Asian Beef Bowls

5 from 4 votes

This Asian beef bowls with rice recipe is a savory, super quick, and easy meal that's the perfect way to elevate ground beef to a new level. With its rich flavors and tender and velvety ground beef, it's a must-try for any Asian food lover who wants a cozy one-bowl meal!

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Servings: bowls

Calories: 387kcal

Author: Joyce Lee

Ingredients

1 cup frozen peas
½ cup onions (diced, approx. 1 small onion)
½ teaspoon garlic (finely chopped, approx. 1 clove)
1 dried bay leaf

Ground Beef Marinade

1 lb ground beef
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2½ tablespoons water
1-2 tablespoons oil (Use less if you're using a fattier cut of ground beef)

Sauce

2½ tablespoons soy sauce
2½ tablespoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 cup cold water
⅛ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder (optional)

Garnish (Optional but Highly Recommended)

1 stalk green onion
1 fried egg per serving bowl

Instructions

Prepare the Ingredients

Measure out 1 cup frozen peas and set it aside for later.
Dice ½ cup onions into small, uniform pieces.
Next, finely mince or grate ½ teaspoon garlic and set it aside with the diced onions.
Then, finely chop 1 stalk green onion into small pieces, and set them aside for the very end. These will be used as a garnish, adding a fresh, crisp flavor to the dish.

Prepare the Sauce

Mix 2½ tablespoons cornstarch with 2½ tablespoons soy sauce first until the cornstarch has fully dissolved.
Then, add 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, ½ teaspoon sugar, and, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and mix everything well.
(Optional) If you are using Chinese five spice, add ⅛ teaspoon Chinese five spice powder and mix it into the sauce. Do a taste test, if you want more five spice flavor adding another ⅛ teaspoon.
Then mix in 1 cup cold water and set it aside for later.

Marinate the Ground Beef

In a bowl, add 1 lb ground beef, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2½ tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon cornstarch and, 1-2 tablespoons oil (omit this if you are using a fattier cut of ground beef like medium ground beef.)
Using a large spoon mix the beef with the marinade very well.
I like to use the back of the spoon to mash the ground beef together with the marinade until I no longer see the 'strands' of ground beef.

Cook the Ground Beef

Begin by heating a pan over medium-high heat, when the pan is hot, add oil to it.
Add the onions and 1 dried bay leaf to the pan. Stir fry them until they are fragrant, for about 1 minute.
Next, add the grated garlic to the pan and toast it for 30 seconds.
Now, add the ground beef to the pan. Stir fry it for approximately 5-7 minutes with the onions. Try to break up the pieces as small as possible. I find it easiest to use a spatula to do this.
Cook the ground beef until it is fully cooked through and you no longer see any pink.
Stir the sauce mixture again (cornstarch settles to the bottom) and pour the sauce into the pan with the beef. Keep stirring until the sauce has thickened. Simmer it for about 3 minutes.
Add the peas to the pan and cook it for 1-2 minutes.
Turn the heat off, and sprinkle the chopped green onions over the ground beef and it's done! Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Put the Asian Ground Beef Bowls Together

Enjoy the beef bowls on top of steamed rice.
(Optional) Add an Egg: You can fry a sunny side up and add one per bowl, once the beef bowl has been assembled (My preferred method).
Alternatively, if you want to go the traditional route, you can pour the Cantonese ground beef into a large serving bowl, make a small hole in the middle with a spoon and crack a raw egg in the middle. When you're ready to serve it mix the raw egg with the ground beef until it is fully mixed in to make it creamier.

Notes

Mix the Ground Beef Very Well With the Marinade: To get that tender, soft beef texture, it's very important that the corn starch is mixed very well with the minced beef. The cornstarch will help coat the ground beef to create that slippery velvet texture. To ensure I mix it well, I find it is easiest to use the back of a large metal spoon to 'smash' all the beef together with the marinade until you no longer see the "strands of ground beef" and the ground beef looks smooth.

Use a Spatula To Cook This: To easily break up the ground beef into smaller pieces, I use the spatula in a cutting motion while it is cooking in the pan until they are in very small granular pieces.

Use a Large Skillet or Pan: For this Asian beef bowls recipe, I recommend using a large skillet. This allows the ground beef to cook and brown evenly without overcrowding and creates less splatter, especially if you are doubling the sauce.

(Optional) Five Spice For Extra Flavor: Although not traditional, you can also add a pinch of Chinese five spice to it for extra flavor! A little goes a long way, so usually ⅛ teaspoon is enough, but do a taste test after, and if you want more, add another ⅛ teaspoon.

(Optional) Double the Sauce If You Like It Saucy: This ground beef recipe is already quite saucy, but if you would like even more sauce to serve it with the rice or egg noodles, you can easily double it!

(Optional) Fried Egg vs. Raw Egg As a Topping: I personally like to add a fried sunny-side-up egg to my ground beef bowls at the very end. If you want to go the more traditional route and serve it the Cantonese way, you can pour the ground beef into a large serving bowl, make a small hole in the center, and crack a raw egg into it. Right before you serve it, mix the raw egg very well into the ground beef mixture. This will give it a creamier texture.

Nutrition