Broccoli with Brown Sauce

This is my go-to when I’m craving takeout but want it to be healthy. The brown sauce is rich and flavorful without any soy, thanks to coconut aminos. Served with steamed broccoli and rice, I think it’s even better than what I’d get from a restaurant!

Ingredients

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Step by Step Instructions

Cook the rice first. While it simmers, prep the rest of your ingredients: cut the broccoli into florets, grate the garlic and ginger, and whisk together the sauce ingredients in a bowl.

When everything is prepped, heat a pan over medium heat with a tablespoon of oil. Once hot, add the garlic and ginger and cook for 30-60 seconds, until fragrant.

Give the sauce another whisk to make sure the starch is fully mixed, then pour it into the pan.

Cook over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens. Once done, turn off the heat and set aside.

In a steamer pan, add the broccoli.

Steam for 2–4 minutes, or until tender-crisp. Avoid overcooking—when it reaches your preferred texture, immediately remove the lid and take it off the heat.

Add the broccoli and the sauce to the pan to coat the broccoli. Serve over jasmine rice.

Cooking Tips

I like to freeze my homemade vegetable broth in 1-cup portions for easy use, but store-bought works just as well.

To avoid overcooking the broccoli, start testing it after 2 minutes of steaming. Check every minute until it’s just tender, then immediately remove the lid and take it off the heat to stop further cooking.

Both potato and tapioca starch work in this recipe. Just make sure to whisk the starch into the sauce while it’s still cold—this prevents clumps and ensures a smooth finish.

Final Thoughts

This recipe yields about 1.5 cups of sauce—enough for roughly one head of broccoli per ½ cup of sauce. Feel free to adjust the ratio to your taste. The full recipe makes 3 servings.

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Broccoli and Brown Sauce

A healthy, soy-free version of a takeout classic. This savory brown sauce is made with whole-food ingredients and pairs perfectly with broccoli and rice.

Medical Medium friendly!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 3 people

Ingredients

  

• 3 heads broccoli
• 2 cups jasmine rice, dried

Brown Sauce

• 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
• .5 cup coconut aminos
• 1 cup vegetable broth store-bought or homemade
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• .5 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 tablespoons starch potato or tapioca

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Instructions

 

Cook the Rice

• Begin by cooking the jasmine rice according to package instructions. Set aside and keep warm.
  2 cups jasmine rice, dried

Prep the Vegetables

• Cut the broccoli into bite-sized florets.
  3 heads broccoli
• Mince the garlic and grate the ginger. Set aside.
  8 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger, grated

Prepare the Sauce

• In a bowl, whisk together coconut aminos, vegetable broth, maple syrup, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, white pepper, and starch until smooth. Ensure the starch is fully dissolved to prevent clumping.
  .5 cup coconut aminos, 1 cup vegetable broth, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, .5 teaspoon white pepper, 2 tablespoons starch

Cook the Aromatics

• Heat grapeseed oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, sautéing for 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
  1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

Add the Sauce

• Give the prepared sauce another whisk to ensure the starch hasn't settled. Pour it into the skillet with the aromatics. Stir continuously over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency. Once thickened, remove from heat and set aside.

Steam the Broccoli

• Steam the broccoli florets for 2–4 minutes until they are bright green and tender-crisp. Avoid overcooking to maintain texture and color.

Combine and Serve

• Add the steamed broccoli to the skillet with the sauce, tossing to coat evenly. Serve the sauced broccoli over the cooked jasmine rice.

Notes

• Broccoli Texture: To achieve the perfect tender-crisp texture, start checking the broccoli after 2 minutes of steaming.
• Starch Mixing: Always whisk starch into cold liquids to ensure it dissolves properly and prevents lumps in the sauce.