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My go-to, 30 Minute Vietnamese Beef and Crispy Rice Bowl.ย Peppery, spicy, sweet, and tangy, this Vietnamese inspired stir fried beef has crispy rice, veggies, and plenty of fresh herbs. Itโs colorful, super quick, and addictingly delicious. The best part? Itโs 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.
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If there was a dinner that my family could eat week after week, itโs this Vietnamese beef bowl. Most of my brothers are the very stereotypical guyโs 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 itโs all true. Thankfully most of their pallets have matured as theyโve gotten older (not sure they have though) and they do eat a pretty colorfulโฆish diet these days.
I like to think that I was a major part of this.
Anyway, it might be surprising, but itโs not a given that Iโll 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 โweirdโ for them. But then there are recipes like todays. Todayโs recipe is one they love, and that makes me so excited. As Iโve 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.
Itโs truly my favorite thingโฆwhich is why,ย 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 thatโs something Iโm happy about today. Also? Iโm just excited to share this recipe with you all!
I canโt really pinpoint my exact source of inspiration for this recipe, other than the fact that Iโve 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. Thatโs kind of how this recipe came to be. Not the best story, but itโs true, and itโs recipes like these that are always my favorite.
First things first, the crispy rice. You probably cannot tell, since itโs hiding underneath all the veggies and beef, but yes, my rice is indeed crispy, and itโs very good. Up until this recipe Iโd 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. Itโs 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, itโs beyond delicious, melts in your mouth, and you really canโt mess it up. That said, I understand that most of you may not want to shell out the cash for beef tenderloin. If thatโs 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 itโs 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, itโs 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 youโd like though. If you are looking to add another layerโฆ Yes, I do think a crispy fried egg, or even a soft boiled egg, would be really good here.
I know itโs a bit early, but this bowl almost reminds me of a springtime recipe. Itโs 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, donโt forget to also tag me onย Instagram!ย Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
30 Minute Vietnamese Beef and Crispy Rice Bowl.
Ingredientsย
- 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
Instructionsย
- 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.ย 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.ย Return the skillet to high heat and add the remainingย 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 remainingย sauce, 3 tablespoonsย 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
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
A good recipe, easy to make and it felt quite healthy with the cucumber and carrot
Hey Maire,
Your feedback means a lotโthanks for trying this recipe! Iโm happy it delivered!
I love all your recipes but hands down, this was my favorite. Itโs so easy and tasty. My boyfriend devoured it. The crispy rice was really a nice addition and all the fresh herbs and carrots made it so wonderful. Great job!
Hi Kendall,
Wonderful! So glad to hear this recipe was a hit, thanks a bunch for making it! Happy Weekend!!
The flavors on this recipe are so good and fresh – absolutely loved it!
Hey Deb,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe was tasty and thanks a lot for trying it out! xT
Tieghan! I have enjoyed dozens of your recipes and loved each one but this is the first time I am leaving a review (sorry). Your Vietnamese Beef and Crispy Rice recipe is amazing. I cooked this recipe twice. The first time with beef tenderloin, yes so good but very expen$ive. Tonight I used a marbleized chuck roast (on sale) cut into bite size pieces, smaller than your recommended one inch cubes for the tenderloin. The chuck roast turned out great, even better than expected. With fresh basil it was sooooo good! All the fresh veggies and lime juice? Wow! As you say, “better than take-out”. And it was. Thank you!
Hey Patrick,
Fantastic!! ๐๐ I am delighted to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks so much for making it and sharing your review! Thanks for making so many recipes! xT
Can I make the rice the morning of or do I have to make it the night before for it to crisp? Thanks so much! ๐
Hi Jaime,
The morning of will work too! I hope this recipe turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hello –
do you Sautee the carrots, cabbage and cucumber?
Hi Kristin,
Nope, you will just serve that as a fresh topping. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
My husband and 3 teenage boys loved this recipe(I donโt eat meat)! They loved it so much that I will be doubling this recipe next time.
Hey Maribeth,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Delicious and so versatile. What kind of rice do you typically use? Jasmine? I used medium grain and it was very sticky and didn’t get crisp. The sauce was so good – I imagine you could use chicken or salmon too!
Hey Diane,
I am so thrilled that you have enjoyed this recipe! Thanks so much for making it:) xTieghan
Have just started cooking your recipes and bought your Super Simple cookbook too. I made this for dinner last night and my boyfriend and I LOVED it. So flavorful. BTW, your photography is gorgeous and I like the personal touches you add to the stories for your recipes. I’ making the Crispy Chipotle Chicken Tacos tonight, btw. Thank you!
Hey Laura,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Fresh combo! Made it tonight for my family. We loved it, even though I messed up and added the oil to the bowl of meat. To simplify, I used a bagged Asian salad in place of the cabbage and carrots. I did find the suggested cooking time to be a bit much, but I easily adjusted it to suit my taste. Thanks for an interesting, tasty dish!
Hi Angela,
Happy Friday! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks a lot for making it and sharing your review!๐๐ xT
Another excellent recipe. Thank you! I made the full six person recipe, planning to reheat for lunch tomorrow, and of course we ate it all. Threw in some red pepper and asparagus because it was starting to look a bit sad and needed eating. LOVE the crispy rice so much!
I am so happy you all enjoyed this recipe, Lesley! Thank you! xTieghan
This is my all-time favourite bowl! I made a few changes, I love the combo of basil, cilantro and mint on top – those flavours really elevate the dish – try it if you can. Give the steak a good sear on high heat, but watch closely as the sugar can make make it burn more quickly. I also add pickled carrots and daikon, and fresh cucumber on the side for some green. The crispy rice adds a nice dimension and delicious crunch to the bowl – such a small step that adds huge flavour and texture. Make this – you’ll love it.
Hi Sandra! I am so happy this recipe turned out so well for you! Thank you so much for trying it!! xTieghan