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Thai Beef & Rice Bowls

Thai Beef & Rice Bowls - sweet chili, lime, and Thai Basil beef on top of coconut rice, with fresh veggies and a delicious sweet chili sauce. The combination of these sweet, salty, and creamy Asian flavors come together to make a healthy dinner bowl that is delicious and filling.
This recipe makes 8 servings. You can halve or double it depending on your group size.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 8
Author Plum Street Collective

Ingredients

Coconut Rice

  • 2 cups white rice
  • 2 cans (14 oz. each) coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup water

Chili Lime Mayo Sauce

  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 1/3 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Thai Beef

  • 2 lbs. ground beef
  • 1/4 cup minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons fresh chopped ginger
  • 2 teaspoons Chinese five spice
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
  • juice of 1 lime
  • 1/4 cup green onions, diced (plus more for topping)
  • 1/4 cup Thai basil, diced (plus more for topping)

Topping

  • 2 red bell peppers, diced
  • 2 large cucumbers, diced
  • slivered almonds
  • green onions, chopped (optional)
  • Thai basil, chopped (optional)
  • sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

Coconut Rice

  • To a medium-sized pot, add rice, coconut milk, and water.
  • Heat over high heat until vigorously bubbling. Stir once, then cover and reduce heat to low.
  • Cook on low, covered, for 25-28 minutes until fluffy. Keep lid on while cooking.
  • Once done, fluff with fork, then keep covered and warm until ready to serve.

Chili Lime Mayo Sauce

  • You can make this sauce ahead of time or while the rice is cooking. To a small jar or bowl, add all ingredients and mix well until incorporated.
  • Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Thai Beef

  • In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add ground beef and cook until really well browned. I like it a little crispy!
  • Once browned, add in minced garlic, ginger, and Chinese five spice. Mix well to incorporate the spices throughout the meat.
  • Once mixed, add in the soy sauce, chili sauce, and lime juice. Mix again and cover to simmer for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
  • Remove lid and let mixture reduce down for 4-5 minutes. Then add in the green onions and Thai basil.
  • Mix well and cover to keep warm until ready to serve.

For Serving

  • To assemble bowls, layer each bowl with coconut rice, Thai beef, diced peppers and cucumbers, slivered almonds, and more green onions and Thai basil, and sesame seeds if desired.
  • Top each bowl with lots of the Chili Lime Mayo Sauce. Enjoy!
  • (Note: a couple of my kids love this meal wrapped in a tortilla - maybe your kids will want to give it a try!)