This Teriyaki Beef Bowl is the kind of dinner you make once and immediately add to your weekly rotation. Rich, savory ground beef coated in a homemade teriyaki sauce, over fluffy rice, and fresh sauteéd vegetables, all done in 20 minutes.
As a recipe creator, healthy bowl recipes are my specialty. I test and refine every dish until the flavors are on point, the steps are simple, and the ingredients are accesible, creating nourishing, weeknight-friendly meals that fit real life and are worth making again and again.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Recipe Difficulty: Easy
- Cooking Method: Stovetop
- Main Ingredients: Ground beef, rice, broccoli, tamari, honey
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, dairy-free
- Serves: 4
- Calories: 460 per serving
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Featured Review
Such a healthy & actually delicious bowl.
- jake
This teriyaki beef and rice bowl is my go-to fast dinner, packed with flavor, and finished with a homemade, refined suagr free teriyaki sauce that takes 2 minutes to make and tastes far better than store-bought!
For more teriyaki bowls, try my Teriyaki Chicken Poke Bowls or Teriyaki Chicken Pineapple Bowls.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick and Easy Dinner: Ready in just 20 minutes.
- One-Pan Simplicity: Beef and vegetables cook together in one skillet for easy cooking and minimal cleanup.
- Meal-Prep Friendly: Makes great leftovers that reheat well.
- Wholesome Sauce: Made from whole foods like fresh garlic, ginger, and natural sweeteners, no processed sugary sauces.
- Fully Customizable: Swap the beef for proteins like my boneless grilled chicken thigh recipe, add toppings you love, or crank up the heat with sriracha.
Key Ingredients
- Lean Ground Beef: I use 90/10 lean ground beef to minimize excess grease while maintaining rich flavor. The beef absorbs the teriyaki sauce beautifully.
- Tamari: Tamari is naturally gluten-free and has a smoother, less salty taste than regular soy sauce.
- Fresh Ginger and Garlic: These aromatics are a must for authentic teriyaki flavor. Pre-minced versions work, but fresh adds more flavor & depth.
- Honey: Balances the salty tamari with natural sweetness and helps the sauce caramelize on the beef.
- Sesame Oil: Adds a nutty, toasted flavor that makes the sauce taste complex.
- Broccoli Florets: Cut into small, bite-sized pieces so they cook quickly and evenly in the skillet alongside the beef.
Substitutions & Variations
- Protein: Swap ground beef for ground turkey or chicken.
- Sweetener: Use honey, maple syrup, or agave.
- Grains: Replace white rice with brown rice, quinoa, or rice noodles.
- Sauce: Replace tamari, regular soy sauce (if you're not sensitive to gluten), or coconut aminos.
- Flavor Boosts: Add sriracha, gochujang, kimchi, or pineapple for flavor pops.
- Vegan: Swap the ground beef for crumbled tofu, tempeh, or plant-based meat. Use coconut aminos instead of tamari/soy, and sweeten with maple syrup or agave.
- Low-Carb: Serve over cauliflower rice or spiralized zucchini noodles instead of traditional grains.
How To Make Teriyaki Beef Bowl
- Step 1: Start with your rice first. Rinse 2 cups of white rice until the water runs clear. Combine with 4 cups of water, bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, chop 2 cups broccoli florets, dice 1 red bell pepper, slice ½ cup green onions, and grate 1 cup carrots.
- Step 2: Whisk together ¼ cup tamari, 2 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and 2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger until smooth. Set aside.
- Step 3: In a large cast iron or stainless steel skillet or wok over medium-high heat, press it into a flat layer and leave it untouched for 3-4 minutes to brown it , then break it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed. Pour in the teriyaki sauce and cook 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Turn off the heat and add the broccoli, carrots, red bell pepper, edamame, & garlic.
- Step 4: Fluff the cooked rice and divide among 4 bowls. Top with the teriyaki beef and vegetable mixture, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired, and serve hot.
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Expert Tips
- The No-Stir Interval for Maximum Browning: Once the beef hits the hot skillet, press it into a flat layer and leave it untouched for 3-4 minutes. Constant stirring lowers the pan temperature and causes steaming instead of browning. Letting it sit develops deep caramelization and rich umami flavor. This extracts maximum flavor without bitterness.
- Use Residual Heat for Crisp Vegetables: To keep vegetables tender-crisp, cook them briefly and avoid overcooking. I turn off the heat before fully combining everything the residual heat will warm them through without making them soggy.
- Revive Rice with Steam: When reheating, place an ice cube in the center of the rice and cover the bowl. The gentle steam rehydrates the grains and brings back their fluffy texture.
- Choose the Right Pan: A heavy cast iron or carbon steel skillet holds heat better than thin non-stick pans, helping the beef sear properly instead of releasing excess moisture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ground beef is my go-to for quick teriyaki beef bowls, but you can also use thinly sliced flank steak, sirloin, ground turkey, ground chicken, or even shrimp. The key is choosing a protein that cooks quickly and absorbs the teriyaki sauce well.
Absolutely! The sweet and savory flavors of teriyaki sauce complement beef perfectly. The salty tamari, sweet honey, and aromatic ginger-garlic combination enhance beef's rich, umami flavor without overpowering it.
Yes, teriyaki beef bowls are excellent for meal prep. Store the beef mixture and rice separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through.
The secret is balancing four key elements: salty (tamari or soy sauce), sweet (honey), umami (fresh garlic), and aromatic (fresh ginger). Using fresh aromatics instead of powdered versions and adding sesame oil for nuttiness creates restaurant-quality depth of flavor.
More Healthy Bowl Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Teriyaki Beef Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Lean Ground Beef
- 2 Cups Rice
- 2 Cups Broccoli
- 1 Cup Shredded Carrots
- 1 Red Bell Pepper
- 1 Cup Edamame
- ½ Tablespoon Garlic minced
Easy Teriyaki Sauce
- ¼ Cup Tamari or Soy Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 1 Teaspoon Sesame Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic minced
- 2 Teaspoons Ginger minced
Instructions
- Start with your rice first. Rinse 2 cups of white rice until the water runs clear. Combine with 4 cups of water, bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, chop 2 cups broccoli florets, dice 1 red bell pepper, slice ½ cup green onions, and grate 1 cup carrots.
- Whisk together ¼ cup tamari, 2 tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and 2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large cast iron or stailess steel skillet or wok over medium-high heat, press it into a flat layer and leave it untouched for 3-4 minutes to brown it , then break it up as it cooks. Drain excess grease if needed. Pour in the teriyaki sauce and cook 3-5 minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy. Turn off the heat and add the broccoli, carrots, red bell pepper, edamame, & garlic.
- Fluff the cooked rice and divide among 4 bowls. Top with the teriyaki beef and vegetable mixture, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired, and serve hot.
Notes
- The No-Stir Interval for Maximum Browning: Once the beef hits the hot skillet, press it into a flat layer and leave it untouched for 3-4 minutes. Constant stirring lowers the pan temperature and causes steaming instead of browning. Letting it sit develops deep caramelization and rich umami flavor. This extracts maximum flavor without bitterness.
- Use Residual Heat for Crisp Vegetables: To keep vegetables tender-crisp, cook them briefly and avoid overcooking. I turn off the heat before fully combining everything the residual heat will warm them through without making them soggy.
- Revive Rice with Steam: When reheating, place an ice cube in the center of the rice and cover the bowl. The gentle steam rehydrates the grains and brings back their fluffy texture.
- Choose the Right Pan: A heavy cast iron or carbon steel skillet holds heat better than thin non-stick pans, helping the beef sear properly instead of releasing excess moisture.
Nutrition
Save This Recipe!
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Jake says
Such a healthy & actually delicious bowl.