If you love the classic takeout beef and broccoli, you’ll be absolutely obsessed with these beef and broccoli meatballs! They’re ready in minutes and feature juicy beef meatballs and tender broccoli in a savory stir fry sauce.
A beloved takeout staple is getting a makeover today! Beef and broccoli in meatball form is about to change the dinner game for the better.
We don’t mess with perfection often around here, but you’ll be glad we did this time. These meatballs are like beef and broccoli on steroids.
And they are SO easy to throw on the dinner table for a busy weeknight! Even easier to dig into later for that unspoken late-night snack.
And if you’re not into that, trust me, you will be after digging into a bowl of this goodness. They will have you at hello.
Just your casual dinner win, no big deal.
These Beef and Broccoli Meatballs feature…
- Juicy, flavorful beef meatballs that cook up entirely on the stovetop
- Tender broccoli florets
- A slightly-sweet, flavorful stir fry sauce
Making the Beef and Broccoli Meatballs
(scroll down to the bottom of post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Ground beef
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Seasonings
- Egg
- Vegetable oil
- Broccoli
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar
- Rice vinegar
- Cornstarch
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Sesame seeds
What to Serve with Meatballs
We recommend serving meatballs over a bed of hot fluffy steamed rice with a little sprinkle of sesame seeds on top. A few other alternatives…
- Cauliflower rice
- Quinoa
- Lo mein or rice noodles
Tips for Perfect Beef and Broccoli Meatballs
- Pan sear meatballs – you can use a large nonstick or stainless steel pan. Sear the meatballs in vegetable oil over medium-high heat until lightly browned.
- Reduce heat to medium to finish cooking – once the meatballs are browned, reduce heat to medium and continue tossing around pan another few minutes until meatballs register 165F.
- Boil or steam broccoli – to cook the broccoli, you may either steam or boil it. Make sure to cook broccoli only to crisp-tender – it will continue cooking in the sauce.
- Make the stir fry sauce – you’ll start with a base of garlic and ginger sauteed in the pan drippings. From there, add soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, and cornstarch slurry.
- Simmer sauce until thickened – stir the sauce occasionally over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.
- Fold meatballs and broccoli into sauce – fold until everything is evenly coated in sauce, then top with sesame seeds and a little black pepper if needed.
Recipe Variations
These meatballs are a blank canvas for so many variations! Try these ideas…
- Use ground turkey or chicken – simply swap out the beef for chicken or turkey. Cook time will be around the same.
- Try a different vegetable – you can use zucchini, sweet peppers, mushrooms, or any other stir fry-friendly vegetable in place of the broccoli.
- Make it spicy – add a few dashes or sriracha or red pepper flakes for a stir fry with some kick.
Make Ahead Instructions
These meatballs store wonderfully for up to 6 days if you would like to meal prep them for dinners for the week. We recommend storing in meal prep containers alongside rice for an easy microwave-reheatable dinner!
The meatballs are SO perfectly juicy, y’all. And piled over a mess of hot rice with extra sauce drizzled over top? Knocks dinner outta the park.
We usually make a double batch of these meatballs for leftovers, but shockingly there’s never quite enough!
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.
Watch these meatballs made step by step on Google web stories!
More stir fry dinner favorites to try next!
Beef and Broccoli Meatballs
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Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Sauce and Broccoli
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (optional)
- Black pepper and sesame seeds
- Rice for serving
Instructions
Meatballs
- In a large bowl, combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and egg. Scoop mixture into 1-in meatballs and place on a plate.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat vegetable oil and swirl pan to evenly coat. Add meatballs to pan and sear on all sides, turning occasionally with a tongs until meatballs are golden brown. Reduce heat to medium and cook meatballs, turning occasionally until meatballs register 165F. Transfer meatballs to a clean plate and set aside
Sauce and Broccoli
- Bring a medium pot of lightly-salted water to boil over medium-high heat. Add broccoli florets and simmer broccoli 3-5 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain broccoli and set aside for a moment.
- Heat same pan used to sear meatballs over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and saute in pan drippings 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, cornstarch/water mixture, and oyster sauce if using.
- Bring sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Cook sauce until bubbly and thickened, then remove from heat.
- Fold meatballs and broccoli into sauce until evenly coated. Season with pepper if needed and top skillet with sesame seeds. Serve meatballs over hot rice and enjoy!
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