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This colorful 20 Minute Sticky Ginger Sesame Pineapple Beef is my secret to busy weeknight cooking. The ground beef is cooked in a spicy-sweet chili garlic sauce before adding fresh broccoli and chunks of sweet pineapple. Serve this simply with steamed rice and a cucumber salad. The Thai chili sauce and pineapple are the key ingredients. This dish is saucy, salty, tangy-sweet, and has just the right amount of spice!
You may not have noticed, but I’m really working to incorporate more beef recipes onto the website. I haven’t shared many beef recipes in the past. But many of you have requested that I work them into the lineup a bit more so I’m having fun with them!
Beef dinners can be so delicious, plus quick and easy too! I love to use ground beef, especially since it cooks up so quickly. I’ll make burgers, tacos, quick skillet stir-fries, and meatballs. So many new recipes to share!
I’ve been loving the combination of pineapple and beef, so I wanted to incorporate the two in a quick dinner served over rice. I wanted to add traditional stir-fry favorites like broccoli, cilantro, and basil.
This dinner takes just minutes to prep and minutes to cook. It’s wonderful to serve family and friends on busy nights.
Another huge bonus – I almost always have these ingredients on hand, either in the pantry or the freezer!! A great “I don’t know what to make, dinner”!
Here are the steps
Step 1: start the rice and cook the beef
If you’re not using leftover rice, start a batch of rice. Now, using a big skillet, brown the beef with chili flakes and black pepper. If you have them, I love to use Korean chili flakes for this recipe.
When the beef has browned, some of the fat should have rendered. I don’t usually have much fat, so I add a couple of tablespoons of butter. Next, add the garlic and ginger. I like to use pickled ginger (sushi ginger) for this. It’s so yummy and adds a special touch to the dish.
Step 2: mix in the broccoli and pineapple
When you smell the garlic and ginger, it’s time to add the broccoli and the pineapple. Mix those in. Next comes the sauce.
Step 3: mix in the sauces
I use tamari (soy sauce is a good substitute), then sweet Thai chili sauce, and a few tablespoons of juice from the pickled ginger jar.
Cook until the sauce coats the beef and the beef starts to get crispy. Now you can mix in the green onions and sesame seeds.
Step 4: make the salad
Mix pineapple chunks with chopped cucumbers, cilantro, basil, and peanuts. Then squeeze over the lime juice.
Hopefully, you either started some rice or have some leftover. Now take the beef, broccoli, and pineapple and spoon it over bowls of rice. Then top with the cucumber/pineapple salad.
A note
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, some garlic, ginger, and lime!! It’s really easy to mix up if you’re looking for a healthier sauce option.
These bowls come together so quickly and have so much flavor! I really appreciate all the color too – the 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 this 20 Minute Sticky Ginger Sesame Pineapple Beef, 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 Sticky Ginger Sesame Pineapple Beef
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 497 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 ground beef (or chicken or pork)
- black pepper and chili flakes
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup pickled ginger (or 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger)
- 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
- 1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Thai chili sauce (homemade in notes)
- 1/4 cup chopped green onions
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 4 Persian cucumbers, chopped
- 2 cups cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cup Thai basil, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts
Instructions
- 1. In a large skillet, combine the beef, black pepper, and chili flakes. Cook over medium heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, garlic, and ginger. Cook 2 minutes, until the butter browns and the beef gets crispy.2. Mix in the broccoli and 3/4 cup pineapple. Pour over the tamari, sweet chili sauce, and 1-2 tablespoons of ginger juice from the pickled ginger. Cook until the sauce coats the beef, 2-3 minutes. Mix in the green onions and sesame seeds. Remove from the heat. 3. In a bowl, toss 3/4 cup pineapple chunks with the cucumbers, cilantro, basil, lime juice, and peanuts. 4. Serve the beef and broccoli over bowls of rice. Top with the pineapple herb salad. Add the chopped green onions, and if desired. Enjoy!
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.
Absolutely love this recipe, but it would be so helpful if we had a break down of serving size and fat, carbs, and calories, if possible. I attempted to add this multiple times to my fitness pal and gave up every time because it’s so complicated. The sweet Thai sauce is amazing!
Hey Elisabeth! Thanks for the feedback!
So amazing! Three nights a week we rush to get dinner on the table so that one of my twins can get back to the high school in time for color guard practice. Plus, I have been stuck out of state the past 10 weeks because I ended up having surgery. So when I got home my husband and twins said they could not wait for my meals as they were getting tired of the same four recipes on repeat. Half Baked Harvest always comes through. And this checked all of the boxes. Quick, easy, one pan, and oh so flavorful! Also on a side note: Sunday we did the prosciutto balsamic peach chicken with burrata and basil. Another winner for dinner.
HI Callie! Thanks so much for trying out this recipe! Sooo glad your fam loved it! xT
Made this for dinner last night. It was delicious ! But I definitely agree with others…it took longer than 20 minutes total.
So glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed! Have a great day! xT
I just made this for dinner and my husband loved it! Great directions and easy to follow. I have enjoyed many of you recipes you have created and have your cookbooks.
Hey Sandra! So happy to hear that this recipe was a hit! xT
This was my first time making one of your recipes…. It was so delicious! So much flavor and simple to make. My whole family loved it! My son told me to put it into my weekly rotation. I used ground chicken, but followed the rest of the recipe to a tee. Thank you for sharing!
Hey there! Thanks so much for trying out the recipe! I’m sooo glad you loved it! xT
I just made this! Thank you for the homemade sweet chili sauce recipe, it was super easy and delicious. Oddly, I actually didn’t include pineapple because I just don’t really like fruity things with dinner and it was still amazing! My new favorite bowl recipe 😋
Hey there! Sooo glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for trying it out! xT
Please do everyone a favor and omit the “20 Minute” from the recipe title. This really is a delicious meal and will be well received but, when you think something is going to be “quick and easy” and takes over an hour to get on the table, it takes some of the enjoyment out of the experience. IT IS YUMMY, though!!!!!!!
Hi Colleen, Thank you so much for the feedback! I really appreciate it. xT
Another great recipe! Thank you!
Hi Amanda,
So glad to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Have a great Saturday! xT
Do you recommend short grain or long grain rice?
Hi Lisa,
I like to use short grain rice:) Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this dish! xT
Followed recipe exactly. DELICIOUS! Don’t be afraid to use ground beef…was so good. Took longer than 20 minutes to prep though. Worth it.I
Hi Debra,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks for trying it and your comment!🌼🌸 xx
My family enjoyed this . Green onion doesn’t agree with me so I left it out. Also didn’t have Thai basil but this was still tasty.
It took a bit longer than 20 minutes to put this together because of all the ingredients.
Hi Paula,
Happy Monday!! I am thrilled to hear that this dish turned out well for you, thanks for trying it and your comment!🌼🌸 xx
This was the very first HBH recipe that my son (26) made all by himself for the family 🙂 Really proud of him to take on this – you inspire all of us ! It was delicious and enjoyed by all – even yummy for lunch the next day! Really liked the combo of the broccoli and pineapple, too – not too sweet!
Hi Shelley,
Happy Friday!!🫐🍓 I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for your comment and thanks to your son for making it! xT
Good recipe. Definitely needs the pineapple salsa to elevate the overall favor(s). I have “advanced” prep and cooking skills, and this meal took an hour to complete. That was rushing to hit the 20 minute mark:) I don’t seek out recipes for the time, but I do like to challenge myself to make it happen!
Hi Marla,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was a hit! Sorry this took longer than expected! xx
Agree with an earlier comment; this was delish but my husband (who cooks every night and is well versed in the kitchen) lamented that this was definitely not a 10 minute prep. It took him an hour start to finish. Happily, it was worth the effort and now we know it’s a weekend meal vs. busy weeknight!
Hi Jen,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it was a hit! Sorry this took longer than expected! xx
Girl! I love all of your recipes, but PLEASE stop telling us that it’s only going to take 20 minutes from start to finish. I just spent 40 minutes chopping up all the ingredients. Unless you buy everything pre-chopped, or you’re a trained chef, this is just NOT practical timing for normal people!
Otherwise, delish 🙂
Hi Regina,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe and sharing your feedback! Sorry about the prep time! xx