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You need dinner on the table quick and my Beef & Pepper Rice Bowl recipe comes together in just 30 minutes. Made with a quick soy-garlic sauce to amp up the flavor. Perfect for weeknight dinners!
This recipe is part of our Weeknight Rescue series, where we share easy, comfort food favorites that are ready in about 30 minutes with minimal prep and no stress! Don’t miss a Weeknight Rescue recipe – join here.
Will be making this one for the rest of time.
You know those days when you just want something warm, filling, and fast for dinner but also not boring? Hi, please meet one of my new go-to dinners: Beef & Pepper Rice Bowls – with a little saucy-sauce situation that is beyond easy while still adding bold flavor.
This is a weeknight rescue recipe with good reason – ingredients you probably have on hand, big flavors because we’re not skimping but still minimal work, protein + veg because we’re all adults here, and a little carby rice situation because yum.
It’s cozy, craveable, and totally weeknight-friendly. And it’s ready in 30 minutes!
This is the kind of meal that feels like takeout, but you’re not waiting 45 minutes for it to show up lukewarm in a paper bag. Win.
♥ 3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe
Dinner in 30 minutes. While the rice cooks you can prep the rest of the recipe, so it all comes together quickly and easily! Even easier if you cheat and use a pouch of microwave rice. 😉
Simple ingredients, big flavor. It doesn’t get much simpler than bell peppers, beef, and rice. Plus a quick pantry sauce brings it all together.
Total comfort food. All that rice and savory beef with veggies is sure to fill you up.
Swaps & Tips
Rice: We did a classic stove top rice, but you’ve got options! Our Instant Pot jasmine rice is super simple or grab a box of Minute Rice or one of those microwavable pouches. Going low carb? Kinda obsessed with this roasted cauliflower rice – the roasty bits are magic.
Spice level: We like ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a little heat. It’s not spicy, but you can reduce for kiddos or spice-sensitive folks.
Sauce: Soy sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar are always on hand in my house and they make a delicious sauce. Want to mix it up? Try a sweeter teriyaki sauce, some Korean BBQ Sauce, or Japanese BBQ sauce instead!
Veggies: We used peppers and onions, but feel free to toss in a bag of stir-fry veggies from the produce section to bulk it up.
How To:
Add the beef to a large skillet and start to break it up as it browns.
Once you’ve got the beef broken up, toss in the veggies and red pepper flakes.
Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar to make the sauce.
Continue cooking until the veggies are as soft as you’d like and then dish it up over rice.
Serving Suggestions:
These bowls are hearty and filling on their own but here are some options for serving alongside:
- Add a side of steamed broccoli or roasted green beans to sneak in some extra veg.
- Top it with a fried egg and a drizzle of sriracha – extra protein!
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds or chopped scallions for a little crunch and color.
- Make it a fakeout takeout night with some Air Fryer Egg Rolls!
- And for a super refreshing side our Asian Cucumber Salad pairs perfectly with the savory beef. Highly recommend – am personally obsessed with this salad.
Storage:
Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Freeze the beef and pepper mixture (skip the rice) for up to 2 months.
Reheat: Microwave or heat in a skillet. Add a splash of soy sauce or a dash of vinegar to wake things up.
MORE ASIAN INSPIRED RECIPES!
- Thai Peanut Noodles
- Instant Pot Lo Mein
- Szechuan Green Beans
- Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken
- Asian Brussels Sprouts
- Pork Stir Fry
Beef & Pepper Rice Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 small yellow onion
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes more or less taste
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
Instructions
- Add the rice to a pot along with 3 cups of water or broth and butter. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and cover the pot with a tight fitting lid. Let cook for 15 minutes and then turn off the heat without removing the lid. Let sit for 10 minutes undisturbed.
- While the rice is cooking, add the beef to a large skillet over medium heat and let brown a bit before beginning to break it up.
- While the beef is browning, dice the onion and peppers and mince the garlic.
- Once the beef is partially browned and you’ve broken it up into small crumbles, add the onion, peppers, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
- Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
- Drain any excess grease from the pan.
- Add the soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and garlic powder to the pan and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes or until the peppers are as soft as you’d like.
- Uncover the rice and fluff with a fork. Divide into 4 bowls and top with the beef mixture.
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