These High-Protein Peanut Curry Beef Bowls are the kind of easy, flavor-packed meal I make on repeat. Savory ground beef gets coated in the creamiest peanut curry sauce made with peanut butter, red curry paste, miso, vegetable broth, and just a touch of sweetness. Pair it with fresh cucumber, creamy avocado, and green onion for an easy meal that checks every box.
What I especially love about this recipe is how customizable it is. I made mine into bowls with cucumber, avocado, and green onion, but the peanut curry beef is really the star here. You can serve it with rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, noodles, roasted vegetables, greens, or whatever you already have on hand.
It’s also a great option when you want a high-protein weeknight dinner without spending forever in the kitchen.
Why You’ll Love These Peanut Curry Beef Bowls
The sauce is what makes this recipe. Creamy peanut butter gives it richness, while Thai red curry paste brings warmth and a little heat. Miso adds tons of savory umami flavor, and a touch of maple syrup or honey balances everything out.
Vegetable broth thins the sauce just enough so it can coat all of the ground beef without becoming overly heavy. I also love adding fresh lime juice at the end because that little bit of acidity really wakes up all of the flavors.
Then you get the contrast from the toppings: warm, savory peanut curry beef with cold crunchy cucumber and creamy avocado. SO good.
Ingredients
For the Beef (can use a vegan ground too!)
- 1 ½ packages organic 90/10 ground beef, approximately 1 ½–2 pounds
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
For the Peanut Curry Sauce
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
- 1 tbsp white or red miso paste
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tbsp mustard of choice
- ½ tbsp maple syrup or honey
- ¼ cup vegetable broth, plus more as needed
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1–2 tsp tamari or coconut aminos, optional
For Serving
- Chopped cucumber
- Sliced avocado
- Sliced green onion
- Fresh cilantro, optional
- Sesame seeds, optional
- Fresh lime wedges, optional
- Rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, noodles, or greens, optional
Directions
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the ground beef and season lightly with sea salt and black pepper. Cook for about 7–9 minutes, breaking the beef into small crumbles as it cooks, until browned and completely cooked through. Drain excess grease if wanted.
While the beef cooks, whisk together the peanut butter, red curry paste, miso paste, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard, maple syrup or honey, vegetable broth, and lime juice until smooth. If you’re using tamari or coconut aminos, whisk that in as well.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour the peanut curry sauce over the cooked beef. Stir until the beef is completely coated.
Cook for another 2–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is warm, glossy, and slightly thickened. Add another splash of vegetable broth if the sauce becomes thicker than you would like.
Spoon the warm peanut curry beef into bowls and top with cucumber, avocado, and green onion. Add cilantro, sesame seeds, or an extra squeeze of lime if desired.
Serve on its own or over rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, noodles, or greens.
Make It Your Own
One of the best things about these bowls is that there really isn’t a wrong way to serve them.
For a lighter or lower-carb option, pile the beef over greens or cauliflower rice and add plenty of cucumber and avocado. For something heartier, serve it over jasmine rice or quinoa. I also think the beef would be amazing with rice noodles or even tucked into lettuce cups.
You can add shredded carrots, edamame, cabbage, broccoli, or bell peppers if you want to work more vegetables into the meal.
A Few Recipe Tips
Taste before adding extra salt. Miso paste, curry paste, vegetable broth, and optional tamari can all contribute salt, so I recommend seasoning the beef lightly at first and adjusting at the end.
Adjust the curry paste to your preference. Different brands of Thai red curry paste vary quite a bit in heat, so you can always start with less if you’re sensitive to spice.
Use vegetable broth to adjust the consistency. Peanut butter thickens considerably when heated. If the sauce gets too thick in the skillet, add vegetable broth a tablespoon or two at a time.
Don’t skip the fresh toppings. The cucumber, avocado, and green onion add freshness and texture that balance the rich peanut curry beef perfectly.
Meal Prep & Storage
The peanut curry beef is great for meal prep because you can make the beef ahead of time and keep the fresh toppings separate.
Store the cooked beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days. Reheat it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a small splash of vegetable broth if the peanut sauce has thickened.
Wait to slice the avocado until you’re ready to eat, and keep cucumber and other fresh toppings separate so they stay crisp.
High-Protein Peanut Curry Beef Bowls
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the ground beef and season lightly with sea salt and black pepper. Cook for about 7–9 minutes, breaking the beef into small crumbles as it cooks, until browned and completely cooked through. Drain excess grease if necessary.
- While the beef cooks, whisk together the peanut butter, red curry paste, miso paste, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard, maple syrup or honey, vegetable broth, and lime juice until smooth. If you’re using tamari or coconut aminos, whisk that in as well.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and pour the peanut curry sauce over the cooked beef. Stir until the beef is completely coated.
- Cook for another 2–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is warm, glossy, and slightly thickened. Add another splash of vegetable broth if the sauce becomes thicker than you would like.
- Spoon the warm peanut curry beef into bowls and top with cucumber, avocado, and green onion. Add cilantro, sesame seeds, or an extra squeeze of lime if desired.
- Serve on its own or over rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, noodles, or greens.
Notes
Protein: ~31g
Carbohydrates: ~8g
Fat: ~26g
Fiber: ~2g
Sugar: ~3g
