This is the BEST peanut sauce recipe! It's delicious on beef and broccoli…but also on everything else. Get the recipe & ways to use it!
If you want to know the secret of how to make simple, healthy meals that are still delicious and exciting, I'd venture to say it's a good sauce.
With an excellent sauce, you can pull together a simple grain & veggie bowl, elevate basic chicken breast to the next level, or transform chopped veggies into an enticing snack.
This particular sauce has one of my very favorite qualities – it's the perfect mix of sweet and savory. Peanut sauce is also a big hit with the kiddos. Serve it on the side for dipping. If your kids are anything like mine, they love a good dip!
Make sure to read the tips below the recipe for variations and different ways to use the BEST peanut sauce recipe!
Beef & Broccoli w/ Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
For the Peanut Sauce:
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp peanut butter* (OR sub almond butter)
- 1/4 cup tamari (OR sub coconut aminos or soy sauce)
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1/2-1 tsp sriracha*
For the Beef and Broccoli:
- 12 oz bag of broccoli
- 1 # flank steak
- 12 oz rice noodles
Instructions
For the Peanut Sauce:
- In a medium container combine 1/4 cup tamari, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp honey, 1/2-1 tsp sriracha (depending on how spicy you'd like it) and 1 Tbsp peanut butter.
For the Beef and Broccoli:
- Slice 1# flank steak into thin strips.
- Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large saute pan over med-high add 12 oz broccoli florets and cook, stirring, ~5 mins.
- Add flank steak strips and cook an additional 3-4 mins until cooked through.
- Cook rice noodles according to package instructions
- Toss cooked, drained rice noodles w/ steak/broccoli mix + peanut sauce.
Notes
What is the nutrition like in this easy beef and broccoli recipe?
My background is as a chef and a registered dietitian. For all of my recipes, taste comes first, but nutrition is a big priority as well. Here are some of the nutritional benefits you'll find in this recipe:
Peanuts (Folate, Vitamin E)
High in protein, peanuts are legumes rather than actual nuts. They're a great source of folate and vitamin E. Make sure to get peanut butter that contains only peanuts and perhaps a bit of salt to maximize the nutrition.
Tamari
Tamari imparts all of the wonderful umami flavor of soy sauce, without the gluten. While most soy sauce in the US is made with wheat, tamari is generally wheat and gluten free, though you should of course look for the gluten free label to be sure if you have an intolerance!
Honey (Antioxidants)
Honey has antibacterial and antioxidant properties, which are strongest in darker honey. Buy raw local honey when possible as filtering the honey can diminish its nutrients.
Broccoli (Vitamin C, Iron, Calcium)
In addition to its many vitamins, broccoli contains a chemical compound called sulforaphane which may help lower blood sugar, prevent cancer, and prevent osteoarthritis.
Beef (Iron, Zinc, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Selenium, Niacin, Phosphorous)
Particularly high in iron and zinc, beef is an excellent source of high quality protein. Grassfed beef in particular is quite nutritious. It's up to 500% higher in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than conventional beef. CLA may help reduce the risk for some types of cancer and type 2 diabetes. Grass-fed beef also contains up to 5 times as many Omega-3s as conventional beef.
What makes this the BEST peanut sauce recipe (and how can I vary it?)
I realize that calling this the “best” peanut sauce recipe is a bold statement…but I stand by it 😉
Why?
It's:
- Balanced: My peanut sauce is a perfect balance of sweet and savory (& spicy if you want, based on how much sriracha you add).
- Healthy: This peanut sauce contains only normal, clean ingredients, which is more than you can say for the pre-bottled varieties in the grocery store.
- Easy: I love deep flavors but you know what I don't love? Recipes that call for a bunch of one-time-use specialty ingredients or that require hours in the kitchen. I'm just not in a stage of life for those recipes to be realistic right now. This recipe is easy, comes together in 30 minutes, AND is totally delicious.
- “Preppable”: If you know anything about me or about Prep Dish, you know that I'm all about healthy meal prep. This peanut sauce is designed for meal prep. Make it at the beginning of the week and enjoy it all week long!
How else can I use this easy peanut sauce recipe?
While I love this peanut sauce on beef and broccoli, it's super versatile! Here are a few ideas on how to use this easy peanut sauce recipe:
- On Buddha bowls: A good sauce is key for bringing together whatever veggies, protein and grain you toss together in a Buddha bowl. Peanut sauce is an excellent addition to any Buddha bowl! Not only does it add a ton of flavor, it adds a great boost of protein and fat too.
- As a veggie dip: Both raw and roasted veggies are delicious dipped in peanut sauce.
- On chicken: You could easily sub chicken for the beef in this recipe.
- As a salad dressing: Thin it out with a bit of warm water and this peanut sauce makes an excellent salad dressing! You can also toss it with broccoli slaw or shredded cabbage for a delicious, easy side.
- On zoodles: Sub the peanut sauce for the pesto in this chicken and zoodles recipe for a delicious twist!
- As a collard wrap dip: I love collard wraps and this dip would be such a good one for these chicken collard wraps!
Is this a good meal prep beef recipe?
Yes! This recipe came straight from our popular Super Fast meal plans (prep 5 dinners in 1 hour!). It's specifically designed for meal prep…when you don't have time for meal prep.
All you need to do is make the sauce ahead of time and store in the fridge. Also, slice the beef ahead of time. The recipe calls for pre-chopped broccoli florets to make your life easier, but you can of course use a head of broccoli or any other veggies you choose as well.
What are some more 30 minute dinners?
You can never have too many 30 minute dinners in your back pocket! We all have those nights when plans fall through and we need to get dinner on the table FAST. These quick meals give you an alternative to that frozen pizza and, I promise, they're truly easy and fast:
Stir Fry: Stir fry is one of my go-to's when I need a quick dinner. This post includes 3 stir fry recipes, as well as our popular paleo stir fry sauce, but you can easily adapt the recipes with whatever you have on hand!
Grilled Coconut Lime Shrimp: Seafood is always a great choice when you need a 30 minute dinner. It naturally cooks so quickly and these coconut lime shrimp are no exception! If you don't feel like firing up the grill, you can easily cook these on the stovetop instead.
10 Quick & Easy Weeknight Dinner Ideas: If you can't get enough quick and easy dinners, this roundup is for you!
What are some other healthy sauce recipes?
As I mentioned above, I'm big on homemade sauces. They can be really simple, yet they do so much to pull a basic meal together and bring it from boring to memorable. Here are a few of my very favorite healthy sauce recipes!
Sweet & Spicy Chili Sauce: This versatile sauce is perfection on eggs, chicken breast, a Buddha bowl or drizzled on top of a stir fry.
Yogurt Mint Sauce: Any type of grilled meat is SO good dipped in this tangy sauce. It also makes a great spread for pita pockets or wraps, or a tasty dip for roasted veggies.
Homemade Paleo BBQ Sauce: I love the tangy sweetness of bbq sauce, but there can be some truly weird ingredients lurking in the bottled varieties. My homemade version is only 7 ingredients (including S&P!) AND it's Paleo-friendly.
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