For this Quick and Easy Broccoli with Garlic Sauce Recipe, you can make the garlic sauce in the morning and even prepare the broccoli the night before if you want. Just think about it, once the sauce is made, you only have to deal with 2 other ingredients when you come home!
Photo by Ann Oliverio
Today I’m making my favorite quick and easy dish, Broccoli with Garlic Sauce.
Can I Use Frozen Broccoli in this Stir-Fry?
You sure can. This is an easy recipe and I want you to have choices.
If you are using frozen broccoli, you can even thaw it out in the fridge to speed up dinner a little more.
What is Garlic Sauce Made Of?
As many Asian sauces, this one starts with soy sauce, a sweetener, sesame oil, chili pepper flakes, and of course – garlic!
Is Garlic Sauce at Chinese Restaurants Vegan?
While it is in most cases, it’s best to ask if it’s vegetarian or if it can be made vegetarian. Why? Many Chinese Restaurants will add chicken stock to thin sauces or in their homemade sauces.
Does Chinese Garlic Sauce have Gluten?
If you are not able to eat gluten, you will have to read labels very carefully. Most soy sauces and related products like hosin sauce contain wheat. Even some tamari sauces have wheat.
Look for labels that clearly state gluten-free!
Where Can I Get More Easy Vegan Asian Recipes?
I’ve been turning to my book, The Easy Vegan Cookbook
, a ton for quick and easy Asian recipes. Since I can’t have gluten anymore it’s much easier to make it at home.
This Quick and Easy Broccoli with Garlic Sauce Recipe is from it, as well as Orange Ginger Cauliflower, Pepper Portabella, Szechuan Eggplant and Ann Oliverio’s Vegetable Fried Rice with Tofu.
All of these are from my favorite chapter, Speedy Stir-frys.
Find More Recipes Like This You Can See Right Now
I know all of you don’t have The Easy Vegan Cookbook yet, so here are some you can make right now.
I love these recipes: Instant Pot Vegetable Dumplings, Butternut Squash And Kale Lo Mein With Crispy Tofu, and Super Easy Tofu Stir-fry.
Quick and Easy Broccoli with Garlic Sauce
This is my favorite Chinese take-out dish. The broccoli makes it virtuous, but the spicy garlic sauce is what keeps me coming back for more. It's easier than you think to make at home, and you can make it as spicy as you want! Lots of cooking options on this to make it suitable for everyone: gluten-free option*, soy-free option**, no oil added option***
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil , (***water saute instead)
- 6 cups broccoli florets, or 1- 1 lb/454g bag frozen
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Sauce ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth , or water
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce , (*use a gluten-free brand or **use coconut aminos instead)
- 2 tablespoons agave nectar , or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil, (***use tahini or leave out)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 to 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, depending on how you like it
Instructions
- Mix the sauce ingredients in a measuring cup and set aside.
- Heat the oil (***or water) in a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the oil is hot add the broccoli and saute until they start to soften, about 3 to 5 minutes (depending on the size of the florets)
- Mix in all but 2 tablespoons of the sauce. Then stir the cornstarch into the leftover sauce until there are no lumps then add that to the pan.
- Cook until the sauce thickens, about 3 to 5 minutes. Serve over rice.
- If you like yours extra-saucy go ahead and make a double batch of the sauce. Also, try making this with thin Japanese eggplant cut into strips or even with a mix of veggies and tofu cubes.
Nutrition Information
Yield 4 Serving Size 1 gramsAmount Per Serving Calories 128Total Fat 4gSaturated Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 0gSodium 691mgCarbohydrates 20gFiber 4gSugar 10gProtein 5g
Sye
The sauce looks yummy and versatile. How long does it last in the fridge?
Thanks!
Kathy Hester
I’ve never kept it for long, but I think up to 3 days at least.
Dianne's Vegan Kitchen
Broccoli with garlic sauce is one of my favorites, too. Your version looks so much better than the local Chinese restaurant’s does!
Becky Striepe
Ooh this looks so good! I love broccoli with garlic sauce and totally order it whenever we get delivery. Now I can save a buck!
Kristina
oooh, that garlic sauce sounds fantastic. I love broccoli – saving this one to make soon!
Johanna
Just made and ate this -delicious! I’m not fond of cooked broccoli but eat it because it’s good for me. But smothered in this spicy, garlicky sauce it’s great! I added capsicum and mushrooms for extra veggie goodness.
Tamara
So good, served with tofu. Definitely adding to my rotation
Jane Malamisura
Tried this today and it was delicious! This is my favorite Chinese delivery dish and thrilled to be able to make it myself now!
Nora
I made this last night, and it was excellent! I added mushrooms and soy curls, and I’ll definitely be making it again soon. Thanks for the great recipe!
I'na
I made this last night and added squash and zucchini. It was great. It was so good, I made more for my bf to take to work for lunch. I will definitely make again and invite my non-vegan friends over for dinner. ????
Thank you for sharing.
Jordyn S.
I’ve made this 3 times in the last couple weeks! My boyfriend claims, “This is the best sauce of all time.” 🙂 We usually add a little extra maple syrup so it’s sweeter!
MGD
This was delicious! Directions are a little unclear, though. First step is to mix all of the sauce ingredients together, so I added the vegetable oil to the sauce. Second step is to sautée broccoli with the oil 🙂 Maybe others caught this by reading ahead, but I wanted to flag it just in case. That aside, this is a great recipe and we will definitely be making again.
JoAnn M Lakes
I just made a batch of brown rice in the instant pot and as a reward to myself, this recipe has lunch written all over it! THANKS
Karissa
Made this last night and it was really good! Might add a little more maple syrup next time, just to make it a little sweeter for my taste, but it was amazing! I can’t wait to make it again.
Charles
My new favorite recipe! I added baked tofu, but otherwise stuck to the recipe as written, and the sauce was amazing! Thanks for the post!
Brooks Jones
Made this tonight–so easy and so good! I doubled the sauce and added sliced mushrooms and ham-flavored seitan. Even the meat-eaters in my house wanted seconds! Will definitely make again.
Nicola Herinkova
The sauce ingredients don’t seem to be listed anymore, only oil, broccoli and cornstarch.
Maybe they could be added back on?
Kathy Hester
Fixed!
Kelli
I’m not seeing the sauce recipe anywhere, help!
Kathy Hester
It’s fixed now!
Kelli
Thank you Kathy!!
Barb
Fabulous
Kat
I’ve been significantly reducing my meat consumption and happened to have a beautiful head of freshly-harvested broccoli just waiting to be prepared in a recipe like this. Delicious! I bet some blanched almonds or tofu would be amazing additions. Thank you 🙂
Juju
Thanks for all the delicious add in I’ll be trying
Cindy
Made this last night for an easy dinner. It was delicious!!! I will definitely make it again and use it with tofu as well as another person posted. Just stumbled on this site but will be taking a closer look today. Thank you.
Beth McCrea
ADORE this recipe!
Just one note: In the recipe towards the top of the page (on my phone, I see the same recipe twice…I guess the second is showing it as it’s listed in the book…?), it includes the olive oil under the sauce ingredients, but it should be under the non-sauce ingredients as shown in the 2nd recipe.
LtUhura
Quite good! My people don’t like too much spice (I do), so I’m glad I pulled back on the red pepper flakes, only using about 1/2 tsp. Otherwise, I followed this recipe to the T and it is a keeper. Thanks!
Tater
My broccoli hating husband said “This is so good in spite of it being broccoli. I can’t stop eating it”
Thank you for another excellent recipe!
Brenda
We have made this numerous times. Delicious! We’ve also doubled the sauce and added fresh mushrooms, onion and zucchini.
Thank You Kathy!
Bridget Cohen
This recipe is fantastic- quick and easy with ingredients I always have on hand. Did as others suggested and made double the sauce- next time I will add additional veggies to bulk it up a bit for my husband and son. Thanks for a great recipe!
Ryan
Perfect! I followed the directions and doubled the sauce and added sliced bell peppers. Served over Thai rice noodles. Thank you Kathy!!!