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:
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Japanese Pork and Green Bean Stir Fry <<– On my mother’s website, RecipeTin Japan
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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…
Life of Dozer
Project Manager Dozer, reporting for duty!!!
Yummmm! You have managed to capture all of my favorite ingredients (I’ve been obsessed with the subtle flavor shaoxing wine adds to meat lately)! This was a big hit for me and it will definitely be going into my rotation as an easy meal when I get home from a long day.
The only additions I made was to add a sunny-side up egg and I could not resist a dollop of lao gan ma chili crisp to top it off. What can I say, it’s great on anything!.
Now you are making ME hungry!! That sounds delicious! N x
My 2 and 4 year olds ate it so that is a win for me! Thank you.
Love this recipe! Have shared it with everyone – super simple, super tasty and pairs SO WELL with the asian slaw! Best thing to come out of 2021 I think (me discovering this recipe)!
Delicious Nagi! So quick and easy, this one will be added to our meal rotation. I love finding new ways to use mince!
You’ve gotta love GROUND BEEF!! 😂 N x
So delicious and easy!
Excellent as is, and stands up well to tweaking. I’ve added diced veg and increased the sauce, and made a variation adding sliced shiso leaves – amazing!
My mum has a shiso plant that I borrow from often – so yummy! N x
How lovely!
A co-worker brought some in and I recognised the scent – my husband once made shiso ice cream which was fabulous!
Super easy, will be making it again.
Easy and delicious! Added some lonely broccoli from the fridge.
Highly recommend!
Easy and delicious! Added some lonely broccoli from the fridge.
Highly recommend!
Just had this tonight. It has been fast tracked into our FAVS folder! Added some riced broccoli, cauliflower and sweet potato for a veggie addition. Also used your “How to cook rice (stovetop)” recipe. Bloody amazing!!
Made this for the second time tonight. My teen daughter loves it (as does my partner). I add shredded carrot and a bag of shelled edamame. Very quick and tasty! On rotation for a quick mid week meal (and leftovers for my daughter’s lunch).
I made this for the first time a few weeks ago (and several times since!). This is by far my partner’s favourite recipe of yours (even though I tried to take some of the credit!!). Thank you so much Nagi! Ps I introduced your website to my sister and Mum and now we have a separate chat group where we share our favourite recipes called, ‘We love RecipeTin!’
Easy and flavoursome recipe. Definitely ‘another’ keeper. Paired it with your baked fried rice. Thanks again Nagi and Dover
Thanks! N x
This was a lifesaver last night, I had just the right ingredients and no other food in my kitchen (lazy shopping week). It tasted great (kinda sweet and caramelised) and it’s becoming a household staple. I paired it with the smashed cucumbers and it worked really well!
Delicious! As a lazy dinner option on a warm evening I added the mixture into lettuce cups. 7yr and 4yr old demolished.
Yum! Easy and tasty
I followed the recipe to the letter and thought the dish was a bit bland. It needs pepping up – maybe a touch of ginger and some chilli. Next time I’ll know.
Cooked this one time and time again. Super easy and delicious – thank you!
This is fabulous (I’m eating it now and had to stop and say how good it is!). Because I’m supremely lazy I tossed in shredded carrots, chopped broccoli, and water chestnuts and made it a complete meal in a bowl over rice.
Delicious. What a great budget friendly meal that all the family loved. I catered for each with side veg. Saved as a favourite
Thanks Nagi for a massive family favourite, everyone loves it! I add finely diced zucchini to increase the veg and chopped water chestnuts for crunch. YUM!!
This was amazing, my kids 11,13 and 14 loved it and asked if they can take it to school for lunch. I was generous with the sauces didn’t quite stick to recipe lol, i also added shredded cabbage and grated carrot and it was so so good. Thank you for giving me something yummo to make with boring old mince!