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Easy Honey Garlic Ground Beef and Rice

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A one-skillet wonder featuring sticky-sweet honey garlic sauce, savory ground beef, and fluffy rice. Ready in under 30 minutes, this crowd-pleasing dish is perfect for weeknights or potlucks.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon sriracha
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 1 pound ground beef (80/20)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 cups white rice, uncooked (jasmine or basmati)
  • 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
  • 1 cup frozen peas and carrots mix
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients first. Mince the garlic, dice the onion, slice the green onions, and measure out your honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sriracha, and sesame oil into a small bowl. Mix them together with a fork until well combined. In a separate tiny bowl, stir the cornstarch with cold water until smooth.
  2. Rinse the rice. Place the 2 cups of uncooked rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water for about 30 seconds, stirring with your fingers. The water should run mostly clear. Shake off the excess water and set aside.
  3. Brown the ground beef. Heat your skillet over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil. Once it shimmers, add the ground beef. Break it apart with your wooden spoon into small crumbles. Let it cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes to get a nice sear. Then stir and continue cooking until no pink remains, about 5 minutes total. If there’s excess grease (more than a tablespoon), spoon it out and discard.
  4. Cook the aromatics. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the skillet with the beef. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and becomes translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for just 30 seconds.
  5. Add the rice and toast it lightly. Pour the rinsed rice into the skillet. Stir it into the beef and onion mixture for about 1 minute.
  6. Pour in the broth and sauce. Add the 3 cups of beef broth and the honey garlic sauce mixture you prepared earlier. Stir everything together until well combined. Scrape the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.
  7. Bring to a boil, then simmer. Increase the heat to high and bring the liquid to a full boil. Once it’s bubbling, reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet with a tight-fitting lid, and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time.
  8. Add the frozen vegetables. After 15 minutes, remove the lid carefully. The rice should be tender and most of the liquid absorbed. Sprinkle the frozen peas and carrots over the top—don’t stir them in yet. Cover again and cook for another 3 minutes.
  9. Finish with the slurry. Remove the lid. Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir and pour it evenly over the skillet. Stir everything together gently but thoroughly. Cook for another minute until the sauce is glossy and clings to every grain of rice and piece of beef.
  10. Garnish and serve. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle the sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds over the top. Serve hot straight from the skillet.

Notes

For a gluten-free version, use tamari instead of soy sauce. If rice seems undercooked after 15 minutes, add 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and cook 2 more minutes. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: honey garlic ground beef, one skillet meal, ground beef and rice, easy dinner, Asian fusion, potluck recipe, 30 minute meal

Find it online: https://daintydine.com/easy-honey-garlic-ground-beef-and-rice/