Keto Ground Beef and Broccoli

Ingredients

○ 1 Tablespoon peanut oil, can sub vegetable or olive
○ 3 cups broccoli florets, washed and patted dry
○ 1 lb. ground beef
○ 1 yellow onion, diced
○ 1 red bell pepper, sliced
○ Salt/White Pepper, to taste

○ 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, + 2 tablespoons cold water
○ 1 cup of beef broth
○ 1/4 cup of soy sauce and 3 tablespoons of packed brown sugar
○ 1-2 tablespoons honey
○ 2 cloves garlic, minced
○ 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
○ 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

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○ 3 cups cooked rice, any kind

Instructions

Sauté the broccoli in oil for 4 to 5 minutes, then take it off the heat. Add the onions and ground beef and cook them over medium-high heat, breaking them up as you go. Get rid of the grease. Add the bell peppers and cook for one minute.

Add the sauce mixture and bring to a low boil. Let it cook down for 2 to 3 minutes. Take the cornstarch mixture out of the fridge and shake it up. Add it to the sauce slowly. Let it keep bubbling gently until it reaches the thickness you want.

Turn the heat down to low. Add broccoli back and stir to combine and heat through. Garnish with green onions and serve.

1. Prep Work

Combine cornstarch + 2 Tablespoons water in a covered container and shake to combine. Place in a cool location.
Combine remaining sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. *Start with 1 tablespoon of honey and add another at the end if desired.

2. Cook the Broccoli

Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the broccoli and toss to coat. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until slightly softened. Remove and set aside.

3. Cook the Beef

Season the beef with salt/white pepper if desired. Cook and crumble the ground beef and diced onions over medium-high heat until browned and cooked through. Drain grease. Add sliced bell peppers and cook for 1 minute.

4. Add the Sauce

Add sauce mixture and bring to a boil. Let it simmer/reduce for 2-3 minutes. Shake the cornstarch mixture, then slowly stir it into the sauce. Let it continue to bubble gently until desired thickness is obtained.

5. Add the Broccoli Back

Reduce heat to low. Add broccoli back and stir to combine and heat through. Garnish with green onions and serve over rice! *See notes for my process on making perfectly cooked, flavorful rice.

Additional Tips and Variations

• Cauliflower rice can be used instead of regular.
• Brown Sugar and Honey can be replaced with more keto-friendly sweeteners. I do feel that sweetener of some sort is necessary in this recipe to balance out the savory flavor from the soy sauce and beef broth.
• Consider skipping the cornstarch.
• Ground Turkey or Ground Chicken may also be used in this recipe. You can also make my Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry with chicken breasts!
• Frozen Broccoli may also be used. Thaw and pat dry and proceed as outlined in the recipe.
• Ingredient Additions include julienned carrots, water chestnuts, celery, kale, and more.
• Topping Options include green onions, roughly chopped peanuts, sesame seeds, crunchy chow mein noodles, and sliced almonds.
• To Control the Sodium in this recipe, consider using low sodium soy sauce and/or reduced sodium broth. Some soy sauce brands contain more salt than others.
• Tip for cooking rice: Add chicken bouillon to the water for added flavor. Let it stand in the pot with the cover on for 10 minutes after simmering to let the rice release from the bottom.

My Process for Perfectly Cooked Rice

1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. (I add 2 chicken bouillon cubes to the water for enhanced flavor.)
2. Add 1 cup of white long grain rice and let the liquid come back up to a boil.
3. Cover tightly and reduce heat to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes. (I set my heat to low.)
4. Remove from heat and let it stand in the pot for 10 minutes with the lid on, any rice stuck to the bottom will release.
5. This yields 3 cups of flavorful, perfectly cooked rice. I use a Dutch oven for this because it lets heat flow well.
   Other types of rice may need different amounts of liquid and/or cooking times.

Nutritional Information

The recipe makes four servings, and the nutritional information is for one serving, which includes the rice. Note that the nutritional information shared is an estimate.

Calories: 488kcal, Carbohydrates: 65g, Protein: 32g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 1138mg, Potassium: 842mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 21g, Vitamin A: 1357IU, Vitamin C: 102mg, Calcium: 80mg, Iron: 4mg

Storage and Leftover Notes

Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. (Leftovers do freeze well!)