Healthy Slow Cooker Beef & Broccoli

For weeknights when I need a delicious and convenient meal waiting for me when I get home from afternoon activities, this slow cooker meal saves the day!

Healthy Crockpot Beef and Broccoli 

Takeout and frozen meals seem like an easy option to reach for when you're short on time to make dinner. My solution to saving money and eating healthier is to remake some of our favorite meals at home, and the slow cooker is the perfect tool to use when I want the meal made for me.

In this Healthy Crockpot Beef and Broccoli recipe, the beef cooks in the slow cooker in a delicious honey-based sauce. I let it cook all day and it's good to go! Before serving it for dinner, all you have to do is cook the broccoli and rice.

Sometimes I preset my rice cooker to end at the same time as the slow cooker, while other times I use leftover rice to make it even easier!

Ingredients

Rice, broccoli, and beef make this recipe a nutritious and balanced meal that tastes superb, thanks to classic Asian seasonings. The ingredient measurements are at the end of the post, but first, let’s take a quick look:

• Honey: adds natural sweetness and a thicker texture to the sauce.
• Soy sauce: makes the perfect balance with honey.
• Beef broth: the liquid needed for this recipe.
• Garlic: flavor, aroma… you don’t want to omit it!
• Sesame oil: a classic flavor for Asian-inspired dishes.
• Ginger: another Asian classic for adding a little zing!
• Boneless beef chuck roast: the slow cooker make this cut super tender.
• Broccoli florets: you can use fresh or frozen.
• White rice: if you eat grain-free, swap it for cauliflower rice!
• Sesame seeds: optional for extra texture and nutrition.

How to Make Healthy Beef & Broccoli in the Slow Cooker 

I love slow cooker recipes. What's not to love? All you have to do is throw in your ingredients at the beginning of the day, and this delicious homemade dinner is ready for you when you come home. Here’s how easily you can prep this Healthy Crockpot Beef and Broccoli:

1. Make the sauce
   First, you combine all the sauce ingredients inside the slow cooker’s dish.
2. Prep the beef
   You remove any excess fat from the beef roast and cube it into 1-inch pieces. Then, you add it into the beef sauce and stir to coat it.
3. Cook
   You cook the beef in the slow cooker on low heat for 8 hours or high for 5 hours.
4. Add broccoli
   45 minutes before serving, you add the broccoli florets to the slow cooker and mix to cover them with the sauce. You can also steam the broccoli separately, on the stovetop or microwave.
5. Cook the rice
   After adding the broccoli to the slow cooker, you cook the rice. Here are my tips to cook rice perfectly every time.
6. Serve
   Now that everything is cooked, you build a bed of rice and top it with the beef, the broccoli, and a few spoonfuls of sauce. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top, if desired.

Can You Put Raw Beef in the Slow Cooker?

Yes! The slow cooker is one of the best ways to cook beef and you can place it raw directly on the slow cooker dish. The meat turns out so tender that you can separate it easily with a fork.

How Long Does the Broccoli Take to Soften in the Slow Cooker?

It takes about 45 minutes for broccoli to soften when you cook it in the slow cooker. In this recipe, I let the crockpot make all the work, but you can choose your favorite method to cook broccoli: the stovetop, the microwave, or steam it.

How to Serve Crockpot Beef & Broccoli

The best thing about "bowl" meals is that everyone can add as much of each ingredient as they want! While my boys don't like the "trees" so big, my daughter loves broccoli.

To serve this meal, you make a base of rice, then you add broccoli florets and some beef cubes. Pour sauce over the top and, optionally, sprinkle sesame seeds.

Storing Leftovers

This Healthy Slow Cooker Beef & Broccoli is terrific for meal prep, so leftovers are always welcome! You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and enjoy them for dinner or as a warm thermos lunch.

Leftovers also freeze great! I often freeze single-serving portions of these beef and broccoli bowls for my husband's lunch. If you want to turn this into a freezer meal, you can place all the ingredients (except the rice and broccoli) in a freezer zip bag and freeze. Whenever you want to cook this terrific meal, all you have to do is thaw and cook!