Thai Basil Beef Recipe

Thai Basil Beef Recipe

from carlsbadcravings.com
25 min
4 servings

This Thai Basil Beef (Pad Kra Pow) is an easy, speedy one skillet dinner exploding with complex umami flavor, perfect for busy nights or any night!  It’s made with juicy ground beef, bell peppers, sweet onions and loads of Thai basil enveloped in a garlicky, savory, salty, sour, spicy stir fry sauce.  This Pad Gra Prow is easy to customize with your favorite veggies and you can make it as mild or as numbingly hot as you like.  Serve this versatile, deeply satisfying Thai Basil Beef recipe with some hot steamed rice and skip the takeout forever.  If you’re feeling extra fancy, add some Chicken Satay and Tom Kha Gai for a complete Asian feast!

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp EACH ground coriander, ground ginger, white pepper ((may sub 1/4 tsp black pepper))
  • 1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce (like Sambal Oelek (use more to taste if not using jalapeno/serrano peppers))
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 6 cloves garlic, (minced)
  • 1-2 jalapenos or serrano chili peppers, (sliced (see notes))
  • 1/2 sweet onion, (thinly sliced)
  • 1 small bell pepper, (sliced)
  • 1 cup Thai basil leaves, (picked off the stem (may sub regular basil))

Directions

  1. 1

    Whisk together the Sauce ingredients together in small bowl, set aside.

  2. 2

    Heat vegetable oil in a work or large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.

  3. 3

    Once the oil is hot and rippling, add the ground beef. Break up the beef a little then flatten it against the pan; cook undisturbed for about 45 seconds. The beef will start to sear, turn over once, press flat against the pan and cook for another 30 seconds, then crumble the meat into small pieces while cooking. Drain excess grease. (The beef will not be all the way cooked through at this point.)

  4. 4

    Stir in the onion, bell pepper, chilies and garlic and stir fry for 2 minutes.

  5. 5

    Give the Sauce a stir to recombine then add to the skillet; stir fry for another 2 minutes.

  6. 6

    Add the basil and cook until the beef is thoroughly cooked and onions are slightly tender or tender to your liking. Serve over rice with additional chili sauce, peppers or lime if desired.