Next Post
Warm Chocolate Banana Galette.
This post may contain affiliate links, please see our privacy policy for details.
My go-to, 30 Minute Vietnamese Beef and Crispy Rice Bowl. Peppery, spicy, sweet, and tangy, this Vietnamese inspired stir fried beef has crispy rice, veggies, and plenty of fresh herbs. It’s colorful, super quick, and addictingly delicious. The best part? It’s all made in just one skillet and comes together in about 30 minutes. A great fresh and flavorful dinner for any night of the week.
If there was a dinner that my family could eat week after week, it’s this Vietnamese beef bowl. Most of my brothers are the very stereotypical guy’s guy when it comes to eating. They love their chicken and steak, and prefer their veggies in potato form. I wish I was joking, but it’s all true. Thankfully most of their pallets have matured as they’ve gotten older (not sure they have though) and they do eat a pretty colorful…ish diet these days.
I like to think that I was a major part of this.
Anyway, it might be surprising, but it’s not a given that I’ll make a recipe my brothers with actually love. Sure, I make some of their favorite foods for them when they are here, but a lot of those foods will never see the light of day here on HBH. Some of them tell me that many of the recipes I make are too veggie focused or “weird” for them. But then there are recipes like todays. Today’s recipe is one they love, and that makes me so excited. As I’ve said many times before, my favorite thing to do is cook for others. I love being able to so easily please the people I love most with a simple recipe.
It’s truly my favorite thing…which is why, during the holidays, I end up playing not only cook, but often bartender too (because most of my family members love their steak and their cocktails).
Anyway, point is I am finally making a recipe my brothers will approve of, and that’s something I’m happy about today. Also? I’m just excited to share this recipe with you all!
I can’t really pinpoint my exact source of inspiration for this recipe, other than the fact that I’ve just really been craving these fresh flavors. Lots of fresh herbs, spice, limes, and salty, tangy sauces. To be honest, I had some beef in my freezer and found everything else in my fridge/pantry. That’s kind of how this recipe came to be. Not the best story, but it’s true, and it’s recipes like these that are always my favorite.
First things first, the crispy rice. You probably cannot tell, since it’s hiding underneath all the veggies and beef, but yes, my rice is indeed crispy, and it’s very good. Up until this recipe I’d never made crispy rice at home. But after realizing how simple and easy it is to make with leftover rice (which I almost always have on hand), I will be making it often.
As the rice crisps it takes on a more toasted flavor and lends a nice crunch. It’s a fun switch up from your average steamed rice.
Once you have the rice crisped, move onto the beef.
Now, I want to discuss the cut of beef you should use. I used very high end beef tenderloin, BUT only because this is what I happened to have in my freezer. Yes, it’s beyond delicious, melts in your mouth, and you really can’t mess it up. That said, I understand that most of you may not want to shell out the cash for beef tenderloin. If that’s the case, no worries. Use a very affordable flank steak. It really does work just as well.
I pan cooked the beef and then tossed in a little sweet, salty, and slightly spicy sauce. This nicely glazes the meat and it’s really delicious. The two key ingredients here are oyster sauce and fish sauce. You can usually find both in the Asian isle at most grocery stores.
At this point, it’s assembly time. I layered my rice and beef with radicchio, carrots, and lots of fresh basil and mint. You can really use any combo of vegetables you’d like though. If you are looking to add another layer… Yes, I do think a crispy fried egg, or even a soft boiled egg, would be really good here.
I know it’s a bit early, but this bowl almost reminds me of a springtime recipe. It’s kind of cozy, but still colorful and fresh. So the perfect balance.
If you make this Vietnamese beef bowl, 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 also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
30 Minute Vietnamese Beef and Crispy Rice Bowl.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 518 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds beef tenderloin or flank steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
- black pepper
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1/4 cup sesame or extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- 1 cup shredded radicchio or purple cabbage
- 4 carrots, shredded or cut into ribbons
- 1 Persian cucumber, sliced
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, and or mint, roughly chopped
- chopped peanuts, for serving
Instructions
- 1. Season the steak all over with pepper.2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, honey, soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Add the beef and toss to coat. 3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the rice and season with salt. Toss to coat in oil. Press the rice evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Let cook, without stirring, until the rice begins to turn golden brown, about 3-5 minutes. Spoon the rice out of the pan and onto a plate.4. Return the skillet to high heat and add the remaining oil. Spoon the steak out of the sauce, reserving any sauce left in the bowl, and cook, undisturbed for 2-3 minutes. Stir and cook, undisturbed for another 2-3 minutes. Pour the remaining sauce, 3 tablespoons water, and bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the sauce thickens and begins to coat the steak, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat5. Divide the rice among bowls and top with cabbage, carrots, and cucumbers. Spoon the beef and sauce overtop. Squeeze with lime. Top with green onions, basil and peanuts. Eat!
Notes
*Beef tenderloin is going to be more tender, but if it's too pricey, flank steak works well too.
I’ve made this twice in the last week and we love it! Omitted the fish sauce since we didn’t have any on hand and it was still awesome! Definitely adding it to our go-to list!
Amazing! Thank you so much Courtney! xTieghan
Great recipe! I had thin sliced stir fry beef in the freezer so I shortened the cook time and it didn’t get caramelized but the flavor was wonderful. Other than the meat change, the recipe was unchanged.
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Wendy! Thank you! xTieghan
This is my third time making this relish dish! We love it!!! It’s beautiful to look at as well. This time I used shrimp instead of beef and it was every bit as good. You inspire me, Teigan!
That is so sweet! I am so glad you have been loving this recipe, Becky! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Why am I just now learning about crispy rice?! I have to talk about that first. I used jasmine rice and it was just ridiculously good. Then the meat and veggies—- so gooood! Luved this recipe. So delish! A lot of flavor going on here. Better than a restaurant. Thanks so much! (Tip— soak the shredded radicchio in water to get rid of the bitterness.)
Thank you!! I am so happy to hear that this turned out amazing for you! xTieghan
Delicious and easy! I did marinate the meat over night and the flavor was so so good. Will be making again and for others for sure! The flavors are perfect.
Thank you Tess! xTieghan
The boyfriend and I have been trying your Asian inspired dishes lately and this is BY FAR his favorite! The flavors are beyond this world, we’ll definitely do it again!
That is so great to hear, Marie! Thank you so much! xTieghan
Hello,
May I ask why is so hard to cook the flank steak, especially the inside? How can I cook it faster?
If I replace oyster sauce to Hoisin sauce, does it make a big difference?
Please answer as soon as possible! I would like to cook for my boyfriend tomorrow and is doing a sample cooking right now? Thank you!
Hi Sophia, I am not sure I understand what you are asking? Is the steak not cooking for you? How long is it taking? What heat are you using?
Yes, you can use hoisin sauce. That will be great! Please let me know if you have any other questions or how I might be able to help with the cooking time. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan
The whole family loved this recipe. Thanks again.
Thank you Melinda! xTieghan
This recipe is flawless and have made it 2 weeks in a row. We started by doing a marinade with the sauce and double up on the amount of sauce to add later. Only thing we added differently was some sambal!
Thank you so much James! I am so glad you have been loving this recipe! xTieghan
Really really yummy! We couldn’t find oyster sauce, so subbed extra soy sauce instead. I imagine that made the sauce a little more “loose” than was intended in the recipe, but it was still so delicious! We also used cauliflower rice instead of white rice — crisped it in sesame oil as suggested, and it was great. Just as satisfying as rice. Will be making this again!
I am so happy to hear that Olivia! Thank you so much for making this! xTieghan
This recipe is so delicious!! The crispy rice is something else! I’m making it for a second time for my grandma, who I know is going to love it!!
I hope she does love it! I am so glad you already do haha! Thank you Candace! xTieghan
This was a hit for Valentine’s family dinner. I used filet with mint. All of the flavors came together really nicely. The beef and sauce was a little rich but with the lime and mint it was great. I would definitely make it again.
I am so happy to hear that! Thank you so much Jennifer! xTieghan
THIS WAS DELICIOUS! I made it last night with a flank steak, and had pre-made the rice on my lunch, so when i got home all i had to do was fry up the rice, do the marinade and cook the beef. I following the cooking instructions exactly and the meat was done perfectly. Served it with a coleslaw using the GOOP Vietnemese salad dressing (https://goop.com/recipes/vietnamese-dressing). So good i want to make it again tonight!
YES! I am so glad you loved this recipe, Bee! Thank you! xTieghan
This was delicious! Thanks for the great inspiration!
Thank you Ellen! xTieghan
I made this tonight and it was SO good! IS it normal for the rice to “pop” while you are cooking it? The moment it hit the oil in the pan, the rice & oil started spattering and popping like crazy!
HI! Yes, totally normal for the rice to pop. It’s just what happens when it hits the oil. A little messy, I know (sorry!), but it makes for great rice! 🙂 Please let me know if you have any other questions. So glad you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan