Beef and Broccoli

Low FODMAP beef and broccoli with flank steak, garlic-infused olive oil, gluten-free tamari, ginger, and sesame oil over rice.

Prep 20 min

Cook 15 min

Serves 4

Gluten-freeDairy-free

Takeout beef and broccoli usually starts with onion, garlic, and a bottled brown sauce made with them, and onion and garlic carry fructans. This version builds the same savory, glossy sauce from tamari, ginger, and garlic-infused olive oil, then finishes with scallion green tops for that fresh onion note. Portioning the broccoli and the tamari keeps the whole plate inside tested serving sizes.

Ingredients

Beef and marinade

• 1 lb (450g) flank steak or top sirloin, sliced thin across the grain
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp gluten-free tamari
• 1 tsp garlic-infused olive oil

Sauce

• 3 tbsp gluten-free tamari (soy sauce and tamari are low FODMAP at 2 tbsp per serving; with the marinade tablespoon, this recipe works out to 1 tbsp per serving)
• 1/2 cup (120ml) water or low-FODMAP chicken broth
• 1 tbsp maple syrup (or 1 tbsp packed brown sugar)
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Stir-fry

• 3 cups broccoli florets, heads only (about 300g total), capped at 3/4 cup (75g) per serving
• 2 tbsp garlic-infused olive oil, divided
• 2 scallions (spring onions), green tops only, sliced
• Cooked white or jasmine rice, to serve
• Optional: pinch of red pepper flakes, 1 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

Prep and marinate the beef

1. Slice the beef thin across the grain, about 1/4 inch thick. Chilling the steak for 15 minutes first makes it easier to cut cleanly.
2. Toss the slices with 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp tamari, and 1 tsp garlic-infused oil. Let it sit at room temperature while you build the sauce, about 15 minutes.

Mix the sauce

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the 3 tbsp tamari, water or broth, maple syrup, rice vinegar, grated ginger, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and sesame oil until the cornstarch fully dissolves.
2. Set the bowl next to the stove so you can pour it in quickly once the beef and broccoli are ready.

Blanch the broccoli

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the broccoli florets for 2 minutes, then drain. You can also steam them for 3 to 4 minutes until bright green and just tender.
2. Use the heads only and hold the total to about 3 cups so each of the 4 servings stays at or under 3/4 cup.

Stir-fry and finish

1. Heat 1 tbsp garlic-infused oil in a wide skillet or wok over high heat. Add the beef in a single layer and sear undisturbed for 1 minute, then toss and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until browned and no longer pink. Work in two batches if the pan looks crowded, and transfer each batch to a plate.
2. Return all the beef to the pan with the last 1 tbsp oil and the broccoli. Whisk the sauce once more and pour it in. Toss for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce turns glossy and coats everything.
3. Off the heat, scatter the scallion green tops and optional sesame seeds over the top. Serve over rice.

Tips & Substitutions

• Keep the tamari in check. Tamari and soy sauce are low FODMAP at 2 tbsp per serving. The 4 tbsp in this recipe (marinade plus sauce) work out to 1 tbsp per plate, so a splash at the table still fits.
• Green tops, not the white. Only the green part of the scallion is low FODMAP. The white bulb carries the same fructans as onion, so discard it or save it for cooking for someone not eating low FODMAP.
• Swap the protein. Thin-sliced chicken thigh or firm tofu both work with the same sauce. Chicken needs longer than the beef: sear it 5 to 6 minutes, until it reaches 165°F (74°C), before adding the broccoli.
• Thicken to taste. For a thicker, more clingy sauce, whisk an extra 1 tsp cornstarch into 1 tbsp cold water and stir it in during the final toss.
• Watch bottled shortcuts. Most stir-fry sauces, oyster sauces, and hoisin blends list onion and garlic. Building the sauce from tamari, ginger, and garlic-infused oil keeps it clean.
• Check your portions. Look up broccoli and tamari in the FODMAP Foods app to see how their ratings change with portion size.

Why This Works

• Fructans stay out of the oil. The fructans in garlic are water soluble, not oil soluble, so garlic-infused oil delivers flavor without the FODMAPs that a whole clove would add.
• Broccoli heads are portion friendly. Broccoli florets are low FODMAP at 3/4 cup per serving. Blanching and dividing the batch keeps each plate inside that window instead of piling on excess fructose, the FODMAP broccoli heads carry at larger serves.
• Ginger and scallion greens do the aromatics. Fresh ginger has no cap issue and the green tops of scallions are low FODMAP, so together they replace the onion and garlic base that flavors standard takeout.
• Tamari over standard soy sauce. Gluten-free tamari keeps the dish suitable for a gluten-free plate while staying within the tested 2 tbsp soy sauce serving.

Storage

Cool leftovers quickly and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave until steaming, adding a splash of water to loosen the sauce. This dish is best fresh, since the broccoli softens on standing, and freezing is not recommended because the florets turn watery. Portion into single servings so each reheated plate keeps the broccoli at or under 3/4 cup.