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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!


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You may not have noticed, but Iโm really working to incorporate more beef recipes onto the website. I havenโt shared many beef recipes in the past. But many of you have requested that I work them into the lineup a bit more so Iโm 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. Iโll make burgers, tacos, quick skillet stir-fries, and meatballs. So many new recipes to share!
Iโve 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. Itโs wonderful to serve family and friends on busy nights.
Another huge bonus โ I almost always have these ingredients on hand, either in the pantry or the freezer!! A great โI donโt know what to make, dinnerโ!
Ingredients
- Ground beefย
- Black pepper and chili flakesย
- Butterย
- Garlicย
- Pickled gingerย
- Broccoli floretsย
- Fresh pineapple chunksย
- Tamari or soy sauceย
- Thai chili sauceย
- Chopped green onionsย
- Sesame seedsย
- Persian cucumbersย
- Cilantroย
- Thai basilย
- Lime juiceย
- Chopped roasted peanutsย

Here are the steps
Step 1: start the rice and cook the beef
If youโre 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 donโt 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. Itโs 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, itโs 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!! Itโs really easy to mix up if youโre looking for a healthier sauce option.
These bowls come together so quickly and have so much flavor! I really appreciate all the color too โ 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, donโt 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

Ingredientsย
- 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
Instructionsย
- 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
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.


























Iโve made this fur a few years, and itโs one of our favorites. However, I can never get the beef to become sticky. The beef mixture is wet. I use 93/7 beef and sometimes pour the liquid out. Any tips? Thank you.
Hey Page,
Happy Friday! I appreciate you making this recipe and your feedback, love to hear it was enjoyed! You could try a cornstarch slurry to help thicken the sauce and make it sticky.
Is the pickled ginger actually used, or is it just the juice?
Hi Leanna,
Yes, you can add the pickled ginger in step 2 with the broccoli and pineapple. I hope you love this recipe!
One of my favorite week-night recipes. The recipe is perfect.
Thanks so much, Tesh! I appreciate you trying this recipe, so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great fall weekend!
Easy to make and full of flavors and textures- huge hit!
Hey Danielle,
Amazing! So glad to hear you enjoyed this dish, I appreciate you giving it a try!
Have a great week!
Love it! Super easy to make ๐ฅฐ Thank You for sharing ๐
Thank you SO much for trying out this recipe! So happy to hear you enjoyed! Have a wonderful week!! xT
I’m allergic to pineapple. Is there another fruit that I could substitute? Thank you
Hey Connie,
Mango would also be a delicious option here! Please let me know if you have any other questions!
This is one of my favorites, I keep coming back to it and a favorite for the family too. Great recipe ๐
Hey Lauren,
Awesome! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe so often, so glad to hear it is always enjoyed! Have a nice Sunday:) xx
Easy and delicious! Perfect for leftovers too!
Hey there,
Amazing!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, love to hear that it turned out well! xT
Hi
Making this tonight! Iโm going to wing it this time but wanted to know what you use when you make your chili sauce homemade. I always prefer to go โhomemadeโ.
Thanks
Hey Amy,
For this recipe, I used gochujang:) I hope this helps! Let me know how this dish turns out for you, I hope you love it! xT
This looks delicious and I want to try it out! Just wondering, would a beef roast cut up into chunks work in place of the ground beef?
Hey Leia,
Sure, I bet that would work nicely for you! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT