Quick and Easy Thai Basil Ground Beef Skillet

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 25

Servings:

Calories: 279kcal

Author: Lauren

This quick and easy Thai Basil Ground Beef skillet is the best at-home version of one of my favorite Thai dishes! Packed with delicious Thai flavor and spice, lots of veggies and savory ground beef this recipe is guaranteed to impress! Enjoy the comfort of takeout right at home in under 30 minutes!

Print Recipe

Equipment

Skillet

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
5 cloves garlic minced, I used frozen garlic cubes
2 medium bell peppers (340g) thinly sliced, I used an assortment
1 small white onion (170g) thinly sliced
1 lb. lean ground beef I used 92/8
Handful of fresh basil Holy basil or regular

For the Sauce:

2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce (30g)
2 Tbsp Thai sweet chili sauce (30g)
2 Tbsp oyster sauce (30g)
1 Tbsp pure maple syrup (15g)

For Serving:

Udon noodles, white rice, cauliflower rice, etc.

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or until fragrant.
Then add the sliced peppers, onions and ground beef. Cover with a lid and cook, crumbling with as wooden spoon as you go, until meat is browned and vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Once the meat is browned, add the sauce to the skillet and toss to evenly coat. Then add the basil and stir until wilted.
Remove from heat. Serve with udon noodles, rice, or as is, and enjoy!

Notes

To make gluten-free: use gluten-free soy sauce (or coconut aminos) and gluten-free oyster sauce (or just sub for the gluten-free soy sauce).

To make vegetarian: sub the ground beef for your favorite plant-based alternative.

If you're newer to Thai dishes, you might now know about the different types of basil for cooking! There are 3 main types of basil:

Holy Basil (or hot basil) is known for adding heat to dishes. It can be harder to find but is the most authentic for this dish because of the added spice.
Thai Basil (or Thai sweet basil) has purple stems and a spicy licorice-anise flavor. Thai basil can be difficult to find in American grocery stores but can be found in most Asian grocery stores. If you can’t find Thai basil, just use regular sweet basil as a substitute.
Sweet Basil (also known as Italian basil) is the type of basil we are all probably most familiar with. It’s the most common type of basil found in grocery stores and is used in all types of sauces, marinades, and other recipes. You can easily substitute this basil any time a Thai dish calls for basil just note you might loose a little of the pungent taste that comes from Thai basil or heat from holy basil.

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