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These colorful Thai Basil Beef and Lemongrass Rice Bowls are full of Thai flavors and made so simply. The beef (or use chicken) is cooked in a sweet Thai basil chili sauce until caramelized around the edges, then added to bowls of lemongrass rice. A fresh, bright, carrot and pepper salad is spooned overtop. The bowl is then finished with flavorful Thai basil, sesame seeds, and peanuts for a balance of spicy, sweet, and savory flavor. Altogether, these bowls are so delicious, plus quick to make.
I’m back at it with another summer bowl recipe, and this one is extra special. This is a recipe I made back in 2014, but I’ve continued to make it on repeat. At this point, it’s such a Gerard family staple, we all love it!
Anytime my brothers are home visiting I end up making this at least once. They love that it’s kind of like take-out, but healthier. And I always make it just spicy enough for their tastes, but with a kick of sweetness too.
Honestly, I mostly love this recipe because it’s so darn easy! If I have all the vegetables prepped, it takes 20 minutes from start to finish.
I make this year-round, but it’s on weekly rotation throughout the summer since we grow so much sweet Thai basil and peppers!
Make the rice
The first thing I make is the rice since it actually takes the longest to cook. For this dish, I love to use lemongrass. Lemongrass is such a star ingredient that’s so underused. When cooked, it has a subtle citrusy, lemony flavor with a little mintiness in there too.
It’s a very light refreshing flavor and I love cooking it into the rice. The lemongrass really complements the basil.
I cook the rice in coconut milk for a creamy, coconut flavor along with lemongrass paste and Thai jasmine rice. Simply let the rice steam while you prepare the beef.
Make the salad and beef
To add color and extra flavor, I made a quick salad with carrots, peppers, and lots of fresh green onions. I kept the dressing simple with a bit of fish sauce, lime, and honey. Then I tossed it all together and let the dressing soak into the veggies, almost like pickling them.
For the beef, I used ground beef, garlic, and ginger cooked together with lots of sweet Thai chili sauce and Thai basil. You can easily use whatever you enjoy here, chicken, pork or even tofu would be great.
If you’re having trouble finding Thai basil, traditional Italian basil works in a pinch!
Since most store-bought sweet Thai chili sauce is full of sugar, I like to make my own chili sauce. I use a mix of honey, chili paste, a touch of ketchup, and then some garlic, ginger, and lime!! It’s really easy to mix up if you’re looking for a healthier sauce option.
Then just put everything together. Load the bowls with rice, beef, lots of salad, roasted peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, and plenty of garden-fresh Thai basil.
These bowls come together so quickly and have so much flavor, which you know we love! And I really appreciate all the color – best kind of recipe!
Looking for other quick weeknight dinners? Here are some favorites:
Chili Crisp Chicken Mango Cucumber Rice Bowl
30 Minute Caramelized Shallot Beef Ramen Noodles
Healthier Homemade One Pot Hamburger Helper
Coconut Popcorn Chicken with Sweet Thai Chili Lime Sauce
30 Minute Sticky Thai Meatballs with Sesame Noodles
Better Than Takeout Sweet Thai Basil Chicken
Spicy Chipotle Honey Salmon Bowls
Lastly, if you make these Thai Basil Beef and Lemongrass Rice Bowls, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
20 Minute Thai Basil Beef and Lemongrass Rice Bowls.
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 494 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 bell pepper, sliced
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce or tamari
- 2 teaspoons honey
Beef
- 1 pound lean ground beef (or chicken or pork)
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- black pepper
- 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 1/3 cup sweet Thai chili sauce (homemade in notes)
- 2 cups Thai or sweet Italian basil, chopped
- sesame seeds and peanuts, for serving
Instructions
- 1. To make the salad. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Toss well and set aside.2. To make the beef. In a large skillet, cook the beef with black pepper over medium heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook another minute. Add the tamari, sweet Thai chili sauce, and 1 cup of fresh basil. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the sauce coats the beef, 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining basil. 3. Divide the rice and beef between bowls. Add the salad to the bowl. Top with peanuts, sesame seeds, and fresh basil. Enjoy!
Lemongrass Rice
- 1. Add 1 can coconut milk and 1/3 water to a medium-sized pot. Bring to a low boil. Add in 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice and 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste. Stir to combine. Place the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook ten minutes on low and then turn the heat off completely. Let the rice sit on the stove, covered, for another 15-20 minutes (don't take any peeks inside!). 2. After 15-20 minutes remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Note that rice can cook differently for everyone, this is just what works for me.
Notes
Homemade Sweet Thai Chili Sauce: Mix 1/3 cup honey, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1-2 tablespoons chili sauce, 2 teaspoons lime zest, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, and 1 clove grated garlic in a glass jar. Shake or stir well. Use as directed.
(had to leave one of these original photos, for memories!!)
See, even my picky littlest brother, Red, was all over this one. Now that is rare.
This recipe was super easy to make and turned out great! I really enjoyed the lemongrass coconut rice. Also, I had never thought of cooking ground beef like this! Game changer!
Hi Haley,
Happy Friday! I am so excited that you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a lot for giving it a go! xT?
I made this dish last night. It was excellent and a huge success with my always hungry 18 years old son. I made it with rice noodles ! Thank you for the inspiration, I will definitely prepare it again. Quickly made, maybe not 20 minutes, but 30 😉
Hey Tanja,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for trying this recipe out, I am so glad it was a hit! Happy Thursday! xx
Can someone please tell me how on earth this took 20 minutes to make. It took 20 minutes to chop the vegetables and assemble the rice. Please. I have a family.
Hi Hanna,
This should take a total of 25 minutes to make:) The rice is a separate recipe if you choose to make that. I hope this makes sense! xTieghan
YUMMM
This dish was SO good! I made a few modifications if anyone wants ideas:
-I used sirloin strips instead of ground beef (sautéed them, then added the sauce for the final few minutes)
-Added a squeeze of sriracha to the carrot slaw & the beef sauce for kick!
-Used store-bought sweet chili sauce (halved the quantity, as I was using coconut aminos which are also sweet)
-Did regular white rice (just added some dried lemongrass to the sauce for the beef instead)
Will definitely be making this again and again!
Hey Keznie,
Amazing! Thanks for making this recipe and sharing what worked well for you, I am so glad it was enjoyed:)
My boyfriend and I were blown away with this recipe! Couldn’t get enough! The flavors are all so good on their own and together. Absolutely delish!
Hey Blake,
This is so great to hear! Thanks for making the recipe and sharing your feedback! xTieghan
Not a hit at my house. Lots of complex flavors which was nice for some but not everyone. The directions for the rice are a bit unclear: what size can? My rice took much longer to cook and needed more water.
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for trying the recipe, so sorry to hear it was not enjoyed. You will want to use a standard 13 ounce can of coconut milk. I do specifically note “Note that rice can cook differently for everyone, this is just what works for me.” Please let me know if there is anyway that I can help! xx
Flavors were good, but the rice needed a lot more liquid to cook through. Using a 13oz can of coconut milk.
Hi Barba,
Thanks for making the recipe and sharing your feedback! As I noted, the rice might cook differently for you:) xTieghan
Made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious!! Thank you!!
Hey Haley,
Fantastic!! So glad you enjoyed this dish, thanks for trying it out! Hope you’re off to a great day! xT
I made this tonight it was delicious. The kids liked it. I added 1/2 the soy sauce and chili sauce to keep it a little more mild and it was great. Thank you for the great recipe. The rice! So good.
Hey Leah,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for trying it out! xx
This is amazing and so flavorful!! The coconut rice is perfect and the salad adds just the right tangy crunch. So easy too!
Hey Liz,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Wednesday!! xT
Hey, Tieghan! Thanks for this amazing recipe. I have yet to make it, though.
I had a question – when you say “1/3 water”, is that 1/3 of the coconut can? Cup?
Thank you!
Hi there,
So sorry for any confusion, you are going to use 1 can of coconut milk and 1/3 cup of water. Please let me know if you have any other questions!! xx
Eating this right now after making it for dinner tonight. It’s delicious! I used store bought sweet chili sauce for convenience, and turned out great. Next time, I’ll try the homemade version.
Hey Neha,
Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for giving it a try! xx
For the lemongrass rice, do you mean 1/3 cup of water, or 1/3 can of water?
Hi Jane,
You are going to use 1 can of coconut milk and 1/3 cup of water. Please let me know if you have any other questions:) xx
+ five more stars!
Thanks again Raymond:)
I made this last night and unfortunately it took me 90 minutes to make from start to finish but it was TOTALLY worth every minute. I made the salad first as per the instructions and I by the time I was done cooking I think I ate half the salad bowl I just couldn’t stop eating it. Then I tasted all the flavors together and I was blown away!
Hey Raymond,
Thanks so much for your feedback and making this recipe!! So glad it was enjoyed:) Sorry it took you longer than expected!! xTieghan
Outstanding simple & flavorful dish. Used chicken vs beef (needed to add a small amount of oil when using chicken) and threw in a bruised lemongrass stalk into rice liquid. The rice came out perfect-follow the “off the heat” instructions, it works. This one will definitely go onto my dinner recipe rotation.
Hey there,
Thanks so much for making the recipe and sharing your feedback! I love to hear that it was enjoyed:)