Ground beef bowls are an easy, budget-friendly meal that comes together quickly, making them perfect for weeknight dinners and meal prep. Make a batch ahead of time and you'll have flavorful lunches or dinners ready to grab and go.
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Ingredients You'll Need
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Ground beef - Use a fairly lean ground beef so the finished dish is not too greasy. We like 90-92% lean / 8-10% fat, but 85-90% lean also works well. If you use a higher-fat ground beef, just drain off the excess grease after browning.
Rice - Jasmine rice, long grain white rice, and brown rice all work well. You can make it fresh or take a shortcut with precooked rice.
Produce - Frozen broccoli keeps this recipe easy and convenient, but steamed fresh broccoli is great too. Green onions add flavor to the beef and make a great garnish. Fresh garlic adds lots of flavor to the sauce.
Seasoning - Ginger powder adds warmth and flavor to the sauce. We use ginger powder in this recipe. Kosher salt lightly seasons the beef, and crushed red pepper flakes add a little heat.
Pantry - Low sodium soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, water, and cornstarch come together to make a savory sauce that thickens and coats the beef. We use avocado oil to brown the beef, but you can use any neutral oil with a moderate-high smoke point.
📖 See the recipe card for exact quantities and preparation details.
How to make ground beef bowls
Let the ground beef sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes (provided it is cool in your kitchen) to get the chill out.
Make the stir fry sauce
In a jar or bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch until smooth. Add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Stir well and set aside.
Cook the ground beef
Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and salt, then spread it into an even layer. Cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes.
Break up the beef and continue cooking for 4-6 minutes, or until fully browned, stirring occasionally. Drain excess fat if needed.
Add the sauce
Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in the prepared sauce. Stir to coat the beef, then cover and cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. If needed, add 1-2 tablespoons of water to loosen the sauce.
Stir in the green onions and taste for salt.
Serve over rice or noodles with broccoli or your vegetable of choice. Garnish with extra green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Recipe tips and notes
- If you are serving this with rice, start it first since this dish comes together quickly. For noodles, get the water started first, then when the ground beef is covered, drop in the noodles so everything is hot and ready at about the same time.
- If you are sensitive to salt, you can omit the salt when cooking the beef. The sauce already adds plenty of flavor.
- Stir the sauce again right before adding it to the skillet, since the cornstarch can settle at the bottom.
- If the finished beef seems slightly dry, add 1-2 extra tablespoons of water to loosen it without changing the flavor.
- Use a large, deep skillet. With 2 pounds of meat, you may need to brown the beef in 2 batches if your skillet is small, so the beef browns instead of steams.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
Refrigerator - Store leftovers in an air-tight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Freezer - Allow the beef mixture to cool completely, then transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container. Label with the contents and date, and freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating - Stovetop: Add the desired amount to a nonstick skillet over medium to medium-low heat. Stir occasionally and heat for 5-7 minutes, or until warmed through. Add a splash of water to loosen the sauce if needed. Microwave: Place in a microwave-safe dish with a spoonful of water. Cover loosely and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until hot.
Food Safety - Do not leave food out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. Reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of 165°F, use an instant read thermometer to make sure. For more information on food storage and safety, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and FoodSafety.gov.
If you like this recipe, be sure to try our beef and broccoli for a quick and easy weeknight dinner. Or try this ground beef stir fry for a wholesome and delicious meal. And if you're craving a takeout classic, this sesame chicken is always a hit.
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📖 Recipe
Ground Beef Bowls
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 4 garlic cloves grated or finely minced
- 2 teaspoons ginger powder or 1-2 tablespoons fresh grated or minced ginger
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes or to taste (leave it out if you don't like spicy food)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil such as avocado oil
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4-6 tablespoons green onions sliced, plus more for garnish
- Cooked white rice or noodles for serving (about 6 cups cooked rice or 12 ounces noodles)
- 12-16 ounces frozen broccoli cooked according to package directions, or vegetable of choice
- Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Let the ground beef sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes (provided it is cool in your kitchen) to get the chill out.
Make the Stir Fry Sauce
- Add the water and cornstarch to a jar or medium bowl. Stir with a fork or small whisk until the cornstarch fully dissolves.
- Add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Stir vigorously until well combined. Stir the sauce again just before using.
Cook the Ground Beef
- Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet or wok (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the ground beef and salt.
- Stir to combine and arrange the beef in a single layer. Cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes.
- Stir, breaking up any large pieces. Continue cooking for another 4-6 minutes, or until fully browned, stirring occasionally.
- Depending on the fat content of your ground beef, you may want to drain the excess fat. Remove the skillet from the heat, push the beef to one side, and tilt the pan so the fat pools on the opposite side. Use a large spoon to scoop it out into a bowl or can. Discard or save for another use.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and pour in the prepared stir fry sauce. Stir well to coat the beef.
- Cover the skillet and cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the flavors meld. If it gets too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water.
- Stir in the sliced green onions.
- Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference, we did not add extra to ours.
- Serve with white rice or noodles and broccoli or your vegetable of choice. Garnish with extra green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Notes
- Use a ground beef that is fairly lean so the finished dish is not too greasy. Since the sauce already adds plenty of richness and flavor, you do not need a high-fat ground beef here. A good choice is 90-92% lean / 8-10% fat. That said, 85-90% lean will also work if that is what you have, just be prepared to drain off more excess fat after browning.
- If you are serving this with rice, start it first since this dish comes together quickly.
- Omit the salt when cooking the beef if you are sensitive to salt. The sauce already adds plenty of flavor.
- If the finished beef seems slightly dry, add 1-2 extra tablespoons of water to loosen it without changing the flavor.
- Use a large, deep skillet. With 2 pounds of meat, you may need to brown the beef in 2 batches if your skillet is small so the beef browns instead of steams.
💌 Save this recipe
We'll email it to you so you can find it later!
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Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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