Easy Ground Beef Teriyaki

Quick, easy, and delicious. Perfect for a filing lunch or dinner. Serve this over warm rice, noodles, or zoodles if desired! You could also wrap up in lettuce leaves for tasty lettuce wraps. I used red bell pepper, carrots, and zucchini - but you can certainly change up the veggies to use what you have on hand.

I love dishes like this - they come together in a snap (in about the same amount of time it takes the rice to cook in the Instant Pot), and results in food that everyone in my house is happy to consume. This dish definitely qualifies as comfort food in my house! The flavors are light - just a little touch of sweetness and ginger coming through, but you can certainly change the sauce up to better suit your tastes. If you want some heat, maybe a touch of red chili flakes. Sprinkle on some toasted sesame seeds at the end for some extra texture. Change up the vegetables. Use brown rice. This one is easy to mix and match to make your own!

Easy Ground Beef Teriyaki

Teriyaki Sauce

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/3 cup + 2 TBS water

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

Meat Mixture

1 lb lean ground beef

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

3 medium carrots, peeled and diced small

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1 large zucchini, diced small

Directions

1. In a large nonstick skillet, add the ground beef, bell pepper, and the diced carrots and begin sautéing over medium to medium high heat, for about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Add in the zucchini, and continue cooking until ground beef is fully cooked through and vegetables are crisp tender (to your preferred "doneness").
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl or large (4-cup) measuring cup, combine sauce ingredients: water, soy sauce, ginger, garlic powder, onion powder, both sugars, rice wine vinegar and cornstarch. Whisk to blend.
3. When the meat and veggies are cooked, whisk the sauce again to re-blend everything and pour over the meat and vegetables, using a spatula to get everything off the sides and bottom.
4. Turn the heat up until sauce begins to bubble, stirring occasionally until mixture becomes thickened and glossy. Turn heat off.
5. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Recipe adapted from Together as a Family