Name: Teriyaki Ground Beef Bowls with Veggies and Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 ½ pounds lean ground beef (ground turkey or chicken work as substitutes); ½ yellow onion (diced); 1 red bell pepper (diced); 1 small head of broccoli (chopped small); 2 scallions (diced (whites and greens separated)); ½ cup coconut aminos (soy-free and gluten-free; sub with low-sodium soy sauce or tamari); 1 tablespoon honey (maple syrup or brown sugar also work); 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar; 1 inch fresh ginger (grated); 2 garlic cloves (minced); Cooked rice (for serving); Sesame seeds (for serving (optional))

When I need a quick, hearty dinner, these teriyaki beef bowls with veggies and rice are one of my favorites. They come together in 20 minutes with just a few simple ingredients, lots of fresh veggies, and a delicious homemade teriyaki-style sauce that's naturally gluten-free. I make these all the time for easy weeknight meals or when I need something fast for a group. They're also super easy to customize.

Two bowls of teriyaki beef and vegetables with rice, garnished with scallions and sesame seeds.

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Ground Beef Beats Sliced Steak for a Weeknight Teriyaki Bowl
Key Ingredients
Instructions
Sarah's Top Tips
Serving Suggestions
Storage & Reheating
Related Recipes
Teriyaki Ground Beef Bowls with Veggies and Rice
Comments

Ground Beef Beats Sliced Steak for a Weeknight Teriyaki Bowl

Most teriyaki bowl recipes start with thin-sliced flank steak, which means slicing against the grain and often a marinade you have to plan for ahead of time. Ground beef skips both steps. It browns in under 10 minutes, breaks into bite-sized pieces on its own, and soaks up the sauce instead of just sitting under it.

I've made this recipe both ways for meal prep, and the ground beef version is ready in half the time with the same sweet-savory flavor in every bite. The other shortcut is the sauce: it's whisked together while the beef browns, so there's no real time savings in reaching for a bottled teriyaki sauce instead. Homemade also means you control the sodium, and coconut aminos keep it naturally gluten-free without any soy. If you already like bowl dinners, you'll notice the same formula in my Teriyaki Salmon Bowls and Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs - one sauce, three easy proteins, and a dinner that's on the table before takeout would even arrive.

Key Ingredients

Labeled ingredients for teriyaki beef bowls including ground beef, rice, broccoli, red pepper, onion, garlic, ginger, and coconut aminos.

Ground beef (1½ lbs, lean). This is the quick-cooking, hearty base. Ground turkey or chicken work the same way, but they release less fat, so add an extra teaspoon of oil to keep the pan from drying out. If you use a fattier blend than 90/10, drain it well after browning so the pan doesn't turn watery once the sauce goes in.
Coconut aminos. This is a gluten-free, soy-free base with a milder, slightly sweeter flavor than soy sauce. Reduced-sodium soy sauce is a fine substitute, but it's saltier, so start with less and taste before adding more. In a pinch, about ¾ cup store-bought teriyaki sauce can replace the whole homemade sauce, though the result will be sweeter and thicker, so check the label if you need it gluten-free.
Honey. This balances the salty sauce and helps it glaze the beef as it simmers. Maple syrup works in the same amount, though the flavor leans a touch more caramel than floral.
Apple cider vinegar. This adds brightness so the sauce doesn't taste flat. Rice vinegar is milder and slightly sweeter, so the sauce will taste a bit softer if you swap it in.
Fresh ginger and garlic. These are the aromatic backbone of the sauce, and fresh works much better here than powder.
Broccoli, bell pepper, and onion. These add bulk and freshness. Swap in any quick-cooking vegetable you have, like snap peas, shredded carrots, or zucchini, and just cut them small so they cook through in the same time as the broccoli. Frozen broccoli works too, but thaw it and pat it very dry first, since it releases extra water as it cooks and that waters down the sauce.
Rice. This is the classic base. Cauliflower rice keeps it lower carb, or serve it over noodles for a different texture.
Scallions and sesame seeds. These are the garnish for crunch and freshness.
Red pepper flakes or sriracha (optional). Neither is in the recipe card, but stir ½ teaspoon of flakes or a drizzle of sriracha into the sauce if your family likes more heat.

See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 5-7 minutes, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned and fully cooked. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a bowl and set aside. Drain any excess fat from the pan if needed.

Broccoli and red peppers sautéing in a skillet with onion and garlic.

Step 2: In the same skillet, add the diced onion, red bell pepper, chopped broccoli, and the white parts of the scallions. Sauté for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are tender.

Teriyaki sauce mixture made with garlic, ginger, honey, and coconut aminos in a glass measuring cup.

Step 3: While the veggies cook, whisk together the coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, honey, grated ginger, and minced garlic in a small bowl or measuring cup.

Ground beef, broccoli, and peppers combined in a skillet with teriyaki sauce.

Step 4: Return the cooked beef to the skillet with the vegetables. Pour the sauce over everything and stir well to combine. Let it simmer for about 5-6 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors come together. Serve the beef and veggie mixture over a bed of rice. Top with the green parts of the scallions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds if using.

Sarah's Top Tips

Grate the ginger instead of mincing it. Grated ginger melts into the sauce instead of leaving stringy bits in your bowl, and it releases more flavor because more of it touches the hot pan.
Taste before you add any extra salt. Coconut aminos vary in saltiness by brand, and most of the time this sauce needs nothing added. If it tastes too strong once it's simmered down, stir in a tablespoon of water or broth to mellow it rather than adding more sauce.

Quick beef stir fry bowl with scallions and sesame seeds.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these bowls the classic way, with hot rice on the bottom, the beef and veggie mixture spooned over the top, and a scattering of scallions and sesame seeds. That's how my family eats it most weeknights. From there, a few of my other recipes round out the meal well. When I'm feeding a bigger group, I love putting out a batch of Sweet & Spicy Honey Sriracha Meatballs as an appetizer, since they share the same sweet heat as this bowl's sauce, so the flavors carry through the whole meal. If I want more bulk on the table, I'll make Quick Cold Peanut Noodle Salad too, since it's a cold, Thai-inspired side that plays well with the ginger and scallions already in this dish, though I skip it when I'm cooking for anyone with a nut allergy.

Storage & Reheating

Fridge: Store the beef and vegetable mixture in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Keep the rice separate so it doesn't turn mushy.

Freezer: Freeze the beef mixture (without rice) in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheating: Warm it in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce, or microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between. The sauce may look slightly separated after freezing, but a good stir while reheating brings it back together.

Make Ahead: Chop the vegetables and mix the sauce up to a day ahead and store both in the fridge. That cuts your active cooking time down to just browning the beef and combining everything in the pan.