I love a good takeout night, but sometimes you just need something that gives you the same cozy takeout feel without the takeout price. This easy beef and broccoli is one of those dinners. It uses just a handful of simple ingredients, takes less than 30 minutes, and everything can be picked up at Aldi.
The shaved beef is also what makes this recipe SO easy. There’s no slicing a steak into paper-thin pieces or buying an expensive cut of beef. It cooks in just a few minutes and works perfectly with frozen broccoli, which means there’s barely any prep involved.
Plus, the sauce is made with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and a little water come together to make a simple sweet and savory sauce that coats the beef and broccoli perfectly.
What You’ll Need
You only need a few inexpensive ingredients:
- Shaved beef: Cooks super quickly and is perfect for an easy weeknight stir fry.
- Frozen broccoli: Cheap, convenient, and no chopping required.
- Soy sauce: Gives the sauce that salty, savory flavor.
- Brown sugar: Adds just enough sweetness to balance the soy sauce.
- Garlic: Because beef and broccoli needs plenty of garlic!
- Cornstarch: Optional, but great if you like a thicker sauce.
- White rice: Helps stretch the meal and makes it extra filling.
Budget-Friendly Tip
Frozen broccoli is one of my favorite shortcuts for budget dinners because you don’t have to worry about it going bad before you use it. You can keep a bag in the freezer and pull out exactly what you need. Pairing the beef and broccoli with rice also helps stretch one pound of beef into a filling dinner for the whole family.
How to Make Beef & Broccoli
Start by cooking your rice according to the package directions. While the rice cooks, brown the shaved beef in a large skillet over medium heat.
Once the beef is cooked, add the frozen broccoli and let everything cook together for about 4–5 minutes. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and water and stir until everything is well coated.
If you want your sauce a little thicker, mix the cornstarch with about 2 tablespoons of water before stirring it into the skillet. Let it cook for another minute or two until the sauce thickens, then serve everything over warm rice.
Easy Ways to Make It Your Own
This is definitely one of those recipes you can work with based on what you already have. Fresh broccoli works just as well as frozen, and you could add sliced onion, bell peppers, carrots, or whatever vegetables need to be used up.
You can also add a little red pepper flake or sriracha if you want some heat. I keep the base recipe simple and family-friendly, then everyone can doctor up their own bowl if they want to.
The Perfect Budget Takeout Fake-Out
This beef and broccoli proves that dinner really doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive to be good. It’s quick, filling, made with basic Aldi ingredients, and gives you that takeout-style dinner without having to place an order.
And honestly, on a busy weeknight, beef, broccoli, rice, and a good sauce is sometimes all you need.
Beef & Broccoli (Aldi Takeout Fake-Out)
Description
This easy Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry is a budget friendly Aldi dinner made with tender shaved beef, broccoli, and a savory homemade sauce. Ready in 25 minutes, this takeout fake-out feeds 4 for under $13.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Cook rice according to package directions.
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In a large skillet, cook shaved beef over medium heat until browned.
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Add broccoli and cook 4–5 minutes.
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Add soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and water. Stir.
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Optional: mix cornstarch with 2 tbsp water and stir in to thicken sauce.
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Serve over rice.
