This is the variation of our vegetable stir fry base recipe as seen in our Whole Life Meal Plan. Tired of steamed broccoli? Then, you have to give this recipe a try! Full of flavor, color, and nutrition, this easy broccoli stir fry can be a meal on its own or a great side dish for an Asian-inspired meal.
Three Must-Know Cooking Skills
For recipe success, learn how to:
Culinary Tips for the Best Vegetable Stir Fry Recipe
Cut broccoli florets into similar sizes to ensure even cooking. Larger pieces take longer to cook!
Blanch your broccoli to speed up the cooking process. If you skip this step, plan on the broccoli taking more time. Add the florets with the carrots.
For this recipe, don’t worry about being exactly precise with the veggie measurements. If you have 4 ½ cups of veggies, that’s okay! Just note that the more veggies you add, the less sauce you will get per bite.
Fire, fat, food! Heat your pan, heat your oil, then add your food! Follow these steps to ensure maximum flavor development.
Add veggies in order from hardest to softest to ensure even cooking and a crisp-tender texture. Carrots first, then blanched broccoli, and then bell peppers.
The vegetable stir fry sauce in this recipe is just enough to coat the veggies, but if you want extra sauce for rice, quinoa, meat, or tofu, simply double the quantity.
When making the stir fry sauce, o make the honey come out of the measuring spoon easier, spray it with a little pan spray or add a splash of oil in before adding the honey. It’ll then just slide right out!
Ingredient Substitutions
- Canola Oil: substitute avocado or peanut oil.
- Broccoli: substitute cauliflower or broccolini.
- Baby Carrots: substitute regular carrots or diced sweet potato.
- Red Bell Pepper: substitute orange or yellow. Green has a stronger bite and the color won’t stand out. You could also substitute chopped mini peppers.
- Stir Fry Sauce: use store-bought or homemade. Choose low-sodium and lower sugar options if available.
- Cashews: substitute toasted sesame seeds or chopped roasted peanuts for other classic Asian accents.
- Cilantro: substitute sliced green onions for a different flavor but still great color and flavor.
Recipe Variations
Change up this easy broccoli stir fry recipe by using different types of veggies, spices, or adding other sauces! The combinations are nearly endless.
Add a protein of your choice to make it a one pan meal. Lean beef, shrimp, tofu, tempeh, edamame, or chicken are all great additions to easy broccoli stir fry.
Want to make this stir fry recipe your own? Use our base recipe as a guide, then adjust to YOUR taste!
Equipment Recommendations
Use these kitchen tools for recipe success:
- Cutting Board
- Chef’s Knife
- Dry measuring cups
- Liquid measuring cup
- Wooden spoon
- Wok or stainless steel skillet
Is this Easy Broccoli Stir Fry Healthy?
We always encourage people to eat more veggies! Broccoli may be the star of this dish, but carrots and red bell peppers add even more color, texture, and nutrition. Topped with a lower-sodium sauce and served with brown rice or quinoa, this stir fry is no doubt a healthy dish.
Broccoli
Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable and a member of the dark green vegetable category. Most Americans fail to get enough vegetables from either of these groups and are therefore missing out on many health promoting benefits. Broccoli is also a good source of plant-based calcium. (1)
Colorful Vegetables – Carrots and Bell Peppers
All vegetables provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting phytonutrients. Aim to eat a variety of colors – each color provides a different benefit for our bodies. Carrots and red bell peppers contain beta carotene, which is beneficial for vision and cellular health.
Low-Sodium Sauce
Did you know that regular soy sauce has almost 1000 mg of sodium per tablespoon?! That’s more than half of your daily need! Choose products with reduced sodium to promote healthy blood flow. If following a gluten-free diet, choose low-sodium tamari or liquid aminos.
Broccoli Carrot Stir Fry Serving Suggestions
Build a balanced meal by serving this stir fry with a whole grain such as brown rice or quinoa. You could also serve broccoli stir fry with noodles instead; we recommend soba noodles which are made with whole grain buckwheat flour (a naturally gluten-free grain).
Feel free to add animal or plant-based protein foods as mentioned in the recipe variations section for more filling power. Top with green onions, sesame seeds, and/or sesame oil for extra flavor, texture, and nutrition.
Storage Tips
Allow the stir fry to cool, then place in an airtight container for 3-5 days.
You can also freeze leftover stir fry for up to 3 months. For an easy reheat-and-eat lunch, place individual servings of rice and veggies in freezer-safe containers, allow to cool, then freeze.
Want more tasty veggie recipes?
Try out these quick and healthy sides!
Easy Broccoli Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon canola oil
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup baby carrots, halved lengthwise
- 1 cup red bell pepper strips
- ¼ cup stir fry sauce, homemade or store-bought*
Optional Garnishes
- Fresh chopped cilantro
- Chopped roasted cashews
Instructions
- Cut broccoli florets into like-sized pieces.
- Blanch the broccoli. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Once boiling, briefly submerge broccoli for ~30 seconds or until bright green. Immediately remove and place in an ice bath to stop the cooking process (bowl of water with ice and water). Drain and blot broccoli dry.
- Heat a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add canola oil; use enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is shimmering, add the baby carrots, stirring continuously. As they soften, add the blanched broccoli and continue to cook until the broccoli is almost crisp-tender. Add the red bell pepper strips, and stir 1-2 more minutes.
- Add sauce to skillet and toss to coat. If the sauce has cornstarch, bring to a boil until thickened, ~30-60 seconds.
- Garnish with roasted cashew pieces and chopped cilantro. Serve over brown rice or quinoa. Enjoy!
