Vegan Beef and Broccoli is a Mongolian inspired stirfry prepared with broccoli and green peppers, and you can use either vegan meat pieces such as seitan, or tofu, tempeh, or mushrooms. This is an easy and quick stirfry and is great for Chinese New Year, takeout at home, or for a quick mid-week meat-free meal.
This vegan beef and broccoli is a family favourite as its rich, thick, sweet, and savoury sauce nicely coats the juicy meat-free pieces and fresh crisp broccoli. It's so good served with noodles or rice, and it makes a great budget-friendly takeaway or homemade takeaway or takeout.
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Origins of Mongolian beef and broccoli
Mongolian Beef and Broccoli is a popular take-out dish worldwide, and it orginates from a blend of American-Chinese cooking. Despite its name, the origins of this dish can be traced back to Taiwan rather than Mongolia and it is said to have been inspired by the traditional cooking of China but adapted for a more western palate or more specifically the tourist trade.
The beginnings of Mongolian Beef and Broccoli can be found in Taiwan during the early 20th century. At that time, Taiwan was experiencing an influx of immigrants from various areas of mainland China. The immigrants brought their traditional cooking to China, and one such style was the stir-frying technique, which quickly became popular in Taiwan. Stir-frying allowed for quick cooking of many different dishes by convientently combining different ingredients, flavors, and textures all in one pot.
As restaurants in Taiwan began to experiment with different stir-fry combinations, the Mongolian Beef and Broccoli dish was created. The dish usually consists of thinly sliced beef which is quickly seared in a hot wok with garlic and ginger, then combined with broccoli and a savoury sauce made from soy sauce, brown sugar, and other seasonings. The result is a delicious blend of sweet and savoury flavours and textures that is well-known in modern Chinese-American cooking.
While the traditional version of Mongolian Beef and Broccoli is not vegan it can be easily adapted by using ingredients such as mushrooms, soy protein, seitan, tempeh or meat-free pieces as a substitute for the beef, and using vegan-friendly ingredients.
Our beef and broccoli can be prepared as a no-oil recipe as the tasty combinations of ingredients are enough on their own. However, we have tried this recipe a few times with coconut oil and it is very nice.
You'll likely want second helpings of this vegan beef and broccoli so perhaps use a larger pan and prepare two batches which is what we usually have to do as my now grown-up kids always want more!
Ingredients
The ingredients you will need for this vegan beef and broccoli are:
For stir frying the vegetables and pieces you choose to go an added fat-free route and use vegetable stock or broth, or you can use an oil such as vegetable, olive, or coconut oil which is especially nice for this recipe.
- meat-free pieces (these can be replaced with tofu, seitan, tempeh, or you can use thickly sliced mushrooms or just add in extra stir-fry vegetables such as mini corncobs and mange tout)
- white wine vinegar
- dark soy sauce & light soy sauce (or just use one type of soy sauce, use tamari soy sauce if gluten-free is required)
- maple syrup or your choice of syrup such as date syrup, brown rice syrup, agave syrup, etc.
- fresh garlic (can replace with garlic powder, frozen garlic, or a paste/puree)
- fresh ginger (can replace with dried ginger, frozen ginger, or a paste/puree)
- broccoli
- green bell pepper (can replace with a yellow or orange bell pepper, or you can use mixed frozen pre-sliced peppers)
- cornflour (corn starch)
- salt & pepper
Optional garnishes:
- we like to add spring onions but other nice garnishes are toasted sesame seeds, coriander, fresh chilli, etc.
How to prepare
This is a quick recipe, as are most stir-fry recipes, so once the vegetables are prepared and the pieces are marinading, the meat-free beef and broccoli can be ready in just 30 minutes. Prepare any sides while the dish is cooking such as rice or noodles.
Step 1: Marinade the meat-free pieces with white wine vinegar, soy sauce and maple syrup.
Step 2: Cook the garlic and ginger.
Step 3: Mix the marinaded pieces through the onions and garlic in the pan.
Step 4: Add in the broccoli and green peppers and stir-fry until the broccoli has softened but still a little crunchy.
Step 5: Stir through the cornflour [cornstarch].
Step 6: Make the brown sauce by mixing the white wine vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, and a few pinches of black pepper and water. Pour into the pan.
Step 7: Continue stir-frying until the sauce is sticky, thick, and glossy.
Step 8: Optional: Garnish with sliced spring onions [also known as green onions or scallions]. Enjoy with noodles or rice or as a side along with other Chinese inspired dishes.
Recipe notes
Storing leftovers
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Or freeze for 2-3 months, minus the spring onions which should be added fresh to the dish before serving.
More vegan Chinese inspired recipes
These Chinese inspired recipes are not meant to be authentic recipes as they are just our take on the traditional Chinese dishes. A few of our family favourites are this Vegan take on a Chinese chicken and sweetcorn soup and this really easy Stir-Fry Soup. We also love this Vegan Sweet & Sour Tofu and this Vegan Old-School Chicken Curry which is our meat-free version of the old Scottish Chinese takeaway curries from the 70s, 80s and 90s eras.
***please note: for US measurements click the 'US customary button' within the recipe and the measurements will switch to tablespoons, cups, and ounces.***
📖 Recipe
Vegan Beef and Broccoli
Equipment
- Non-stick sauté pan or large deep fry pan or wok
- cooking spatula
- small mixing bowl
Ingredients
To sauté ginger and garlic:
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil (or 250 mililitres or 1 cup of vegetable stock)
For the meat-free pieces marinade:
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or your usual syrup or a brown sugar such as coconut sugar)
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
For the stir-fry:
- 300 grams frozen or fresh meat-free pieces (use 'beef' flavoured pieces if available)
- 350 grams broccoli (Sliced into small-medium florets. Chop the thicker stems into thin julienne sticks and use these also. Its best to peel the thick part of the stem to remove the tough outer edge.)
- 1 large green bell pepper (Sliced into long thin strips.)
- 1 inch fresh ginger (grated or fine diced, we freeze our ginger and grate from frozen. Alternatively use 2 teaspoon of dried ginger or a tablespoon of ginger paste.)
- 4 cloves garlic (fine diced, use more garlic if liked. Or replace with 1 tablespoon of dried garlic or garlic paste)
For the stir-fry brown sauce:
- 3 tablespoons cornflour [corn starch]
- 4 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or your regular syrup or brown sugar
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 190 millilitres water
To garnish:
- 6 spring onions [also known as green onions or scallions]
Instructions
Prepare the meat-free pieces marinade:
- Mix the vegan pieces with maple syrup, white wine vinegar, and dark soy sauce. (if using frozen vegan pieces they don't need to be thawed)Set aside for about 10-20 minutes or while you prepare the vegetables and brown sauce.1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
Prepare the brown sauce:
- In a bowl add the water, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, white wine vinegar, syrup, and a pinch or two of black pepper. Mix well. Dip a spoon into the sauce and taste to see if a pinch of salt is also necessary.4 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 4 teaspoons white wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 190 millilitres water, 1 pinch black pepper
- (If having rice or noodles as an accompaniment begin preparing these as you cook the stir-fry.)
Cook the stir-fry:
- Melt the coconut oil and over a medium heat cook the garlic and ginger for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Alternatively, heat the vegetable stock and gently simmer the garlic and ginger.1 inch fresh ginger, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- Add the meat free pieces and mix well. Cook, and stir frequently, for 3 minutes.300 grams frozen or fresh meat-free pieces
- Add the green pepper and broccoli. Mix well and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the broccoli is cooked but still has a crisp bite. [exact times will depend on the broccoli thickness]. Stir frequently and add an extra splash of water or vegetable stock if necessary to avoid sticking.350 grams broccoli, 1 large green bell pepper
- Stir through the cornflour.3 tablespoons cornflour
- Pour in the brown sauce and mix.
- Stir well and cook for about 5-10 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the stir-fry. Stir frequently.
Optional serving suggestion:
- Serve garnished with spring onions and with a side of rice or noodles.6 spring onions
Notes
- Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the same cooking pan, stir-frying until piping hot, add a little vegetable stock or water to loosen the sauce up and prevent sticking to you pan.
- For this recipe we used vegan Naked Glory Tender strips (usually found in the frozen section of UK supermarket). We have also tried it with tofu and it is very nice. You can also use rehydrated TVP or soy curls, seitan, tempeh, or sliced thick mushrooms instead. Or even a can of drained black beans, or replace this ingredient with extra stir-fry vegetables such as mini corncobs or mange tout.
- For a gluten-free meal replace the dark and light soy sauce with gluten-free tamari soy sauce, and ensure that your meat-free pieces are free from gluten, also ensure that the cornflour [cornstarch] is gluten-free. And use a gluten-free stock or broth.
- Dark and light soy sauce is used for different reasons. The dark soy sauce brings a richer flavour and a darker colour to the brown sauce while the light soy sauce adds a lighter flavour. But of course feel free to just use either dark or light or you can use tamari soy sauce.
Nutrition
Comments
We would love to know how you got on with the recipe so do drop us a comment below. All feedback is very much appreciated. Thanks so much. Jacq x
Pam Greer says
I make this with tofu and everyone loves it!! Perfect for our Meatless Mondays!
Jacq says
Awesome! So glad your family enjoys 🙂
Danielle Wolter says
Love this idea for a meat free mongolian "beef". Flavors were great and I didn't even miss the beef!
Jacq says
No-one will miss the beef with this recipe!! Happy you loved the flavours 🙂
Louise Cayzer says
This is so yummy! I'm in the UK so had to use different 'beef' strips, but the sauce is DELICIOUS! We had planned to make extra for leftovers the next day, but we ate it all up! Whoops!
Jacq says
Oh I am in the UK also and the N. Glory brand of vegan pieces is available in my local co-op (rural Scotland) and most other supermarkets. Anyway so glad you all enjoyed and next time don't forget the leftovers lol 🙂
Emily says
OMG! this tasted amazing. I used a different type of vegan bits as I couldnt find any of the tenderstrips mentioned in the recipe but my family loved this! Going to have to make it again soon as husband actually enjoyed this vegan meal. He usually has a moan lol x
Jacq says
Aww thanks so much for the great review! So glad your husband enjoyed!