Thai Basil Beef Skillet
The flavors of Thai basil and soy sauce come together beautifully in this Thai Basil Beef Skillet to bring flavor and variety to your weeknight menu. It’s not just tasty; it’s also extremely fast, moving from freezer to table in just about ten minutes. That’s heaven in a bag for us busy moms! Use frozen, microwaveable rice and everything will be ready when the skillet gets hot.
Everyone talks about how fast food is terrible for you, but fast food made from freezer meals can actually be chock full of nutrition! This skillet recipe is just one example of a freezer meal recipe that helps you get veggies and nutrition into your family without slaving for hours over your meal. Find more recipes in our Freezer Meals 101 Club. You might also enjoy trying this Mongolian Beef Skillet Freezer Meal or the Unstuffed Pepper Skillet Meal.
Thai Basil Beef Skillet Recipe
- 1 lb. ground beef, browned and cooled
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 1/2 purple onion, sliced
- 1/4 cup shredded or matchstick carrots
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh Thai basil leaves or basil leaves
- 2 tsp. ginger
- 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. fish sauce
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. lime juice
- optional: green onions and jalapenos for garnish
How to Make Thai Basil Beef Skillet
Assembly Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag.
- Squish to combine.
- Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.
Cooking Instructions
- Thaw.
- Heat in a skillet over medium-high heat until heated through and vegetables are somewhat softened.
- Serve over rice. Top with chopped green onions and sliced jalapeños if desired.
What are Thai basil leaves?
This form of basil is typically variegated leaves with purple and green or dark green and a strong and delicious licorice smell. I know people who grow huge plants of Thai basil each summer, and it is a very easy plant to grow indoors or out. It has a sharper, more intense flavor than traditional basil and is believed by the Thai people to have healing properties. Use it in place of regular basil for a stronger flavor.
What can I use in place of fish sauce?
If the idea of fish sauce is abhorrent to certain members of your family, substitute it with Worcestershire sauce, which just happens to be a form of fish sauce with a different name. You can also just leave it out entirely but it does add delicious umami flavor without a fishy taste.
How can I make the Thai Basil Beef Skillet more healthy?
We think its perfect just as it is, but if you want to bring even more nutrition to the table, here are some tips. Use lean beef (93/7 or 90/10) and drain the grease from the meat using a strainer before putting it in the freezer bag. Add shredded cabbage, diced zucchini, or summer squash to the dish for even more veggies. Increase the amount of freshly minced garlic. Use low-sodium soy sauce. Eliminate the brown sugar or replace it with honey or agave.
Thai Basil Beef Skillet Recipe Ideas
Want something a little different? Make it a soup! Add two to three cups of beef broth and a half cup of rice once everything is heated through in the skillet. Add more liquid (water or broth) as needed to get the consistency you want. Top with wonton strips at the table.
Bump up the heat with red pepper flakes, a dash of hot sauce, or diced hot peppers.
Toss some peanuts or sesame seeds in the skillet for the last minute or two of cooking time for a little crunch.
You could use rice noodles or any Asian noodles in place of the rice. Cook the noodles in beef broth for extra flavor.
Use ground chicken, ground pork, or even ground turkey using the same recipe and method. Add a little chicken broth to the skillet to keep the meat more moist, since these varieties tend to be a little dry.
Use red, orange, or yellow bell peppers. Red is the sweetest variety. Green bell peppers are a little too sharp for this dish.
Purple onion (also known as red onion) has a specific bite to its flavor not found in other onion varieties. It adds a bit of pop to the dish. If you cannot find a purple onion, you can use any onion you like.
Make rice at the beginning of the week in copious amounts, and your family can use it throughout the week for these meals. Just reheat the rice in a hot skillet with a little olive oil or put it in the microwave with a little water in the bottom of the bowl to rehydrate it.
How do I store Thai Basil Beef Skillet
Leftovers should be refrigerated and will keep for three or four days. If you want to reheat individual servings in the microwave, put some leftover rice on top of the Thai Basil Beef and it will steam as it is heated in the microwave.
Since the ground beef was already cooked and frozen once, it should not be frozen again after it is served.
What to Serve with Thai Basil Beef Skillet
You can keep it simple and make this a one-dish meal, or you can have some fun with it. Add steamed or fried wontons, spring rolls, or dumplings. You can even use this dish as part of a buffet of multiple dishes your family can choose from. Steamed or roasted veggies would also fit right in with this meal. I love stocking bags of the microwaveable steam-in bags of broccoli, sugar snap peas, or green beans for meals like this! Keep everything as easy as possible for the days you’ll use freezer meals for dinner.
- 1 lb ground beef, browned and cooled
- 1 red pepper, sliced
- 1/2 purple onion, sliced
- 1/4 cup shredded or matchstick carrots
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fresh Thai basil leaves or basil leaves
- 2 tsp ginger
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp lime juice
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Place all ingredients in a large resealable freezer bag.
-
Squish to combine.
-
Remove excess air, seal, and freeze.
-
Thaw.
-
Heat in a skillet over medium-high heat until heated through and vegetables are somewhat softened.
-
Serve over rice. Top with chopped green onions and sliced jalapeños if desired.
