Easy to make and packed with flavour, these spicy ground beef rice bowls are such a hearty and satisfying meal, perfect for spicy food lovers. A well-seasoned beef and vegetable mixture is generously piled on top of fluffy rice for a scrumptious comfort food meal that you’re going to want to add to your supper menu.
We absolutely adore rice bowls around here. There are just so many things that they have going for them. I mean, they’re super easy to prepare (and can be on the table quite quickly). Plus, they taste delicious. I mean, some sort of protein and/or veg paired with fluffy rice? How could that not taste good? And, bonus, you can customize them to how you like with a bit of garnish.
Fan of rice bowls? Check out this ground turkey rice bowl recipe!
Ingredients
- Rice: I like to use Jasmine rice (I love it!), but you could use your favourite variety of rice.
- Spicy sauce: Includes water, soy sauce, chili paste, sriracha, honey, ground ginger, sesame oil, fish sauce and garlic.
- Avocado oil: For cooking the ground beef and veggies.
- Ground beef: Use lean or extra lean ground beef. If you use a fattier cut, no worries! Just make sure you drain the meat of excess grease after cooking before you add the veggies.
- Veggies: Onion and bell pepper adds flavour, colour and texture. Use whatever colour of bell pepper you like.
- Garnish: Green onion adds a lovely pop of colour and flavour.
How To Make Spicy Ground Beef Rice Bowls
Here is an overview of how to make spicy ground beef rice bowls (full details are in the recipe card below):
- Prepare the rice according to the package instructions (I love to use a rice cooker).
- Make the spicy sauce.
- Cook the ground beef.
- Add the veggies, then cook.
- Pour the spicy sauce over the ground beef and veggie mixture, and then simmer until it’s thickened.
- Serve the spicy ground beef and veggie mixture over the cooked rice, then garnish with green onion.
Can I Adjust the Spice Level?
Absolutely! If you want a little less spice, you can add less chili paste and/or sriracha. You can also amp up the sweetness (which counteracts some of the spiciness) by adding a little more honey.
What To Serve With It
This spicy ground beef and rice recipe is pretty hearty all on its own, but if you want to make your meal more substantial (and add extra veg), it pairs great with some steamed broccoli or stir-fried bok choy.
Tips and Variations
- Make more: This recipe makes two rice bowls, but can easily be doubled to feed more people.
- Try another protein: Switch up the meat by using ground bison instead of ground beef. It’s equally as delicious, if you ask me!
- Adjust the spice: As mentioned, you can make this rice bowl recipe less spicy by adjusting the spicy components and/or adding a little more honey.
- Add more veg: Instead of rice try, serving the ground beef with cauliflower rice. It’s a great way to add more veg to your meal.
- Garnish: Garnish is kept quite simple with green onion, but you could also add toasted sesame seeds, sliced fresh chili pepper, roasted cashews or peanuts, cilantro or a jammy soft-boiled egg.
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes
If you you this recipe for spicy ground beef rice bowls, be sure to leave a comment below!
Spicy Ground Beef Rice Bowls
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup jasmine rice, or your favourite variety of rice
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1.5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili paste
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon fish sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ tablespoon avocado oil, or olive oil
- ½ pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup diced yellow onion
- ½ cup diced bell pepper, whatever colour you like
- 2 tablespoons sliced green onion
Instructions
- Cook the rice: Cook the rice according to the package instructions. While that is cooking, you can start to prepare the rest of the recipe.
- Make the sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the water, soy sauce, chili paste, sriracha, honey, ground ginger, sesame oil, fish sauce and garlic. Set aside.
- Cook the ground beef and veggies: Heat avocado oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the ground beef. Cook, breaking the ground beef into small pieces and stirring occasionally, until the ground beef is fully cooked through (the ground beef should no longer be pink and be browned all the way through), about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Combine the ground beef and veggies with the sauce: Add the reserved sauce to the pan and cook, stirring regularly, until it's thickened and mostly reduced, about 2 minutes.
- Assemble: Divide the cooked rice between two bowls and top with the ground beef and veggie mixture.
- Garnish and serve: Garnish each bowl with green onion. Serve and enjoy!
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
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Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Valentina
I love this recipe! Especially with the soft boiled egg on top. Thanks you! Perfection. 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn | Girl Heart Food
Thank you kindly, Valentina!!
Michelle
Ooh so much deliciousness in a bowl! So easy to make and packed with flavor!
Dawn | Girl Heart Food
Definitely! Thank you, Michelle!
David @ Spiced
Oh man – I love ground beef AND I love spicy food. This sounds like a delicious (and easy) meal. Add in a cold beer, and I’m all set for the evening! (Ok, maybe something sweet for dessert, too…you know, to offset the spicy.) Hope you have a great weekend ahead, Dawn!
Dawn | Girl Heart Food
Dessert after this meal sounds perfect. 🙂 Thanks David! Have a great weekend too!