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These easy beef bowls are a quick and delicious Asian-inspired recipe that makes the perfect weeknight dinner. Ready in about 30 minutes!
Try my Ground Beef Lo Mein or Easy Beef Stir Fry next for more takeout-style favorites at home.
Why you’ll love it
Making Asian-style food is one of my favorite things to do, especially when it’s this tasty and fast. What’s not to love about tender beef and a sauce that includes fresh ginger and garlic, soy sauce, and a hint of brown sugar? One lovely reader said her only regret was not seeing this recipe sooner!
These beef and rice bowls are Korean inspired, but I do use hoisin sauce, which is Chinese. While not an authentic Asian dish, this ground beef recipe is a totally simple and very satisfying way to enjoy an affordable protein that you’ll put on repeat.
What you’ll need
- Rice – I like jasmine rice best, but use your favorite
- Ground beef – I prefer using lean (at least 90% lean) ground beef for this recipe because then you don’t have to worry about draining the fat
- Brown sugar – for a hint of sweetness to balance the sauce
- Hoisin sauce – it’s a dark sauce made with soybeans that has an irresistible flavor uniquely its own. It’s sweeter and thicker than soy sauce, savory and tangy, and some have described it as Asian BBQ sauce! Find it in the Asian aisle at most major grocery stores.
- Soy sauce – I use the regular kind, but use low sodium if that’s a concern
- Siracha – we’re only using enough for a gentle warmth
- Ginger – this gives a zesty, fragrant zing
- Garlic – we’re pretty generous, but feel free to add even more
- Red pepper and scallions – for a pop of color and crunch
Pro tip
To easily grate fresh ginger, store it in the freezer! It sounds unusual, but I’ve been doing it for years. Use a Microplane to zest it. You’ll also never run out of fresh ginger or have it go bad in your fridge.
How to make beef bowls
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Cook the rice. Meanwhile, brown the ground beef until cooked through. Take the pan off the burner, and stir in the sauce ingredients.
Reduce the heat, then add the chopped red pepper and cook for a few more minutes until it’s tender-crisp. Serve over the rice, garnish with scallions, and enjoy!
Tools for this recipe
Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- Mince the garlic effortlessly with one squeeze of a garlic press, and then store the remainder of the cloves in a garlic keeper that looks adorable on your counter.
- I use this versatile Le Creuset skillet for everything from stir fries to stovetop chicken recipes.
- A meat masher is handy to break up the beef while it’s cooking.
Substitutions and variations
- This is the type of recipe where you can definitely adjust the sauce ingredients to taste, so don’t be shy! I love to add extra hoisin sauce to mine.
- Some readers enjoy doubling the sauce completely if you’re into lots of sauce! As written, it doesn’t make tons.
- I added a red pepper bell for color and a bit of freshness. If you don’t like them, you could leave it out. It won’t make or break the recipe.
- You don’t need to go out and buy sriracha sauce just for this recipe if you never use it, but I do like the flavor it adds. I didn’t use a lot so as not to make it too spicy for most people, but you can always add more if you want to give this recipe more heat.
What to serve with these ground beef bowls
- You don’t need to top them with sesame seeds like I did, but it adds a little additional contrast and texture. Fresh bean sprouts would be another great topping for some crunch.
- If you’re not into the rice, swap it out to make a beef noodle bowl. Try Udon, ramen noodles, or rice noodles.
- Other options are serving it over cauliflower rice, quinoa, or with other veggies.
Leftovers and storage
- Store any leftovers for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. I’d make fresh rice when you eat it.
- Reheat in a saucepan over a low heat, and you may want to add some extra hoisin sauce and/or sriracha because it tends to dry out a bit the longer you leave it.
- You can freeze it for up to 3 months.
More easy ground beef recipes
If you gave these easy Asian beef bowls a try, please leave a star rating and review below! Let me know if you have questions not answered in the post. You can also tag me #saltandlavender on Instagram if you made it.
Easy Beef Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked rice I used white jasmine rice
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon (packed) brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- Garnish (optional): scallions, sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cook the rice according to package directions. If you have a different amount you usually make for 4 people, just make your usual amount.
- Meanwhile, add the beef to a skillet over medium-high heat and break it up with your spoon as you go along until it's cooked (approx. 8-10 minutes). If there's a lot of excess fat, drain most of it.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the sauce ingredients (sugar, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sriracha, ginger, and garlic).
- Reduce the heat to medium and return the pan to the heat. Add the chopped red bell pepper. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring often, until the peppers are tender-crisp.
- Serve the beef over the rice and garnish as desired.
Notes
- To easily grate fresh ginger, freeze a whole piece. It grates much easier and you’ll always have some on-hand. This Microplane is the handy tool I use to grate/zest it.
- If you don’t have sriracha sauce, you can leave it out. If you love sriracha, don’t hesitate to add more than 1 teaspoon!
- This recipe also appears in the Salt & Lavender: Everyday Essentials cookbook.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.
This recipe was originally published on August 3, 2019. It’s been updated with new photos and better instructions but is the same great recipe!
Love this. Super easy and quick! I have made this countless times and it’s an easy go to for a quick dinner.
I’m thrilled to hear that, Corine! Thank you!!
Wondering if there’s an alternative that I can use instead of hoisin sauce, as I cannot find a gluten free version. Thanks!
Hi Dayna! Not that I know of. It has a very particular flavor. I think you may need to do some research on that – I am not too familiar with gluten-free alternatives in most cases, and I’d hate to steer you wrong if this is because of an allergy.
Definitely adding to our weekly rotation!! So quick and easy and my husband and picky 3 year old loved it. I added broccoli for some more veggies and skipped on the siracha in the recipe since I was serving it to the kids but added it on my husband and I’s plate. So good! Thank you! I’m
I’m so happy it was a hit, Victoria!! Appreciate your review!
I’ve made this recipe a few times and love it! If I chose to use ground ginger instead of fresh, would the measurement be the same? I hate grating ginger 🙁
That’s great! No – ground ginger is pretty concentrated. I’d go very very sparingly. Perhaps start with 1/4 the amount or so and go up from there. Did you see my tip in the blog post about grating it from frozen? Much easier. Or you could buy the minced stuff most grocery stores sell in a tube.
I missed that tip! I may try that next time, but if I still loathe it I’ll go the route of the ground ginger. 🙂 Thank you!
You’re very welcome! 😀
I was looking for something new but affordable to cook. This recipe didn’t take long at all and my husband loved it! He said he can eat it at least once a week so that’s a win! I added mushrooms and diced onion to the recipe and it all came out really great. Thanks for sharing!
That’s awesome!! So glad you gave it a try, Makai! Thank you!
My husband and I made this last night and we really like this dish. Fabulous flavor profiles. Will definitely be making this again. Thanks, Natasha!
I’m thrilled it was a hit, Carol!! 😀 Thanks for your review!
Great recipe….even my granddaughters love this and they are picky lol. I do triple the sauce ingredients because we love extra sauce.
That makes me so happy!! 😀 Thanks for your review, Randi!
Great recipe – recommend doubling it!
Thank you, Susan!! 😀
Awesome thank you 🙏🏻!!
I added sliced mushrooms, baby corn, sliced water chestnuts, chopped bok choy (white part), can add bean sprouts if you like them. I add chopped onions cooked first till soft, red bell pepper the same way.
I add in the hamburger meat at the end so I don’t overpower the meal. I am a veggie person so this is great for me.
Sounds good to me!!