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    Home » Recipe Index » Beef Dishes

    Thai Inspired Beef and Spinach Bowl

    September 17, 2020 Updated March 13, 2023 By Rebecca 30 Minute Meals, Beef Dishes, Entrees, Prep Ahead Meals, Recipe Index

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    Thai Beef Bowl with ingredients on a table with text overlay

    This Thai inspired beef and spinach bowl is the perfect quick weeknight dinner recipe that takes 20 minutes and is bursting with flavor. Fish sauce and garlic turn this recipe simple ingredients into a delicious meal that's got more flavor in it than time it takes to make.

    beef and spinach with sliced garlic  in a bowl

    [This recipe was originally posted in December 2018. It has been updated with new photos, cooking instructions, expert tips, FAQ, related recipes, video and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]

    How will this beef and spinach bowl make your life easier?

    A lot of people think that delicious recipes take a lot of time. While lots do, you can easily make a delicious meal in 20-30 minutes with the right ingredients. That's where this flavorful beef spinach recipe comes into play. 

    If you're new to using fish sauce, I just want to warn you that fish sauce has a strong smell! BUT know that your food will not taste as strong as it smells while cooking. It's delicious. You can also use that fish sauce to add deep flavor and umami to lots of other dishes. Check out my suggestions in the leftover ingredient section, just above the recipe card.

    Check out these other beef recipes:

    • Chili without Tomatoes
    • Beef & Broccoli
    • Steak Fajitas
    • Shrimp and Steak Fajitas
    • Beef Bulgogi
    • Brisket Grilled Cheese

    What makes this bowl so good?

    ground beef, baby spinach, and other ingredients for a Thai beef bowl on a table
    • Mild oil 
    • Garlic
    • Ground beef
    • Oyster sauce
    • Fish sauce
    • Sugar
    • Baby spinach
    • Precooked brown rice

    How do I make it?

    sliced garlic in a large black saucepan

    Heat 2 tablespoon mild oil in a frying pan. When oil is hot, add 7 cloves of sliced garlic to pan. Fry for about 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Remove garlic, but leave oil.

    crumbled ground beef cooking in a black saucepan

    Add ⅓ lb ground beef to heated oil. (use frozen precooked or uncooked ground beef) Cook until beef is browned, about 3-7 minutes. That depends depends on whether it's precooked or not. Drain, if needed.

    beef and spinach cooking in a black saucepan

    Add in 1 ½ tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 ½ tablespoon fish sauce, and 2 teaspoon sugar. Stir. Add 3 large handfuls of baby spinach. Stir until it's just barely wilted. Heat up 1 ½ c precooked rice while spinach is wilting. 

    Thai beef bowl with a fork in it, on a table

    Add rice to bowl, top with beef and spinach mixture, then fried garlic. (optional: add red pepper flakes). Enjoy with someone else or save remaining serving for leftovers. This is great as leftovers!

    Expert Tips

    • Cook until water from the spinach evaporates.
    • Rice can take some time to cook, here's a couple ideas to expedite the cooking process:
      • buy precooked frozen rice
      • buy minute rice
      • cook a large batch at the beginning of the week.
      • find rice that takes just 15-20 minutes to cook

    FAQ

    What meat goes with spinach?

    Good thing, all meat goes well with spinach. You can try chicken and spinach with this Strawberry Spinach Salad with Chicken. It's great with sausage/pork, like in these Butternut Squash and Sausage Lasagna Rolls. It's also great with plant proteins like tofu and edamame, like in this Spinach and Mandarin Orange Salad.

    Do you cut spinach before cooking?

    I don't cut it since spinach shrinks when the water in it cooks off. You definitely can cut spinach before cooking it but it's not necessary to make it easy to eat after it's cooked. You may want to cut the stems off if that's your preference though.

    What can I make with a lot of spinach?

    Here are 3 things I like to make when I have too much spinach: this Thai inspired beef and spinach bowl, add it to pesto sauce, like this Pistachio Pesto Sauce, or freeze it in a bag to add to cooked dishes or smoothies.

    Thai beef and spinach bowl with fried garlic on top

    How can I repurpose this dish?

    I'd serve any extra beef and spinach over rice noodles or in a hoagie to have it like a steak sandwich. You can also add it to your favorite vegetables and have as a salad.

    What can I make with leftover ingredients?

    • Beef: Stuffed Squash with Beef and Rice, you can also substitute ground beef in this Beef and Broccoli or Beef Bulgogi recipe
    • Spinach: Add it to this Mixed Berry Smoothie, Butternut Squash and Sausage Lasagna Rolls, or this Pistachio Pesto Sauce.
    • Fish Sauce: it's great in lots of Thai recipes. You can also add it to dishes to deepen their flavor or add an umami flavor to it, like in this Spaghetti and Meatball recipe (yes, fish sauce makes this spaghetti AMAZING!)
    • Oyster Sauce: You can use oyster sauce in lots of Thai recipes mentioned above.

    Did you make these/this Thai inspired beef and spinach bowl? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it/they turned out!

    Thai Beef Bowl with a fork
    Print Pin
    4.88 from 8 votes

    Thai Beef Bowl with Garlic and Spinach

    This Thai inspired beef and spinach bowl is the perfect quick weeknight dinner recipe that takes 20 minutes and is bursting with flavor. Fish sauce and garlic turn this recipe simple ingredients into a delicious meal that's got more flavor in it than time it takes to make.
    Course dinner, Lunch
    Cuisine Thai
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Cook Time 15 minutes
    Total Time 20 minutes
    Servings 2 people
    Author Rebecca

    Equipment

    • cutting board
    • knife
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Measuring Cups
    • Large Skillet
    • Medium Saucepan

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons mild oil like grapeseed
    • 7 cloves garlic sliced thinly
    • ⅓ pound ground beef
    • 1 ½ tablespoons oyster sauce
    • 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
    • 2 teaspoons sugar I used turbinado
    • 3 large handfulls baby spinach
    • 1 ½ cup brown rice cooked
    • optional red pepper flakes

    Instructions

    • Heat oil up in frying pan. Once oil is hot, add sliced garlic to pan. Fry for about 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove garlic, but leave oil.
    • Add ground beef to heated oil. (use frozen precooked or uncooked ground beef) Cook until beef is browned. About 3-7 minutes depending on whether it's precooked or not. Drain if there's a significant amount of fat in the pan.
    • Add in oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir. Add baby spinach. Stir until wilted. Heat up rice while spinach is wilting. 
    • Add rice to bowl, top with beef and spinach mixture, then fried garlic. (optional: add red pepper flakes). Enjoy. 

    Video

    Thai Beef Bowl with fried garlic and spinach

    Notes

    • Cook until water from the spinach evaporates.
    • rice can take some time to cook, here's a couple ideas to expedite the cooking process:
      • buy precooked frozen rice
      • buy minute rice
      • cook a large batch at the beginning of the week.
      • find rice that takes just 15-20 minutes to cook

    Want to get more single serving recipes delivered to your inbox? Click here to download my Single Serving Cookbook.

    Recipes are great, but you’ll need a simple 3 step process to create a meal plan that make cooking easy & helps you stop wasting food. Check out this expertly developed meal planning guide to get started. 

    More Beef Dishes

    • chili with toppings and slices of bread on side
      Chili Without Tomatoes
    • plate of corned beef and veggies
      Air Fryer Corned Beef
    • shrimp, steak, peppers, and onions on a blue plate
      Steak and Shrimp Fajitas
    • brisket grilled cheese sandwich on a plate
      Easy Brisket Grilled Cheese

    About Rebecca

    Welcome! I’m Rebecca, a food loving dietitian. On Nourish Nutrition, you’ll find real, quick, and nourishing recipes for one that'll get you to want to cook for yourself, because you deserve it.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elaine Benoit says

      December 18, 2018 at 8:45 am

      5 stars
      I love Thai food! That's so cool your dad lived there and you had some cooking lessons! This Thai beef bowl looks scrumptious and yes, I bet the garlic makes it extra tasty!

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        December 19, 2018 at 11:43 am

        ya! and so true! It's really good on it's own but the garlic makes it unbelievable!

        Reply
    2. Tawnie Kroll says

      December 18, 2018 at 8:52 am

      5 stars
      What a yummy and healthy dish!

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        December 19, 2018 at 11:42 am

        thanks girl!

        Reply
    3. Shanika says

      December 18, 2018 at 9:00 am

      5 stars
      This recipe looks so flavorful and delicious! I need to try this for sure!

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        December 19, 2018 at 11:42 am

        awesome! thanks

        Reply
    4. Lisa Huff says

      December 18, 2018 at 9:04 am

      5 stars
      Love how easy this is to make! We are big thai fans here!

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        December 19, 2018 at 11:41 am

        ahh yay for good Thai food!

        Reply
    5. Beth Neels says

      December 18, 2018 at 9:10 am

      5 stars
      Yum! That looks so delicious! What a wonderful experience that you got to enjoy Thai food at the source! What a great place to learn! I can't wait to try this!

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        December 19, 2018 at 11:41 am

        yes! it's so good & easy

        Reply
    6. Jein says

      June 27, 2020 at 6:09 am

      5 stars
      Hi! I love this recipe so much so thank you. I have a question though, I don’t cook much so i’m not sure if I’m doing something wrong but mine came out quite watery, like with sauce. I understand it’s because the spinach holds in a lot of water but is this normal or should I have done something differently?

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        June 29, 2020 at 9:52 am

        Hi Jein, glad you made it and liked it (other than the extra water). You probably didn't do anything wrong-just like you said it was the spinach. Just cook it a few extra minutes to let the water evaporate. I wouldn't recommend draining the water because you may drain some of the flavorful sauce with it too. It may take a few minutes to 6-7 depending on how much water was in your spinach and how large your pan is. Another solution is to cook the spinach in another pan, and transfer it to the beef/sauce mixture after it's been cooked. That'd help it not get watery. Let me know how it turns out if you make it again!

        Reply
    7. Mary Clyde says

      October 03, 2020 at 8:24 pm

      I found oyster sauce at Safeway. I was so glad I did because this recipe is one of the best ever AND easy!

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        October 06, 2020 at 10:09 am

        yay! I agree, this is one of my faves! it's so good

        Reply
    8. Lassoa says

      January 11, 2022 at 8:15 pm

      5 stars
      I love Thai food, it;s very Yummy, spicy and sour.

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        January 14, 2022 at 8:18 am

        agreed! Soo good

        Reply
    9. Sherry Thacker says

      May 05, 2022 at 4:36 pm

      4 stars
      I really liked it, my other half said it was a little to sweet. So next time I will cut the sugar in half in the recipe. I will make this again!

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        May 06, 2022 at 8:57 am

        let me know how it turns out the second time!

        Reply
    10. Tim W says

      January 08, 2023 at 3:41 pm

      Rebecca, you don’t instruct to drain the ground beef. Using 80-86%, you don’t think it should be drained? Or is draining assumed?

      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        January 09, 2023 at 5:08 pm

        oh good catch! you don't have to, but the texture would be better if it was drained.

        Reply

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    Rebecca, MS, RDN
    of Nourish Nutrition

    At Nourish Nutrition, you'll find bold, flavorful recipes for one. Most are single serving, and all have suggestions to use up the leftover ingredients so you can stop throwing away unused ingredients & leftovers!

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