If you’ve been on TikTok or Instagram lately, chances are you’ve seen a coconut beef broth bowl come across your feed. These cozy bowls have been everywhere lately, and after making one myself, I completely understand the hype even though I was skeptical in when I first saw it. Something about the ground beef with the broth just had me al little perplexed but you can truly swap the protein out for any protein of choice. I think boneless chicken thighs would be perfect here.
This is exactly the kind of dinner I love: warm, comforting, full of flavor and surprisingly easy to pull together. Fall is officially here and if you’re not ready to nose dive into soup season yet this is a nice transition. You get crispy seasoned ground beef, creamy red curry coconut broth, fluffy coconut rice and tender baby bok choy all in one bowl. Finish it with scallions, sesame seeds and a squeeze of fresh lime and you have a seriously good dinner.
And while it looks like there’s a lot going on, there really isn’t. I used microwave coconut rice to make this even easier, because we are absolutely taking the shortcut when it makes sense. I like the coconut jasmine rice by Uncle Bens, so yummy!
Why You’ll Love This Coconut Beef Broth Bowl
The broth is the star here. Coconut milk makes it rich and creamy, red curry paste brings warmth and depth, and then soy sauce, sesame oil, hoisin and mirin round everything out with that savory-sweet flavor. I know someone will ask if you can skip the coconut milk but I’m not sure what would be a proper substitution in this case you would want to just omit it completely.
Then you have the crispy beef. I like browning the ground beef in batches so it actually gets some color instead of steaming in the pan. Seasoned simply with white pepper, garlic, ginger, scallion and soy sauce, it’s flavorful enough to stand up to that creamy broth without competing with it. Add salt to taste but be careful, the broth is plenty salty.
Add coconut rice and steamed baby bok choy and dinner is done.
Ingredients
For the crispy beef:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- White pepper, to taste
- Onion powder, smoked paprika
- Garlic, minced or grated
- Fresh ginger, minced or grated
- Scallions, sliced
- Soy sauce, to taste
For the coconut curry broth:
- Red curry paste
- 1 can coconut milk
- Soy sauce, to taste
- Sesame oil
- Hoisin sauce
- Mirin
For serving:
- Coconut rice, I used microwave rice
- Steamed baby bok choy
- Sliced scallions
- White sesame seeds
- Fresh lime wedges
This coconut beef broth bowl is officially going into my fall and winter dinner rotation. It’s warm and comforting without feeling too heavy, packed with flavor, and easy enough to make on a random weeknight when you want something a little more exciting than your usual dinner.
The crispy beef with that creamy red curry coconut broth is really what does it for me. Add the coconut rice, tender bok choy and that fresh squeeze of lime at the end and every bite has a little bit of everything.
If these coconut beef broth bowls have been taking over your feed too, this is your sign to finally make one. And don’t be afraid to taste and adjust that broth as you go—that’s where all the magic is.
If you make this recipe, let me know what you think in the comments! And if you’re looking for more easy, cozy dinner ideas, be sure to check out more of my weeknight recipes right here.
Creamy Coconut Beef Broth Bowl
Ingredients
For the Crispy Beef
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For the Coconut Red Curry Broth
- 2 tablespoon red curry paste
- 1 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper, optional
For the Bowls
- 2 8.5-ounce packages microwave coconut rice, or about 3 cups cooked coconut or jasmine rice
- 4 baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds, for ganish
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
Brown the beef.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the ground beef, breaking it into small pieces and spreading it into an even layer. Let it cook undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes so the bottom can develop a deep brown crust. Stir and continue cooking until browned and slightly crisp around the edges, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining beef.
- Return all of the beef to the skillet. Add the soy sauce, ginger, garlic, white parts of the scallions, white pepper and sesame oil. Cook, stirring, until the garlic and ginger are fragrant and the beef is well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
Make the coconut broth.
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the red curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds to wake up the spices.
- Add the coconut milk and beef broth and whisk until the curry paste is completely incorporated. Stir in the soy sauce, hoisin, mirin, sesame oil and white pepper, if using.
- Bring the broth to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not rapidly boil the coconut milk.
- Taste and adjust as needed. Add a splash more soy sauce for saltiness, hoisin or mirin for sweetness or red curry paste for more heat and curry flavor.
Steam the bok choy.
- Place the baby bok choy in a steamer basket over simmering water. Cover and steam until bright green and just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Prepare the rice.
- Heat the coconut rice according to the package directions. Divide the warm rice evenly among 4 shallow bowls.
Assemble the bowls.
- Divide the crispy beef among the bowls, arranging it alongside the rice. Add 2 bok choy halves to each bowl.
- Ladle about 3/4 cup of the hot coconut red curry broth around the rice and beef. Finish each bowl with sliced scallions, white sesame seeds and a generous squeeze of fresh lime. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
