Trader Joe’s Beef and Broccoli (Air Fryer) (2024)

What’s the best frozen beef and broccoli? Learn the pros and cons of frozen broccoli beef in this Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli review. Get price info, Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli cooking instructions (including how to make Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli in air fryer), and more! If Chinese take-out style food that’s mildly sweet with spicy beef sounds good, you’ll love Trader Joe’s frozen beef and broccoli!

Want to save this post?

Enter your email below and we'll send it straight to your inbox.Plus you'll get great new recipes from us every week!

Trader Joes beef and broccoli is perfect if you want the taste of Chinese food and the convenience of a frozen dinner. You get protein, vegetables, and Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli sauce, which provides some sweet and spicy heat.

This frozen dinner takes a bit more work than some other options. You can’t just throw it in the microwave for the best results. The packaging recommends cooking it on the stovetop in several steps.

First, you’ll need to cook the frozen broccoli on the stovetop in a skillet over medium-low heat. This will take about 5 minutes.

Next, you’ll set the broccoli aside and turn the stovetop up to medium. Add one tablespoon of oil to the pan and cook the frozen beef strips for 6-7 minutes. Add the broccoli back to the pan and cook 2 more minutes.

Finally, you can add the sauce to the skillet, giving everything a good stir. It will take about another 2 minutes for the meal to be ready. The stovetop directions aren’t too difficult, but you will be left with a sticky skillet to clean.

Luckily, you can cook Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli in an air fryer for an easier clean up. It’s also a more hands-off method of cooking, with no stirring. Let me show you how!

📋 Trader Joe’s Beef and Broccoli Calories

One serving of Trader Joe’s Beef and Broccoli has 230 calories, 29 grams net carbs, and 8 grams protein. Nutrition information for one serving (as listed on the package) without oil used for cooking or side dishes such as rice.

That said, the serving on the package is tiny and I don’t think it is realistic for most people as an entrée. A double serving of Trader Joe’s broccoli beef (one-third of the package) provides 460 calories, 58 grams net carbs, and 16 grams protein.

⭐ Trader Joe’s Beef and Broccoli Nutrition

Want to make Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli in the air fryer? Here is the nutrition information from the package (for ⅙ of the package, without added cooking oil):

• Calories: 230
• Total Fat: 8 grams (10% DV)
• Saturated Fat: 2 grams (10% DV)
• Sodium: 410 mg (18% DV)
• Total Carbohydrate: 31 grams (11% DV)
• Fiber: 2 grams
• Added Sugar: 18 grams
• Protein: 8 grams
• Vitamin D: 6% DV
• Iron: 10% DV
• Calcium: 0% DV
• Potassium: 4% DV

🥘 Trader Joe’s Beef and Broccoli Ingredients

To make Trader Joe’s broccoli beef, you need the following ingredients:

• 24-ounce package Trader Joe’s Beef and Broccoli
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• Cooking oil spray

Some report that aerosol cooking sprays damaged their air fryer basket. I recommend using a non-aerosol cooking spray to be safe. I usually use avocado oil spray, but olive oil, canola oil, etc. also works.

You’ll also need a medium-sized bowl and a large bowl for this recipe. The smaller bowl is for defrosting the sauce, while the larger bowl is for mixing everything together. A meat thermometer is helpful if you want to be certain the beef strips reach a safe temp.

Most of my air fryer recipes were developed in a 10-Quart Kalorik Digital Air Fryer Oven.

The Ninja Foodi, Philips, Nuwave, Pampered Chef, Actifry, Instant Pot Vortex, Cosori, Breville, and other air fryers can also work. However, keep in mind that cooking times may need to be adjusted between air fryer brands.

Keep a close eye on the food whenever you try a new air fryer recipe. It's the best way to have perfect results every time.

🔪 How to Cook Trader Joe’s Beef and Broccoli

The beef, broccoli, and sauce are all packaged separately in this frozen beef and broccoli meal. Place the packet of sauce in a bowl of warm water to thaw it. Feel free to change out the water if it gets cold.

Stir the frozen broccoli with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Spread the broccoli out on an air fryer tray and air fry for 8 minutes at 375F (190C).

Use the top rack position if you have an air fryer oven. Set the broccoli aside.

Spread the frozen beef out in a single layer on an air fryer tray and spray with cooking spray. Air fry at 375F (190C) for 5 minutes. Use the top rack position again if you have an air fryer oven.

The beef takes so little time because the air fryer is preheated from cooking the broccoli. If you want to ensure it is done, use a meat thermometer. The minimum safe internal temperature for beef strips is 145F (63C).

Put the cooked beef, cooked broccoli, and defrosted sauce in a large bowl. Stir to coat the ingredients with the sauce. Serve over rice, and enjoy!

️⏲️ Cooking Time and Temperature

How long to cook Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli in the air fryer? What temperature to air fry frozen beef and broccoli? Air fry frozen beef and broccoli for a total of 13 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190C). Keep in mind that the broccoli and beef are air fried separately, as detailed above.

️🌡️ Leftovers

Cooked Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli can be kept in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave on high for 2 minutes. I don’t recommend freezing the leftovers; the texture of the beef and broccoli changes when thawed.

😋 How to Serve Broccoli Beef

What to serve with Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli? White rice or brown rice is a classic choice. You could also choose another favorite grain side dish, such as quinoa, wild rice, rice noodles, or farro.

💭 Expert Tips from a Dietitian

This is a level 3 recipe (weight maintenance and active lifestyles). Let’s jump straight to the big question...

Is Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli healthy?

Packed with beef strips and broccoli, this meal appears at first glance to be a healthy option. However, when we take a closer look at the ingredients, we can see this isn’t the most nutritious choice.

The ingredients in Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli are: broccoli florets, beef, water, binder product, and sauce. It's the binder product and sauce that qualify this frozen dinner as an ultra-processed food.

The beef strips in TJs beef and broccoli have been heavily breaded, while the first ingredient in the sauce is sugar. A better choice would be homemade beef and broccoli without breaded beef, and with a low sugar sauce. This would cut way back on the highly refined carbs in your meal, and likely make it lower calorie too.

Surprisingly, Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli has over twice the grams of added sugar per serving than protein. Many highly processed foods in the U.S. hide a lot of added sugar, even if they don’t taste overly sweet. This adds a lot of empty calories to our foods (and makes things tough for diabetics trying to control their blood sugar).

This is one of the reasons I generally support scratch cooking. Most of the time we don’t need to add gobs of sugar to dinner to make it delicious. We can make something just as tasty, and likely far more satisfying, when we cook from scratch.

FAQs

Is the beef in Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli fully cooked?

The package doesn’t say whether the beef in Trader Joe’s frozen beef and broccoli is fully cooked. In general, assume that frozen breaded entrees (like chicken nuggets and this beef) have been partially cooked to set the breading unless the packaging says otherwise.

How much is beef and broccoli at Trader Joe’s?

Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli price is $6.99. Pricing may vary by store location. This may seem like a lot for a freezer meal, but it likely costs less than getting Chinese take-out.

Is Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli keto?

Beef and broccoli from Trader Joe’s is not keto or low carb. This product has 29 grams net carbs for a package serving (one-sixth of the package). A more realistic serving (one-third of the package) is 58 grams net carbs. The beef is coated in cornstarch and bread crumbs and the first ingredient in the sauce is sugar.

Is Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli gluten-free?

No, Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli is not gluten free. This product contains wheat flour and soy sauce (which contains wheat). Neither the beef nor the sauce in this frozen beef and broccoli are GF friendly.

Is Trader Joe’s beef and broccoli good?

Taste is subjective, but we thought the beef and broccoli from Trader Joe’s was delicious. With a whopping 36 grams of added sugar per (realistic) serving, IMVHO it had better be tasty! Haha Since this one isn’t the best choice nutritionally, I would skip it if you don’t find it delish.

👨🏾‍🍳‍ More Trader Joe’s Air Fryer Recipes

Looking for more air fryer recipes for Trader Joe’s foods? Here are some of my favorites:

• Trader Joe’s Orange Chicken (Air Fryer)
• Trader Joe’s Mac and Cheese Bites (Air Fryer)
• Air Fryer Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi
• Trader Joe’s Kung Pao Tempura Cauliflower (Air Fryer)

Psst... you may also enjoy checking out the entire collection of Air Fryer Recipes!

📖 Recipe Card

Join our community! Subscribefor all of the latest and greatest recipes, and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and YouTube!