I can confirm the viral Coconut Beef Bowls that have taken over the internet are worth the hype! This high-protein Coconut Beef Bowl combines saucy ground beef, creamy coconut-goujuchang broth, rice, and a fresh cucumber edamame salad for the ultimate easy weeknight dinner. It’s creamy, spicy, savory, and packed with flavor and it seriously WORKS.
Why You’ll love this recipe
While I was photographing this recipe in my studio, I heard my husband going back in for a second bowl. I smiled, took the picture, then ran to the kitchen to proclaim “aren’t they good?!?”
Sometimes a viral recipe can be a bit of a let down; truthfully, I don’t make that many (my Instagram ‘saved’ folder says otherwise! As summer is winding down and fall in the air, I kept seeing brothy rice bowls: versions of crispy beef, creamy coconut broth bases, and some kind of herby/vegetable garnish. It felt very APOP coded and on brand.
This is going in our weekly dinner rotation (per my husband and me). I’m already drumming up other ideas of how I can use the drinkable spicy coconut broth (tomato soup twist? Maybe a warm miso scallion? I’ll report back!).
And if you love a bowl situation, also check out APOP’s 15+ High Protein Power bowl round up! Leftover coconut milk? Make my Pumpkin Gnocchi Skillet to use up the rest.
My Twist on the Viral Coconut Beef Bowls
The biggest twist is the broth. I saw Mason Woodruff use blended cottage cheese with broth and gochujang. I thought it was brilliant. So in true APOP fashion, we dialed that up a notch with bone broth (protein boost, woo), blended cottage cheese BUT also the creaminess of lite coconut milk that simply just belongs in these beef bowls.
My Coconut Beef Bowl Tips
- Add more than cucumbers. Most versions I’ve seen are topped with diced cucumber, but you know we love a veggie-herb slaw situation here at APOP! I added edamame for extra protein and tossed everything with rice wine vinegar for acidity.
- Cook the beef with onion. Diced onion adds another layer of flavor to the ground beef and gives the finished bowl more texture.
- Use microwaveable rice. This is supposed to be an easy weeknight meal! Microwaveable rice makes these coconut beef bowls come together even faster.
What is a Coconut Beef Bowl?
A coconut beef bowl is a rice bowl made with savory ground beef and a creamy coconut-based sauce or broth, usually paired with fresh vegetables and herbs. This version puts an APOP spin on the viral coconut beef bowl trend with a creamy coconut-gochujang broth, blended cottage cheese for extra protein, saucy ground beef, and a crunchy cucumber edamame salad. The ingredients you’ll need:
Recipe Ingredients
- Beef: I used 93/7 ground beef, white onion, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar and sesame oil.
- Cucumber Salad: You’ll need edamame, cilantro, cucumber and rice wine vinegar.
- Sauce: Made with cottage cheese, coconut milk, bone broth and gochujang.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- You can totally skip the blended cottage cheese and use 2 cups of coconut milk instead to keep this dairy-free. Note: the protein content will decrease a bit.
- Try with ground chicken, turkey or lamb if thats what you prefer! I’ve also seen variations with sliced skirt steak and that sounds delish, too.
- Take the salad in any direction you choose! Bell peppers or shaved carrots would go well. As for herbs try adding/swapping parsley or basil.
How to Make This Recipe
1. In a mixing bowl, toss together the cucumber edamame salad and set aside.
2. Heat a skillet to medium heat and add the oil. Once warm, add diced white onion. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until slightly brown. Push to one side of the skillet and add the ground beef. Allow to render 3-5 minutes before mashing.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together reduced sodium soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil and brown sugar until combined. When the beef is almost fully cooked, pour the sauce into the pan and turn to low. Stir and allow to simmer. Remove from heat and let rest: the beef will absorb the sauce and caramelize.
4. Make the spicy coconut broth. Use an immersion blender to blend the cottage cheese until smooth (can do this in the container or a large pyrex). Slowly pour the coconut milk into the blended cottage cheese and keep blending. Do the same for the bone broth and gochujang. Pour the broth into a small sauce pot, heat on low. Gently stir until the broth is warm. Do not try to rush this as the cottage cheese can curdle when heated (if done too quickly).
5. Assemble the bowls: Divide equal parts of rice, cooked beef, coconut broth and cucumber salad. Enjoy warm!
PRO TIPS
- Don’t rush the coconut broth! Keep the heat low once you add the blended cottage cheese mixture to the saucepan. Heating it too quickly can cause the cottage cheese to curdle. The goal is simply to warm the broth, not bring it to a simmer.
- Let the beef sit in the skillet for a few minutes after adding the sauce. This gives the sauce time to soak in and allows the beef to caramelize for even more flavor.
Recipe FAQs
Store the rice & beef together and the broth in a separate container. Rice absorbs broth and while that is yummy, you will lose a lot of the moisture as it sits, which is why we recommend storing separately. Keep the cucumber salad in it’s own container as well so this part doesn’t have to get reheated.
The canned is best for this recipe since it’s thicker. To keep the fats lower in this recipe, we used 93/7 ground beef and lite canned coconut milk. 85/15 ground beef would be delicious though, as it would crisp up more with the extra fat.
Gochujang is less spicy than when cooking with sriracha since it’s fermented and there’s a lot of non-chile ingredients inlcuded; and when paired with coconut milk, it creates this lucious, creamy broth that is insanely drinkable. Start with 3 tbsp and test it to your liking if you like things more spicy. I ended up going for ¼ cup + 2 tbsp and my husband still added chili oil crunch for extra heat.
Serving suggestions
I think this would be FABULOUS for a group or build your bowl so people can add as much broth or herb topping as they’d like. You can also set out chili crisp, scallions, toasted sesame seeds, peanuts, kimchi, avocado and/or bean sprouts for topping as well!
This is definitely a full meal on it’s own! But if you’re looking for an appetizer or side to serve with it try pairing with my Asian Style Carrots or this Dumpling Salad.
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Coconut Beef Bowls
Equipment
- skillet
- Rubber Spatula
- Meat masher
- Immersion blender
- sauce pan
- Mixing Bowl
- measuring cups / spoons
- knife & cutting board
Ingredients
Beef
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground beef, 93/7
- 1 small white onion, diced
- 3 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
Cucumber Salad
- 6-8 small persian cucumbers, finely diced
- 1 cup shelled edamame
- 2 tbsp cilantro
- ½ tbsp rice wine vinegar
- Pinch of salt
Sauce
- 1 cup cottage cheese, 4% small curd
- 1 cup lite coconut milk
- 1 cup beef bone broth
- 3-6 tbsp gochujang, depending on preferred spice level
Bowl
- 2 packages of microwavable rice
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, toss together the cucumber edamame salad and set aside. Make the microwavable rice according to package instructions.
- Heat a skillet to medium heat and add the oil. Once warm, add diced white onion. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until slightly brown. Push to one side of the skillet and add the ground beef. Allow to render 3-5 minutes before mashing.
- In a small bowl, whisk together reduced sodium soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil and brown sugar until combined. When the beef is almost fully cooked, pour the sauce into the pan and turn to low. Stir and allow to simmer. Remove from heat and let rest: the beef will absorb the sauce and caramelize.
- Make the coconut broth. Use an immersion blender to blend the cottage cheese until smooth (can do this in the container or a large pyrex). Slowly pour the coconut milk into the blended cottage cheese and keep blending. Do the same for the bone broth and gochujang. Pour the broth into a small sauce pot, heat on low. Gently stir until the broth is warm. Do not try to rush this as the cottage cheese can curdle when heated (if done too quickly).
- Assemble the bowls: divide equal parts of rice, cooked beef, coconut broth and cucumber salad. Enjoy warm!
insanely good. No notes.
These bowls are soooo good – made these for our last date night and little to say they will be made again.
I would eat this EVERY day. This is in the conversation for “if you’re stranded on a deserted island and can only one food” meal question. It’s that good!!!
Yes! Such a fresh take that truly hits the spot. The coconut is wonderful as I don’t regularly prepare meals with it and it gives it an excellent flavor. You all will like this one like my family does.