Packed with amazing flavors, this Thai Beef Bowl is as fun to cook up as it is to eat.
A versatile sunbutter sauce combined with plant-based or the “real deal” ground beef, is served over yellow rice and garnished with pickled onions and cucumbers.
There are lots of plant-based meat options, but just how do they compare? Learn more as we talk about this trend at the end of our post.
This bowl was inspired by a dish from Old Town Junction in Santa Clarita, California. We wanted to duplicate their Impossi-Bowl and also make it allergy-friendly.
When we set our minds on creating a recipe, we’re relentless until our goal is complete. Here’s our version of the Impossi-Bowl.
The sauce, pickled red onions, and cucumber namasu can be made in advance. In fact, the pickled onions and namasu are best made a day before. This makes assembly the day of…a breeze!
mise en place
Don’t let the recipe intimidate you. It’s quite easy. To make this great dish, all you need is the ground meat, sauce, and some rice. But to make the ultimate dish bursting with flavors, be sure to add the pickled red onions and cucumber namasu!
The onions and cucumbers call for slicing. It’s possible to slice by hand, but the slices may be uneven and the job will take longer. We suggest using a mandolin. If you don’t have a mandolin, check out this simple, value conscious mandolin that will save you lots of time.
Pickled Red Onions
- For the pickled red onions, the onions, vinegar, maple syrup, and salt are tossed together. The onions are gently massaged so they absorb the liquid. They are pickled for at least 2 hours, but for best results, overnight.
Cucumber Namasu
- For the cucumber namasu, vinegar, sugar, and ginger are combined until the sugar is dissolved. The cucumber slices are added and marinated in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Sunbutter Sauce
- For the sauce, sunflower seed butter, coconut milk, lime juice, coconut aminos, water, sugar, sriracha, garlic, and ginger are whisked together until smooth. It’s not a bad idea to make extra sauce because there are so many more dishes you can use the sauce for including spring rolls, chicken tacos, pad thai, stir-fries, and our Thai Pasta with Grilled Chicken.
The Rice
There are lots of options. You can cook up some plain brown or white rice, but for a grain free option, make a batch of cauliflower rice. We made yellow rice by sautéing onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and jasmine rice, before adding vegetable broth.
GROUND BEEF OR PLANT-BASED?
When it comes to red meat, quality is crucial. Not knowing the source of your beef can be dangerous. Ground meat may not be from the same cow or even the same slaughter; it could be various meats from various resources, thus increasing the risk of contamination, such as E. coli.
To avoid antibiotics or growth hormones, we suggest buying 100% grass-fed ground beef that’s 10% fat or less. As there’s no USDA standard for grass-fed meat, be aware that meat labeled as “grass-fed” could potentially be from cattle that only spent a short time eating grass.
The plant-based trend continues to grow. With the growing demand for meat alternatives, manufacturers are popping up everywhere, with Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods being the top sellers. These companies aren’t just making food for vegans and vegetarians, they’re coming after meat lovers. Millennials are gobbling down plant-based burgers like they’re going out of style.
Is this meat substitute better than the meat they are imitating? Based on calories and saturated fat, yes. But remember, plant-based meats are processed. We always opt for Beyond Meat, as the Impossible burgers are made from two different methods of genetically engineered soy products.
Check out this informative video from the Today Show about meatless meats.
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Thai Beef Bowl
Yield 4 Servings
Free of: gluten and top 8 allergens.
A one-bowl meal bursting with flavors!
Ingredients
Pickled Red Onions
1 cup red onions, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1-1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1/8 tsp sea salt
Cucumber Namasu
1/2 cup rice vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp minced fresh ginger
1-1/2 cups Japanese or English cucumbers, sliced 1/8-inch thick
Rice
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/4 cup diced yellow onions
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1-1/2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
2-1/4 cups vegetable broth
1 bay leaf, optional
1/4 tsp sea salt
Sauce
1/4 cup creamy sunflower seed butter
1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
1-1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp coconut aminos
1 tbsp water
2 tsp brown sugar, light or dark
1 tsp sriracha
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground ginger
Beef
1 tsp vegetable oil
1-pound ground beef or plant-based ground meat, such as Beyond Meat
Optional Garnishes
Sprouts
Thai basil
Toasted sunflower seeds
Watermelon radishes, thinly sliced
Jalapeno or Serrano peppers, thinly sliced
Instructions
- For the pickled red onions, in a small bowl, add the sliced onions, vinegar, maple syrup, and salt. Toss together well and gently massage the onions so they absorb the liquid. Allow them to pickle in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but for best results, overnight.
- For the namasu, in a small bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, and ginger and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the cucumber slices and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- For the rice, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and ginger and cook for another minute. Add rice and turmeric and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally to toast rice and turmeric. Add broth, bay leaf, and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10 minutes (or according to package directions for rice you are using). Remove from heat, fluff with a fork.
- For the sauce, in a medium bowl add the sunflower seed butter, coconut milk, lime juice, coconut aminos, water, sugar, sriracha, garlic, and ginger. Whisk until smooth. The sauce can be made a day ahead. The yield is about 3/4 cup.
- Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp oil, which will prevent the ground beef from sticking and scorching the pan. Add the meat and break into large pieces. Let the meat brown for 4-5 minutes, only occasionally stirring. Break the ground beef into smaller pieces with your spatula. Try not to stir the beef too much; just occasionally until all of the beef is browned. Break open a few of the larger crumbles to make sure that it has browned all the way through. Drain off excess oil.
- Add 1/2 cup of the sauce and stir until heated through. Taste and decide if you need the remaining sauce.
- To assemble, place about a cup of rice in each bowl. Divide the beef among the bowls. Top each with about 8-9 cucumber slices and a small handful of pickled onions. Add additional optional garnishes, as desired. Enjoy!
Courses Mains