These healthy sweet chili ground beef bowls feature a rice or quinoa base topped with a sweet and spicy beef and vegetable mixture. They are gluten-free, dairy-free, and flavour-packed!
These Sweet Chili Beef Bowls are the perfect healthy, easy, and flavorful weeknight dinner, made start to finish in 30 minutes! Juicy ground beef and veggies are sautéed in a sumptuous sweet chili sauce, plated on a bed of fluffy rice or quinoa, and sprinkled with chilis and scallions for the perfect rice bowl.
This dish packs so much flavor with simple pantry ingredients—it's crazy! The sauce is made from a soy or tamari base with chili garlic sauce, coconut sugar, ginger, and a little cornstarch for texture. You can totally sub any ground protein you have like ground chicken, ground turkey, or even a plant-based mock meat.
Enjoy this recipe as an easy family dinner or the perfect meal prep. You're going to love it!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Asian-inspired flavors made with simple ingredients.
- Easily customizable. Use any ground meat and any veggies.
- It's a high protein meal.
- Made in 30 minutes! A winner for weeknight dinner.
- Allergy friendly. This recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here is everything you'll need to make these sweet chili beef bowls:
- White rice or quinoa: Choose your base and cook it according to package instructions. I generally follow a 2:1 ratio water to grain. Adding the meat to butter lettuce cups would also be a great low carb option.
- Sesame oil: Omit if you don't have it, but it just adds a little extra flavor to the beef.
- Lean ground beef: Ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground mock meat will work too.
- Red bell peppers & cremini mushrooms: Add any other veggies you want to stir fry like bok choy, red onions, green beans.
- Garlic
- Soy sauce or tamari: Ensure this is gluten-free if that is a concern for you.
- Sambal olek or chili garlic sauce or simply chili paste.
- Coconut sugar or brown sugar
- Cornstarch or tapioca starch or potato starch or flour
- Dried ginger, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper: You can use grated fresh ginger too if you have it.
- Green onions
- Red chili pepper
- Sesame seeds
Step-by-Step Instructions
Be sure to read the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and instructions.
(1) Cook rice or quinoa according to package instructions.
(2) Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 teaspoon of sesame oil to brown the ground beef.
When the beef is nearly cooked through, add the chopped peppers and mushrooms to the skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
(3) Pour the sauce into the skillet, stirring to heat and thicken the mixture. Cook for about 2 minutes.
(4) Plate the rice or quinoa topped with the sweet chili beef mixture. Garnish with sliced red chilis, scallions, and sesame seeds!
How to Eat Sweet Chili Beef
This seasoned sweet and spicy beef is so delicious! You can eat it any way you like. Here are some of my favorites:
- On a bed of white sticky rice.
- On a bed of quinoa for extra protein.
- In lettuce cups! Bibb or butter lettuce is the best for this.
- On a regular salad.
- With some homemade fresh summer rolls.
Storage
Cool rice and beef completely. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Expert Tips
Here are some of my top tips and tricks for delicious beef bowls:
- Put the rice or quinoa pot on first so it can cook while you make the rest. Everything should be done in about 20 minutes.
- Combine the sauce ingredients before cooking so it comes together quick.
- Pre-chop all veggies and garnishes for easy assembly.
- Let the sauce-coated beef cook for a few minutes not only to heat the sauce but the heat will activate the cornstarch and thicken.
- Add garnishes for fun flavor and crunch.
- Store the cooled rice and meat together for an easy meal prep!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Ensure you use a gluten free soy sauce or tamari sauce and this recipe is gluten free.
Of course! This sweet and spicy beef is delicious over brown rice, quinoa, rice noodles, soba noodles, lettuce cups, or salad.
These sweet chili beef bowls are the perfect 30-minute meal for quick weeknight dinners! Simple ground beef is coated in a sweet and spicy sauce made from pantry staples then plated on rice, quinoa, or lettuce and topped with crunchy chilis and scallions. You'll add this one to your weekly menu for sure!
Have you made these sweet chilli beef bowls? I'd very much appreciate it if you leave a 5 star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and review below, and tag me on instagram @fromoliviaskitchen!
More Gluten Free Dinners
- Mexican Elote Pasta Salad (High Protein)
- High Protein Greek Pasta Salad
- How to Add Protein to Boxed Mac and Cheese
- High Protein Cottage Cheese Vodka Sauce
Recipe
Sweet Chili Ground Beef Bowls
Ingredients
- 1½ cups white rice or quinoa dry measurement
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 lb lean ground beef 454g
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 230g package cremini mushrooms diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
- 3 tablespoon sambal olek or chili garlic sauce
- 3 tablespoon coconut sugar or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon dried ginger
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Garnishes
- 1 bunch green onions sliced
- 1 red chili pepper sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
- Cook rice or quinoa according to package instructions.
- Whisk the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add 2 teaspoon of sesame oil to brown the ground beef.
- When the beef is nearly cooked through, add the chopped peppers and mushrooms to the skillet. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet, stirring to heat and thicken the mixture. Cook for about 2 minutes.
- Plate the rice or quinoa topped with the sweet chili beef mixture. Garnish with sliced red chilis, scallions, and sesame seeds!
Notes
- You can use any base you want for these beef bowls. White rice, quinoa, brown rice, lettuce, rice noodles, etc.
- Use gluten free soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos if required.
- Storage: Cool rice and beef completely. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
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