Brothy Rice Bowl with Sesame Ground Beef

This brothy rice bowl comes together in about 40 minutes with pantry staples like rice, coconut milk, sesame oil, and peanut butter. It’s perfect for meal prep or a busy weeknight, making it a family favorite!

Cozy bowl with big flavor.

This is one of those dinners that tastes like it took way more effort than it actually did. We’re talking savory sesame beef, a creamy coconut-peanut broth, and a crunchy peanut-herb topping that makes every single bite feel a little different. And it’s SO delicious. Rich, brothy, a little sweet, a little spicy, with crunch in every bite from that peanut topping.

Here’s what you’ll need.

Here’s how it all comes together.

MAKE PEANUT TOPPING. Toast the peanuts, sesame seeds, and chili crisp oil together in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat until fragrant, then season with a little salt, let cool, and toss with fresh herbs.

BROWN BEEF. In the same pan, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat, crumbling it with a spatula as it cooks.

FLAVOR BEEF. Stir in the garlic and ginger pastes, then add the soy sauce, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and chili crisp oil. Simmer until saucy and glossy.

SIMMER BROTH. In a separate pot, simmer the coconut milk, chicken broth, and peanut butter together until warmed through and combined, then finish with lime juice and salt to taste.

ASSEMBLE BOWLS. Layer rice and edamame in a bowl, top with the beef, ladle over the broth, and finish with the peanut topping, fresh herbs, and a squeeze of lime.

Things I learned while testing this recipe.

• Don’t skip toasting the peanuts and sesame seeds first. Even just those few minutes in the warm oil makes them so much more fragrant, and it’s what gives the topping its “wow” factor.
• Browning the beef in the same pan you toasted the peanuts in (without wiping it out) adds another little layer of flavor, so don’t rinse that pan!
• A squeeze of lime right at the end totally changes the broth. It cuts through the richness of the coconut milk and peanut butter and makes everything taste brighter.

Built for busy weeknights.

• Every component here — the beef, the broth, the peanut topping, even the rice — stores beautifully on its own, which means you can prep it all on a Sunday and just reheat and assemble bowls all week long.
• It’s basically meal prep that doesn’t taste like meal prep because the flavors are fresh every time.

Save these easy recipes for later.

• creamy peanut sauce
• peanut chicken lettuce wraps
• ground beef peanut noodles
• coconut curry chicken skewers
• vegan peanut noodle salad

Just in case you have leftovers.

• STORING: Let the beef, broth, and rice cool separately, then store each in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep the peanut topping in a separate container in the fridge for up to a week as well.
• FREEZING: The beef and broth both freeze well. Freeze each in airtight, freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Rice can be frozen too, but for the best texture, I’d recommend making it fresh when you’re ready to serve.
• REHEATING: Warm the broth in a small pot over medium-low heat until simmering. Season to taste with salt. Reheat the beef in a skillet or microwave until hot. Add fresh rice and whatever veggies you’d like, then top everything with the peanut mixture right before serving so it stays crisp.

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