This 15-minute Broccoli Stir Fry recipe tosses stir fried broccoli florets, garlic, and ginger in a flavorful 4-ingredient stir fry sauce, giving you a delicious vegetarian dinner to whip up any night of the week!
Table of Contents
Need a quick, healthy, and downright delicious dinner tonight? This Broccoli Stir Fry can be on the table in 15 minutes flat!
Stir fry recipes are known for being quick and easy but I swear, this broccoli stir fry recipe is the fastest and easiest. It’s inspired by traditional Chinese broccoli stir fry recipes, which often use gai lan (Chinese broccoli) and specific seasonings.
My version uses a mix of fresh and pantry staple ingredients and focuses on simplicity and speed without compromising flavor. It’s quickly become one of my favorite broccoli recipes!
You can’t beat its versatility, either. When you have some extra time, feel free to toss this stir fry with more vegetables, meat, tofu, and more. Serve it over cooked rice or noodles with your favorite toppings and voila! You have a delicious vegetarian dinner without any hassle.
Ingredient notes
- Oil
- Broccoli – Fresh broccoli florets are best in this stir fry. They cook quickly, retain their tender-crisp texture, and soak up the stir fry sauce perfectly.
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh ginger
- Stir fry sauce – This simple sauce comes together in no time using chicken or vegetable broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch.
How to make broccoli stir fry
- Whisk the broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch together in a small bowl to make the stir fry sauce. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the broccoli florets and cook until they turn bright green and are tender-crisp.
- Toss in the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant.
- Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet and simmer until it thickens and coats the broccoli.
- Serve the stir fry in bowls with cooked rice or noodles and your desired toppings. Enjoy!
Tips and tricks
- This stir fry recipe moves quickly, so it helps to have all of your ingredients chopped and ready to go before you get started!
- A wok is ideal for stir frying, but any large skillet will also get the job done. The key is having enough surface area to cook the broccoli florets in a single layer to yield a perfect tender-crisp texture and slightly caramelized edges. Overcrowding can lead to steaming instead of browning, which will make the broccoli soggy.
- The garlic and ginger are added at the end of cooking to prevent them from burning (something they do very easily!).
Variations
If you want to mix up the flavor, throw in some texture, or make it more filling, use these tasty ways to tweak your broccoli stir fry:
- Add more veggies: Feel free to cook cauliflower florets, sliced bell peppers, diced onions, sliced carrots, snow peas, or sliced zucchini alongside the broccoli.
- Add protein: Sauté chicken, shrimp, or beef in the pan, set it aside, and add it back to the pan when you add the sauce.
- Plant-based protein: Add cubed tofu, tempeh, or edamame for plant-based protein.
- Give it a kick: Add red pepper flakes, sriracha, or chili paste to the stir fry sauce, or sauté diced chili peppers with the garlic and ginger for an extra spicy kick.
- Swap the sauce: You can use this Stir Fry Sauce recipe or experiment with a good-quality sweet and savory store-bought sauce instead.
- Serve with toppings: Garnish the stir fry with chopped green onions, cilantro, or parsley for a fresh finishing touch. For extra crunch and flavor, sprinkle sesame seeds, chopped peanuts, or cashews on top. You can even top it with a fried egg for an extra protein boost.
Serving suggestions
The broccoli stir fry can be served on its own or over a bed of cooked rice, noodles, or quinoa. As for side dishes, consider pairing it with:
- Or any of these 30+ Tasty Sides for Stir Fry or these 27+ Easy Chinese Soups
FAQs
Nope! The beauty of this recipe is that you can cook the broccoli directly in a hot pan with no blanching or boiling needed beforehand. The broccoli always comes out of the pan with the perfect tenderness and crunch while keeping its vibrant green color.
Fresh broccoli is the best option here but frozen broccoli can be used in a pinch. To prevent it from becoming mushy in the pan, consider blanching the florets and patting them dry before stir frying.
Make ahead and storing
- Get a jump start on this recipe by making the stir fry sauce 2 to 3 days in advance and storing it in a glass jar in the fridge. When it’s time to cook, the sauce is ready to be tossed with the broccoli!
- Store the leftover stir fried broccoli in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Allow the leftovers to cool to room temperature before storing to keep them fresh.
- To reheat, warm the stir fry in a skillet over medium heat or pop it in the microwave for a minute or two.
Erin’s wine pairings
The savory, umami-rich flavors pair wonderfully with wines that have enough acidity to balance and complement the dish, such as:
- Sauvignon Blanc: The crisp acidity and citrus notes cut through the richness of the stir fry sauce, making it a fantastic pairing.
- Pinot Gris: A clean and refreshing option with subtle fruity notes that won’t overwhelm the flavors.
- Riesling: A dry or slightly off-dry Riesling is an excellent choice, especially if you added a spicy element.
More easy stir fry recipes
Did you make this broccoli stir fry?
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Full Recipe
Broccoli Stir Fry
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 4-5 cups broccoli florets (2-3 stalks)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
- 2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Sesame seeds (to garnish (optional))
- Red pepper flakes (to garnish (optional))
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup chicken broth, 2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the 4-5 cups broccoli florets and stir fry for 4-5 minutes until it is bright green and tender crisp.
- Add the 3 cloves garlic and 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger and continue stir frying for another minute or so, until fragrant.
- Pour in the sauce and toss well to combine.
- Simmer for a minute or two until the sauce is heated through and thickened.
- Enjoy.
Notes
- This stir fry recipe moves quickly, so it helps to have all of your ingredients chopped and ready to go before you get started!
- A wok is ideal for stir frying, but any large skillet will also get the job done. The key is having enough surface area to cook the broccoli florets in a single layer to yield a perfect tender-crisp texture and slightly caramelized edges. Overcrowding can lead to steaming instead of browning, which will make the broccoli soggy.
- The garlic and ginger are added at the end of cooking to prevent them from burning (something they do very easily!).
- Add more veggies: Feel free to cook cauliflower florets, sliced bell peppers, diced onions, sliced carrots, snow peas, or sliced zucchini alongside the broccoli.
- Add protein: Sauté chicken, shrimp, or beef in the pan, set it aside, and add it back to the pan when you add the sauce.
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