Sesame Beef Bowls Make Lunch on the Go

While having a discussion the other day about the merits of noodle soups and rice bowls, it occurred to me that I really have a thing for one bowl meals. Theyre easy to prepare, come in a huge variety, and I love how all the textures and flavors of the different components intermingle.

The same applies to rice bowls. Whether its katsudon, oyakodon, or this sesame beef bowl, theres something magical about a hot steaming bowl of rice topped with a heap of protein and veggies, the sauce trickling down onto the piping hot rice below.

With thin, tender pieces of beef coated in a sweet and nutty sesame soy glaze, this rice bowl makes for a delicious quick weeknight meal. By adding a layer of steamed vegetables between the rice and the meat, the veggies soak up the flavor of the sauce while adding some great color and boosting the nutrient value of the bowl.

The trick to making this work is to thinly slice a tender cut of beef and including potato starch in the marinade. The starch not only helps the meat retain moisture, it also adds just enough thickness to the glaze to make it cling to the beef without making a gloppy sauce.

I love making a double batch of rice bowls like this and packing the leftovers into serving size containers with rice and veggies for an easy reheatable lunch that I can take with me when Im on the go.