Guest Post: Basil Beef & Mushroom Rice Bowls by Kiwi & Bean
We have a guest in the kitchen! We have Sarah of (Cooking for) Kiwi & Bean back today, to share a comforting dish that still makes use of those summer flavours. I have no doubt it’ll be a hit with your family, as it was with hers!!
Hello mushroom-lovers! Sarah here from (Cooking for) Kiwi & Bean, a food blog where I share no-sweat, super simple, family-friendly recipes that anyone (repeat: ANYONE) can make!
You might remember me from my guest post last winter—Penne with Sausage, Caramelized Mushrooms and Winter Greens. It was a perfect way to enjoy mushrooms on the coldest and dreariest of winter days.
I’m excited to be back today sharing a recipe that combines mushrooms with one my favourite summer herbs—basil! If you’ve got a garden, you might have some fresh basil in full (and fragrant) bloom. Otherwise, the grocery stores and farmers markets are full of the stuff.
Mushrooms and basil might seem like unlikely bedfellows, but they pair beautifully in these Thai-inspired Basil Beef & Mushroom Rice Bowls. The mushrooms are diced and sautéed with ground beef, and when fully cooked they almost disappear—a win if you’ve got any mushroom skeptics in your family, as I do.
While this dish has a rich and layered flavour, it’s surprisingly fast and easy to prepare. If you chop the onions, garlic and mushrooms the night before, you can throw the recipe together in about 20 minutes.
I like to serve these rice bowls “build-your-own” style at the dinner table. Set out the basil beef, a pot of cooked rice or quinoa, some chopped red chillies, extra fresh basil, julienned carrots, cucumber rounds, and thinly sliced green onions, and let everyone in the family build a bowl to their liking. And, if you are feeling a little indulgent or want to make this dish weekend-dinner-guest-worthy, top each rice bowl with an egg, sunny-side up. Now we’re talking.
Basil Beef & Mushroom Rice Bowls
Prep Time: 20 mins. | Cook Time: 10 mins.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons avocado oil (or another vegetable oil of choice)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 large cloves of garlic, minced or crushed
½ pound white button or cremini mushrooms, diced
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons tamari (gluten free) or soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 cups fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
Juice of half a lime
To serve: cooked rice or quinoa, chopped red chillies, additional fresh basil, julienned carrots, cucumber rounds, thinly sliced green onions, fried eggs, lime wedges
Method
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Soften and lightly brown the onions, then add the garlic, mushrooms and ground beef, breaking up the beef with the back of your spoon.
2. Let the mixture cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are very soft and the beef is browned and cooked through.
3. Combine the tamari, fish sauce, sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Pour over the beef and mushroom mixture, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and let the mixture simmer for a minute or two, or just until the sauce has thickened slightly. Stir in the basil and lime juice. Remove from the heat, and serve immediately over rice or quinoa with desired garnishes.
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Be sure to follow along with Sarah online at Kiwi & Bean, and on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest!
