Are you tired of spending a fortune on lunches that leave your wallet feeling a little too light? Say hello to the ultimate solution – Banh Mi Rice Bowls! These versatile bowls not only cater to your taste buds but also allow you to stay within budget by utilizing cost-effective ingredients. Today, I’ll walk you through a simple yet delicious recipe that’s perfect for meal prepping and saving some serious cash.
How to Make Banh Mi Rice Bowls
Let’s dive into the heart of these delightful bowls. I often find myself experimenting with ingredients based on what’s on sale that week. Ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken – choose the most budget-friendly option and build your meals around it. The beauty of Banh Mi Rice Bowls lies in their adaptability, so feel free to get creative with the proteins.
Start by preparing two cups of rice with four cups of water, following the package instructions.
While this cooks, let’s move on to the star of the show – the savory ground beef (or your protein of choice). Brown 1lb of beef, pork, ground turkey, or ground chicken.
While your meat is browning craft your sauce with:
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or arrowroot)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (or ground ginger)
Mix these ingredients well and set aside.
Once the meat is cooked, add 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Then add your sauce and cook for a minute or two until the sauce is thickened and warmed through.
Serve as bowls starting with a base of rice, and top it with the beef, sliced cucumber, sliced carrot, and fresh cilantro.
For an extra kick, consider making a simple mayo and Sriracha sauce. However, if you’re keeping it minimal, just Sriracha will do the trick.
What To Serve With Banh Mi Bowls
I generally recommend a vegetable side and/or carbohydrate side but since this bowl is all in one, I’d just top it off with one of these delicious desserts!
Make it Healthier:
I’m always looking for new ways to add veggies to my dishes. Here are some ideas to add more nutrients to this dish:
- Try adding some sauteed zucchini to your bowl. While not traditional, this would taste delicious in this bowl!
- Instead of rice, use cauliflower rice for a keto option.
Make it Kid Friendly:
I always recommend you adjust recipes based on what your family likes. If your kids or even other family members are weary of this dish here are some swap recommendations to get them trying new things without serving a completely different dish:
- Try serving each item separately, I find that kids can be weary of mixed items. So serve this as more of a deconstructed bowl and have them at least try one bite or each item.
- Sauces are always a great way to convince kids to eat something. My kids love anything covered in soy sauce, so the more, the better for them!
- Approach the dish as a cousin of tacos!
Swap Ideas:
- As I mentioned earlier, you can swap out the meat for what you have on hand. This dish is originally made with pork but you can use ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken as well.
- I often serve this without veggies, it just depends on what I have. The rice and meat stands just fine on it’s own.
- You can always use Tamari or coconut aminos vs. soy sauce. They all taste similar enough!
Shopping Tips:
- Stock up on your favorite meats when they go on sale and freeze them. In this case, ground pork, ground beef, chicken, or turkey is what you’re looking for.
- The more rice you buy, the cheaper it is per pound, so if you can buy in bulk, do it!
- You can buy soy sauce really cheap for only $1.25 at Dollar Tree!
As always, please share your own recommendations on how to make this dish healthier, more kid friendly, swap ideas, and budget shopping tips in the comments!
FOR MORE INEXPENSIVE MEAL PREP RECIPES CHECK OUT THESE VIDEOS:
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Banh Mi Rice Bowls
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 5 1x
Description
Immerse yourself in the rich Banh Mi Rice Bowls—a delectable fusion of savory ground beef, fresh veggies, and a flavorful sauce served over a bed of perfectly cooked rice. Simple, budget-friendly, and bursting with taste, these bowls are your ticket to a delicious Banh Mi experience at home. Bon appétit!
Ingredients
- 2 cups rice
- 4 cups water
- 1 pound ground beef (or protein of choice)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup sliced cucumber
- A handful of fresh cilantro (optional)
Sauce:
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or arrowroot)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (or ground ginger)
Optional Sauce Twist:
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- Sriracha to taste
Instructions
- Cook rice according to package instructions (2 cups rice, 4 cups water), cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix coconut aminos (or soy sauce), cornstarch (or arrowroot), and fresh ginger to create the sauce.
- In a pan, cook the ground beef until fully cooked, then drain off excess fat.
- Add minced garlic to the beef, cook for a minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the prepared sauce, cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until it thickens.
- Optional: Mix mayonnaise and Sriracha for an extra sauce twist.
- Serve the cooked beef and sauce over a bowl of rice.
- Top with shredded carrots, sliced cucumber and cilantro if using .
- Drizzle with optional sauce twist if desired.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 20
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