieces are mostly cooked through.
- Add the broccoli to the pan and continue to cook until tender but still crisp.
- Add the sauce, cook, stirring constantly until coated throughout and the sauce thickens slightly.
Instant Pot Preparation
- Layer the steak and then the broccoli in the bottom of the instant pot. Add ½ cup beef broth or water.
- Bring to full pressure for 3 minutes with 10 minute natural release.
- Release the pressure and remove the lid. Mix the sauce ingredients into the meat and broccoli. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Slow Cooker Preparation
- Add the broccoli, beef and sauce ingredients into the crockpot and mix well.
- Set the crockpot on low. Heat for 4-6 hours.
- Stir well and serve.
Notes
- This simple recipe can be made in a skillet, in a crockpot or in an instant pot. See the recipe cooking instructions below for each of those instructions.
- The best way to make this dish is to use the already frozen beef strips (find fajita strips in the frozen section), but if you are using a different cut of meat, make sure that you cut it in thin strips and pre cook it so that it cooks quickly and is easy to chew.
- Always cut tougher cuts of beef against the grain so that they are easier to chew.
- Use a few tablespoons of garlic ginger paste (find the recipe at loaves and dishes) instead of the powdered garlic and fresh ginger noted in the recipe.
- ALWAYS use broccoli florets only. The others frozen bags use stalks and that doesn't work in this recipe.
- If using fresh beef, use a good cut of steak like ribeye or NY strip.
- The frozen sandwich meat won't work well for this recipe.
Nutrition
I hear a lot of "be sure to carry your g*n" and "call the police and carry your g*n". God doesn't call us to a spirit of fear and violence, does he? Of course he doesn't.
Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
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