- March 18, 2020
- 30 Minute Meals
Grass Fed Keto Thai Basil Beef Bowls
This recipe was created in partnership with Sprouts Farmers Market. All opinions are my own and I appreciate your support towards the brands that help the Bon Appeteach kitchen running!
A spicy, Thai inspired keto recipe using beef, fresh basil, sweet red bell peppers and onions over tasty cauliflower rice. The perfect, at home “take-out” Thai restaurant style dish for the whole family.
We are big Thai food lovers in our house. Recreating a quick and easy weeknight Thai inspired dinner at home (like this Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai) is something I 100% down for. Not only because it’s so delicious, but I can control what ingredients I am adding to keep my dish sugar free, keto friendly, and whole 30 compliant.
I partnered with my friends at Sprouts because I know I can find high quality ingredients like fresh sweet basil and peppers, grass fed beef, and specialty items like coconut aminos (in place of standard soy sauce in a stir fry). Get the full recipe below for this easy keto and whole 30 Thai beef recipe and read through the post for helpful cooking tips and tricks for a successful outcome.
“School” Supplies:
- Large Frying Pan
- Mixing Bowl
- Knife & Cutting Board
- Spatula
- Tongs
- Sheet Pan
“Class” Notes:
What’s grass fed beef?
Grass fed beef means exactly that. That a cow is mostly fed grass as the majority of their diet. Typically this is done by allowing cows to roam and graze as they naturally would as opposed to being grain fed, some cows may be given plants (like alfalfa) to help supplement. The goal of grass fed beef however is to keep a cows diet as close to what would naturally occur as possible.
The grass fed beef I purchased from Sprouts is just as delicious as regular grain fed beef, despite common misconceptions. This is because the beef at Sprouts is 100% grass fed, pasture raised here in the U.S, is minimally processed, and is hormone and antibiotic free.
They also only carry fresh (never frozen) grass fed beef which I love too! Check out the grass fed beef selection at your local Sprouts grocery store and read up more about their process here.
Meal Prep-
To prepare this (now favorite) Thai inspired recipe you need to keep a few key components in mind. The first is to remove moisture from your meat and also impart some serious flavors too. Moisture removal is key to preventing the meat from steaming and allowing it to sear and brown instead!
Pat the beef dry with a paper towel, add your seasoning (I kept it simple with sea salt and pepper) like plenty of garlic and some ginger if you’re feeling it! Prep the veggies next, by slicing thin pieces and setting them aside.
Tips for cooking the beef and veggies-
Make sure to preheat your pan to medium high heat. Add a nice swirl of sesame oil to the pan and allow it to heat through and give it a swirl in the pan. If you have a lot of beef, cook it in batches (again to prevent steaming and to promote browning). Let it sear and brown on both sides and cook it completely through. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add your red pepper and your onions and cook for about 5 minutes or so. Add the beef back in and add your coconut aminos at this point and allow it to mix and slightly reduce. Once the mixture reduces down a bit, add the Thai basil in and toss with the heat off until it lightly wilts.
Common substitutes for this recipe-
Soy Sauce/ Oyster Sauce- Definitely a pantry staple sub for coconut aminos. Coconut aminos are considered paleo whole30 and keto compliant. But soy sauce or even an oyster or fish sauce works as a sub if that’s what you have on hand.
Basil- Sometimes it’s hard to find Thai basil and sweet basil is the most common variety you often can find in the store. This works just as well for this recipe too!
Ground Beef- Don’t want to use stir fry style beef? Try ground beef as an easy sub for this recipe too!
How to build you beef bowl?
I like to serve my Thai beef over a bowl of cauliflower rice. Make sure to check out all my tips and tricks for making the best cauliflower rice! Garnish with a little lime juice, green onion, or just some more fresh basil if desired. This whole meal is so easy to make an can be done in 30 minutes!
Check out these other easy meals you can make with ingredients you can find at Sprouts-
Sausage & Antipasto Style Kebabs
Yellow Squash with Bacon & Blue Cheese
Carne Asada Fire Roasted Stuffed Peppers
Bon Appeteach,
-L
Grass Fed Keto Thai Basil Beef Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp. Sesame Oil
- 2 lbs Grass Fed Beef
- 1 Red Pepper
- ½ Yellow Onion
- 2 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 1 cup Thai Basil
- ¼ cup Coconut Aminos or soy sauce
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1. Pat the meat completely dry with a paper towel to ensure it browns. Season the meat with sesame oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Slice the peppers and onions and set them aside.
- 2. Preheat a large frying pan on medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the beef and sear it so it browns nicely on all sides. The meat is thin and will cook fast 5-6 min. Remove the meat and set it aside.
- 3. Using the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add the pepper and onion. Saute about 3-4 min, then add the meat and the coconut aminos in and cook so the coconut aminos reduces down and cook a few more minutes. Mix in the fresh basil and toss until its lightly wilted and serve over cauliflower rice
Notes
browns. Season the meat with sesame oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Slice the peppers and onions and set them aside. Preheat a large frying pan on medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the beef and sear it so it browns nicely on all sides. The meat is thin and will cook fast 5-6 min. Remove the meat and set it aside. Using the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add the pepper and onion. Saute about 3-4 min, then add the meat and the coconut aminos in and cook so the coconut aminos reduces down and cook a few more minutes. Mix in the
fresh basil and toss until its lightly wilted and serve over cauliflower rice.