Ground beef doesn't have to be heavy. This bowl uses lean ground beef seasoned with ginger, garlic, and soy, served over rice with crisp roasted cucumber and a sesame drizzle. It's light enough for a summer lunch and filling enough to count as a real meal.
4 Servings
490 Calories
42g Protein
40g Carbs
16g Fat
Ingredients
For the beef:
- 1.5 lbs lean ground beef (90/10)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
For the bowls:
- 2 cups jasmine rice, cooked
- 2 English cucumbers, sliced into half moons and roasted at 400°F for 15 minutes
- 2 green onions, sliced thin
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- Extra sesame oil and soy sauce to taste
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss cucumber slices with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Roast for 15 minutes until slightly softened with golden edges. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook through, breaking it apart as it browns. Drain any excess fat.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and ginger, cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, and red pepper flakes. Toss to coat the beef evenly and let simmer for 2–3 minutes.
- Build your bowls: rice base, seasoned beef, roasted cucumber, green onions, and sesame seeds. Drizzle with a little extra sesame oil before serving.
Meal Prep & Storage
Prepping ahead: Cook the beef and rice up to 4 days in advance. Roast the cucumbers fresh each day - they only take 15 minutes and lose their texture quickly in the fridge.
Storing components: Keep beef and rice in separate airtight containers. The beef actually gets better on day two as the flavors settle in.
How long it keeps: Beef and rice stay fresh up to 4 days in the fridge. Green onions and sesame seeds should be added fresh each time.
Reheating: Reheat beef and rice together in a skillet over medium heat with a small splash of soy sauce to bring it back to life - takes about 3 minutes. Microwave works fine in a pinch, 90 seconds covered.
Batch tip: Double the beef on Sunday. It works just as well in lettuce wraps, over noodles, or stuffed into a baked potato mid-week. One cook, four different meals.