Beef and Pepper Rice Bowls is a bold and satisfying weeknight dinner featuring tender ground beef, sweet bell peppers, and a touch of jalapeño heat over fluffy rice.
This easy stir-fry-inspired dish comes together in just 35 minutes, delivering rich, savory flavor in every bite with minimal prep and pantry-staple ingredients.
What You’ll Need for These Beef and Pepper Rice Bowls
- Ground beef – The hearty base of the dish, offering rich, savory depth that soaks up the soy-based sauce beautifully.
- Green and red bell peppers – These colorful veggies add sweetness, crunch, and brightness to balance the beef.
- Jalapeño – Offers a spicy kick, elevating the flavor profile with a gentle heat that complements the sweetness of the peppers.
- Onion – Adds aromatic depth and softens during cooking, mingling with the beef for an irresistible base.
- Butter – Used to sauté the vegetables, it adds a silky richness and helps meld all the flavors.
- Soy sauce – Salty and umami-packed, it ties the dish together with bold, Asian-inspired flavor.
- Garlic powder, salt, and black pepper – These essential seasonings amplify the savory notes and add just the right amount of seasoning punch.
Quick & Flavorful: How to Make Beef and Pepper Rice Bowls
Start by melting butter in a large pan and sautéing the onions, bell peppers, and jalapeños until softened. Add the ground beef and cook until fully browned and the vegetables are tender. Drain excess grease and return everything to the pan.
Stir in soy sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat the beef and veggies evenly, letting the flavors come together over gentle heat. Serve the mixture warm over a bowl of steamed rice, and enjoy a comforting, flavorful meal in no time.
Tips & Flavor Twists for the Perfect Bowl
For deeper flavor, try using fresh minced garlic instead of garlic powder, or swap in sesame oil for part of the butter for a nutty twist. Like it spicier? Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or top with sriracha.
This dish is flexible—swap ground beef with ground turkey or chicken, or toss in mushrooms for a hearty meatless version. Jasmine or brown rice both work well, and a fried egg on top turns it into an even more satisfying bowl.
Leftovers Made Easy: Storing Your Beef and Pepper Rice Bowls
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For freezing, keep the beef and pepper mixture separate from the rice to maintain texture—freeze for up to 2 months.
To reheat, warm in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water or soy sauce to bring back moisture. For a quick option, microwave in 60-second bursts, stirring in between, until heated through.
Beef and Pepper Rice Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ cup soy sauce low sodium may be used
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 jalapeño diced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 green bell pepper diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- Optional: cooked rice for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion, green and red bell peppers, and jalapeño; sauté for about 5 minutes until softened. Introduce the ground beef to the pan and cook thoroughly, breaking it apart and stirring until no pink remains and the vegetables are tender. Drain excess fat, then return the mixture to the pan. Stir in soy sauce, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper, mixing until the ingredients are evenly incorporated and heated through. Serve immediately over a bed of freshly cooked rice.
