These quick and simple ground beef rice bowls come together in under 30 minutes for a healthy, veggie-packed weeknight dinner. Brown the ground beef, add vegetables, and finish with a savory soy-based sauce for a satisfying meal the whole family will enjoy.
I look for four things in a meal: fast, healthy, filling, and flavorful. This ground beef and veggie rice bowl hits every mark. It’s a go-to on busy nights—prep the vegetables ahead and the dish takes about 20 minutes to finish.
Serve the beef and vegetables over cooked rice and top with your favorite sauce—creamy spicy mayo, sriracha, or a homemade yum yum sauce make great choices. For a more aromatic base, try jasmine coconut rice.
Customize the bowls with any vegetables you like for an easy, flexible weeknight dinner.
🍚Ingredients
This Korean-inspired beef bowl uses simple, familiar ingredients and is easy to adapt to what you have on hand.
Recommended produce: carrots (julienned), shredded purple cabbage, diced red bell pepper, and diced cucumber (added at serving). Zucchini, mushrooms, or a mixed vegetable blend also work well.
Rice: Any rice will do—jasmine, basmati, long-grain white, or brown. Cook according to package directions.
Ground meat: This recipe uses ground beef, but ground turkey or chicken can be substituted.
Soy sauce: Use low sodium soy sauce, or swap in tamari to make the dish gluten free.
Full measurements appear in the printable recipe card below.
🔪Instructions
Chopping vegetables is the part that takes the most time. Once your prep is done, the dish cooks quickly.
Step 1: Cook rice according to package directions. Jasmine or basmati are great choices. (About 2 cups uncooked rice serves 4.)
Step 2: Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
Step 3: Chop and prep all vegetables so they’re ready before you start cooking.
Step 4: Heat a large skillet or braiser over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and warm.
Step 5: Add 1.5 pounds ground beef and cook until fully browned. Drain excess fat if desired.
Step 6: Add julienned carrots, diced red pepper, and shredded cabbage to the pan (reserve cucumbers for serving).
Step 7: Pour in the soy sauce mixture and toss to coat the beef and vegetables evenly.
Cook until the sauce reduces slightly and the vegetables are tender-crisp—cook longer if you prefer softer vegetables. Total cooking time varies based on how soft you like them.
Step 8: Stir in diced green onions.
Step 9: Assemble bowls: serve the beef and vegetable mixture over cooked rice, top with diced cucumber and sesame seeds.
Optional: Finish with sriracha, spicy mayo, or a creamy yum yum-style sauce to taste.
❓Recipe FAQs
Start with cooked rice, add the cooked protein, pile on your vegetables, finish with fresh herbs or green onions, and top with a sauce that complements the flavors.
Rice bowls can be served hot or cold—both are delicious. Serve hot for a comforting meal, or chilled for meal prep and lunches.
Yes. Rice bowls are excellent for meal prep. Cook the components, store them separately, and assemble when ready to eat to keep textures fresh.
🐄Other Ground Beef Recipes
Ground Beef and Vegetable Soup-
Dutch Oven Chili
-
Shepherd’s Pie with Sweet Potatoes
-
Baked Beans with Ground Beef
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📋Recipe
Ground Beef Rice Bowls
Equipment
- Large skillet or braiser
- Cutting board and knife
- Julienne peeler (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1.5 pounds ground beef
- 2–3 large carrots, julienned
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 cups shredded purple cabbage
- 1 large cucumber, diced (reserve for serving)
- 1/4 cup diced green onions
Sauce
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce (or tamari)
- 1–2 inches fresh ginger, grated (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
Serving
- Cooked rice (jasmine or basmati recommended)
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
- Optional: yum yum sauce, sriracha, or spicy mayo
Instructions
- Cook rice according to package directions.
- Whisk sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Chop and prep all vegetables so everything is ready to add to the pan.
- Heat a large skillet or braiser over medium heat and add olive oil.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned; drain excess fat if desired.
- Add carrots, red pepper, and cabbage to the beef. Reserve cucumbers for serving.
- Pour in the sauce and toss to coat. Cook until sauce reduces slightly and vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Stir in green onions.
- Serve over cooked rice and top with diced cucumber and sesame seeds. Add sauce or hot sauce to taste.
Notes
Ingredient notes:
- Produce: The recipe works well with carrots, purple cabbage, red pepper, and cucumber. Substitute zucchini, mushrooms, or a frozen vegetable mix if needed.
- Rice: Use any rice you prefer; cook as directed on the package.
- Ground meat: Ground beef is recommended, but ground turkey or chicken are good substitutes.
- Soy sauce: Swap soy sauce for tamari to make the dish gluten free.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 11 g
Protein: 32 g
Fat: 38 g
Leave a comment and rating below — I’d love to hear how it turned out.