Say goodbye to boring beef mince recipes….. these Asian Beef Bowls are super tasty, super easy and SUPER fast! Made with just a handful of staple Asian condiments, the ground beef can be switched with chicken, pork or even turkey.
Also, don’t miss the popular noodle version of this recipe – Asian Beef Ramen Noodles!
Super quick beef mince recipe!
This one is for all those nights when you peer into your fridge, find a packet of beef mince and are completely uninspired to make Spag Bol – yet again.
This is also one for all those nights when you’ve been baking, filming and photographing recipes all day, and you swear you don’t have the energy to make anything for dinner but your mother brain washed you so well, you feel guilty for even thinking about picking up the phone to order home delivery.
Oh wait. Is that just me? 😂
This is not a traditional Chinese or other Asian recipe, hence the obscure name “Asian Beef Bowls”.
However, if you have ever made a Chinese stir fry – or in fact, any Chinese recipe – you will likely instantly recognise all the ingredients in the sauce. No Western ingredients. This is made with 100% authentic Asian ingredients. And when you take the first bite, it will be so familiar to you.
Because the sauce is so similar to many stir fries, yet an exact replica of none!
Here’s what you need
And here’s how easy it is to make:
What to serve on the side
Serve this over rice or, for a healthy low carb option, Cauliflower Rice (77% fewer calories and 87% less carbs than rice).
For a side salad, here are a few suggestions.
Side Salads to accompany this dish
I love this recipe because it’s made with beef mince (ground beef) i.e. no meat slicing. Asian recipes made with beef mince aren’t that common, but there are a handful of terrific ones and they are worth knowing for the convenience of being able to make a quick meal when you’ve got a packet of mince on hand. Here’s a handful of my favourites:
Japanese Pork and Green Bean Stir Fry <<– On my mother’s website, RecipeTin Japan
Larb Gai (Thai Lettuce Wraps) and San Choy Bau (Chinese Lettuce Wraps)
Unlike most stir fries, this one doesn’t come with a ton of sauce. But it’s juicy and the beef has a ton of flavour in it so when it’s all mixed up with the rice, you certainly won’t feel like you’re missing sauce. Promise! ~ Nagi x ❤️
Watch how to make it
“Wow! Can’t believe something that was so quick to do was also so tasty.”
– Jacqui, January 2019
“This would have to be the tastiest easiest mince dish I have ever cooked in 15 minutes.”
– Wendy, 10 May 2017
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Asian Beef Bowls
Ingredients
Sauce:
- 1 tbsp Hoisin Sauce (or sub with Oyster)
- 2 tbsp Oyster Sauce (or sub with 1 1/2 tbsp Hoisin)
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (or Mirin, dry sherry, sake or any rice wine) (Note 1)
- 2 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce (Note 2)
- 2 tsp white sugar
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp white pepper (or sub with black)
Stir Fry:
- 1 tbsp oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 500 g /1 lb beef mince (ground beef) (lean is good)
- 1/2 cup shallots / scallions , sliced, plus more for garnish
Garnishes:
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
- Mix Sauce together in a bowl
- Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and onion, cook for 1 minute or until onion starts browning.
- Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go.
- Once the beef has all changed from red to brown, add Sauce. Cook for a further 2 minutes, or until Sauce has evaporated and beef is cooked. If you want the beef cooked more, add a splash of water and keep cooking (I don’t do this).
- Stir through shallots, then serve over rice, garnished with more shallots and sesame seeds, if desired. Or for a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published May 2017, updated with new video, new photos, step photos, refreshed writing, and latest and greatest in Life of Dozer!
More quick 15 minute Asian meals
- Quick Asian Beef RAMEN Noodles and Chicken Vegetable Ramen Noodles – 15 minutes, made in one pot
- Chinese Chicken and Corn Soup with Egg Ribbons – so simple, this will blow your mind…
- Pork Stir Fry with Green Beans – flavour packed!
- Egg Fried Rice – it all comes down to the sauce…
- See 15 Minute Recipes
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Amazing! This was fantastic, everyone loved it. If you have leftovers use it to make the best toasted cheese jaffles I have ever tasted.
Reading through the comments and was intrigued by a “cheesy jaffle”, ive never heard of it, but love the sound of the name, can i ask what it is?
So a instead of a flat sandwich press you can get in Australia a jaffel iron which is rounded and seals the filling inside the bread. So we made jaffles with the leftover filling and cheddar cheese, surprisingly good!
Definitely a staple at our home. So easy and delicious and can add whatever vegetables you want!
I have cooked this recipe so many times I can’t even count. It is so fast and delicious!
I made this last night but added a couple of chillies (we add chillies to nearly everything) and because I wanted some veges, added asparagus and broccoli. Absolutely delicious, and so quick.
forgot to rate it when I commented. Definitely a 5
So yummy!
Thank you!
Such a fantastic break from the normal routine with mince beef (Ya know, tacos, nachos, spag bowl, repeat). The sauce alone is perfect for any meat dish you wish to make asian. I’m keeping the ingredients for this standard in my pantry now, it’s become a family fav!!! And so easy to change with changing the rice to noodles (Soba, Udon, 2 Min, pasta!) and added veggies makes it all feel different. Thank you for such a wizz bang recipe!
To be completely honest, I wasn’t expecting anything huge back from my family (especially THE fussiest youngest) Because you know… mince. BUT!! They absolutely inhaled it- silence at the dinner table because they were all too busy scoffing! Thank you x a million Nagi ❤️ I love your recipes and can always count on them to save the day (mum of 3, shift-working nurse, as well as full time taxi, chef, event planner, cleaner etc etc …), but this beauty is amazing, If I could rate it higher than 5, I would! 10 out of 5. Pantry ingredients, and show me someone who doesn’t have mince lurking in their freezer somewhere? Dinner without any drama. Please don’t ever stop doing what you do- so many of us would be lost without you!
You know I’ve made this a squillion times especially on nights when I’m not feeling creative and when there’s just mince in the fridge. No, I don’t feel like spag bol so this has been my absolute go-to recipe.
It’s the combination of the sauces that really packs a punch. It’s so simplistic but gosh, has the WOW factor.
This is an absolute Ripper Rita!
Hi Nagi, Lovely dish again. It takes 2 or 3 times to get it really right (even though its not that hard) but then it is a very tasteful and easy dish.
I follow quite a few ‘well known’ cooks but you stand out by far – Big fan X
Hey Nagi I just cooked this recipe and it is delicious!! So quick and easy to make too! Thank you 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Angelica!! N x
Was so easy to make and so so delicious!
Super tasty. Easy to make. I made this with 5 pounds of ground venison and delivered it to older people that are staying home during COVID. I’ll be making it again!
Hi Nagi
I love this recipe! Super simple to make. I go a little crazy with veggies (gotta use up that zucchini!) So I double the sauce amount and turns out great! Thanks for the great recipes!
Hi Nagi
I made this recipe today for dinner…..quickest one I’ve done yet..sauce was quick, minced onion n garlic n scissored green onion..sauteed onion n garlic 2 min on med high..put in ground beef n cook 2 min or so til it was no longer pink. .toss in some of the green onion n the sauce ..stirred around for a minute n dump it over rice!! I scaled it down to a single serving again as it’s just me and there was no issue..Love that your recipes allow that…and show the exact amounts needed for one! Many thanks for a great new meal! DELICIOUS!!
An awesome and quick recipe. Loved it.
Next time I wont add sugar (it was very sweet) and add some chili powder for a lil spice 🙂
This is such a great I don’t want to cook cook recipe lol 😂 easy and so tasty over rice. Thanks again Nagi !!
Hi Nagi,
This has become a family favourite and I make it every time we are in the mood for some Asian cuisine.
Once I served it with mashed potatoes (we were out of rice and noodles) and it was really delicious.
Hi Naji!
This was delicious and simple. But the mistake I made was not using a leaner ground beef. It was so good though! Also I didn’t need a splash of water in it. And I spooned it over white rice with plenty of green onion and sesame seeds. Thanks again for a great recipe for a working wife. But my husband helps me too though : )
Hi Nagi,
We had this today (I had made it previously)and when I told my kids that I was planning on making this they cheered! Hubby loves it too. Thanks for your lovely recipes. I always find something great to cook. Wonderful collection of recipes, thank you!
Made this for dinner last night. Tasty, tasty, tasty. Added to our food repertoire.