Perfect for meal prep, these teriyaki beef bowls are super easy to throw together thanks to quick-cooking ground beef and store-bought teriyaki sauce. They're assembled in just 20 minutes, making them great for busy weeknights or to have on hand for easy lunches throughout the week.
When I have a little extra time, I like to make teriyaki sauce from scratch, like in this teriyaki turkey rice bowl recipe. But with three kids in sports every night, those moments are rare!
That’s why these beef bowls have quickly become a new family favorite! I can easily make them for dinner in between school and sports, or prep them in advance for a quick and healthy lunch for myself.
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Fast Facts
- Skill level: Beginner! This is a no-fuss recipe designed to get dinner (or lunch) on the table as soon as possible with very little effort. That’s why I don’t bother making the teriyaki sauce from scratch! (More quick and easy meal ideas found here: 25 Last Minute Dinners.)
- Cook time: It'll take about 5 minutes to gather your ingredients and chop your broccoli, and then the hands-on cooking time only takes 15 minutes.
- Flavor: Teriyaki sauce is our main flavor-maker here, providing the bowls with salty, umami-rich flavors and a touch of sweetness.
- Ways to save (even more) time: Swap the dry rice for heat-and-eat rice cups and purchase a bag of pre-chopped broccoli florets instead of heads of broccoli.
- How to make it your own: Sub the broccoli with cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, or edamame. Use ground turkey instead of beef and brown rice in place of white rice.
Ingredients needed
- Basmati rice - I like to use white basmati rice because it cooks quickly, has a mild flavor, and doesn’t clump together. However, feel free to use brown rice, short-grain white rice, or my garlic basmati rice recipe.
- Broccoli - Fresh, bite-sized broccoli florets are best. Frozen broccoli is an option, too!
- Ground beef - I prefer 80/20 ground beef because fat provides meat with flavor and moisture.
- Teriyaki sauce - My go-to brand of teriyaki sauce is Kinder’s Teriyaki Sauce and Glaze. It has a mild flavor and isn’t overly salty, making it easy to customize with extra herbs and spices!
- Seasonings - I like to jazz up the sauce and season the beef with ground ginger, garlic powder, and sesame oil.
- Optional garnishes include chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and a light drizzle of low-sodium soy sauce.
*See the recipe card below for a detailed list of ingredients and measurements.
Recipe Instructions with Photos
Quick Rundown
- Cook the rice.
- Steam the broccoli.
- Cook the ground beef and stir in the teriyaki sauce and seasonings.
- Assemble the beef teriyaki bowls, serve, and enjoy!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook your rice according to package instructions. The rice will take the longest to cook, so it's best to get that going first. Thankfully, basmati rice only takes about 15 minutes to cook.
Step 2: Place your broccoli in a steamer basket and cook until tender-crisp and bright green.
Step 3: Drizzle a tablespoon of oil into a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook until no pink remains. Once cooked through, stir in the ground ginger, garlic powder, black pepper, and teriyaki sauce.
Step 4: Assemble your teriyaki beef bowls and garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Feel free to stir in soy sauce and extra teriyaki sauce to taste.
Tips for Success
- Taste-test your teriyaki sauce if you’re trying a new (to you) brand. The teriyaki sauce will make or break this recipe. You don’t want to end up using something you don’t like because it’s too sweet or too salty. I love Kinder's Teriyaki sauce!
- Drain the fat from the pan after cooking the ground beef. You don’t want your beef to taste too greasy.
- Don’t overcook your broccoli. Mushy, bland broccoli is the worst! Cook it until it’s tender-crisp and bright green.
Can I use a different cut of beef?
I prefer to use ground beef for beef teriyaki recipes because it's inexpensive, readily available, and quick-cooking. The fact that it doesn't need to be marinated in advance is a nice bonus, too! However, sirloin, NY strip, flank, or skirt steak are also good options.
Other Recipes to Consider
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Teriyaki Ground Beef Bowls (20 Minute Recipe!)
Perfect for meal prep, these teriyaki beef bowls are not only easy to throw together, they taste great, too! Thanks to quick-cooking ground beef and store-bought teriyaki sauce, they can be assembled in just 30 minutes, making them perfect for busy weeknights or to have on hand for easy lunches throughout the week.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 servings 1x
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Stove top cooking
- Cuisine: Asian-American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
- 2 medium heads broccoli
- 1 cup white basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon neutral-tasting cooking oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ cup teriyaki sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- Optional: green onions, sesame seeds
Instructions
- Chop the heads of broccoli into bite-sized florets.
- Cook the basmati rice on the stove according to package instructions. The rice takes the longest to cook, so it's best to get that going first. It will take about 15 minutes. Once cooked, fluff lightly with a fork and set it aside.
- While the rice is cooking, place your broccoli in a steamer basket and cook until tender-crisp and bright green. Remove the cooked broccoli from the heat and set it aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of neutral-tasting cooking oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once warm, add the ground beef and cook until no pink remains.
- Once the beef is cooked, drain any excess fat from the pan and remove it from the heat. Stir in the ground ginger, garlic powder, black pepper, teriyaki sauce, and sesame oil.
- Assemble your teriyaki beef bowls using the cooked white rice, steamed broccoli, and teriyaki beef. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Taste-test your teriyaki sauce if you’re trying a new (to you) brand. The flavor of your teriyaki sauce will make or break this recipe. You don’t want to end up using something you don’t like because it’s too sweet or too salty. I love Kinder's Teriyaki sauce!
- The nutrition information shown below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional medical advice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ of recipe
- Calories: 405
- Sugar: 4.2 g
- Sodium: 427.3 mg
- Fat: 9.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 46.4 g
- Fiber: 3.1 g
- Protein: 31.9 g
- Cholesterol: 67.8 mg
Katie says
This recipe is packed with flavor and so simple to make! It has a permanent spot on my dinner menu!