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Prep dinner ahead of time with these Slow Cooker Thai-Inspired Beef Bowls! I am obsessed with the flavor of this delicious, tender meat, which slow cooks in an umami-rich sauce with peanut butter, garlic, and lime. I can’t wait for you to try it!
During busy weeks, which these days seems to be all of them, I’m all about planning ahead. For me, that almost always means getting something into my slow cooker in the morning. That way at dinner time, all I have to do is make a few elements right before serving. Want to make it in an Instant Pot? Scroll to the bottom of the recipe card and you’ll find instructions for that method too!
While I’ve made a lot of shredded beef over the years (my Salsa Verde Shredded Beef Bowls is one of my most popular recipes ever!), this recipe is quickly becoming a favorite. The beef slowly cooks with some basic pantry ingredients like coconut aminos, fish sauce, coconut sugar, and peanut butter to bring layers of savory and salty flavors. All of that along with some fresh ginger, lime juice, and Thai chiles results in the most tender and flavorful shredded beef!
You can enjoy the shredded beef however you prefer! Once the beef is cooked and the salad is made, enjoy it all with rice and a simple, quick-pickled veggie salad as I did here or you could even serve it in lettuce cups! Whatever you decide, be sure to pile on the fresh herbs and include a lime wedge for a bright, zesty finish.
ingredients:
- Avocado Oil
- Garlic Cloves
- Coconut Sugar
- Coconut Aminos
- Fish Sauce
- Creamy Peanut Butter
- Lime Zest
- Lime Juice
- Fresh Ginger
- Thai Chilis
- Flap or Flank Steak
- Kosher Salt
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- Mini Bell Peppers
- Red Onions
- Julienned carrots
- Rice Vinegar
- Prepared White Rice, For Serving
- Fresh Cilantro, For Garnish
- Fresh Thai Basil, For Garnish
- Lime Wedges
step-by-step – slow cooker method:
step one: make the sauce
In the base of the slow cooker, whisk together the oil, garlic, coconut sugar, coconut aminos, fish sauce, peanut butter, lime zest, lime juice, ginger, and Thai chili peppers until well combined.
step two: season and cook the beef
Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper, then nestle into the sauce. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or low for 8 to 10.
step three: shred the beef
When the cook time is complete, use two forks to shred the meat and keep on warm while you prepare the veggie salad.
step four: make the pickled veggie salad
In a large bowl, combine the bell peppers, red onions, julienned carrots, chili peppers, garlic, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and salt. Set aside for at least 10 minutes to lightly “pickle.”
step five: divide and serve
Divide the beef into bowls with cooked rice and veggie salad. Top with cilantro and basil. Serve with a lime wedge.
RECIPE FAQS:
Flap steak is my absolute favorite cut of meat for this recipe. Ask your butcher if they have “flap” or “bavette” steak (it can be called both). If not, flank steak works fine here!
If you can’t find thai chilies, I recommend buying a small serrano pepper. (You’ll only need about 1/2 of a serrano pepper).
You can use brown sugar here. To keep this dish Whole30 compatible, you can also omit the coconut sugar. However, the coconut sugar adds a nice touch of sweetness with the savory flavors of the meat and helps the beef caramelize so I do recommend it!
You can use soy sauce and tamari instead of coconut aminos, but keep in mind that soy sauce is much saltier than coconut aminos. Just omit the fish sauce reduce the salt to about 1½ teaspoons.
I love the Red Boat brand!
I hope you all love these Slow Cooker Thai-Inspired Beef Bowls as much my family and I do!
LOOKING FOR more slow cooker and Instant Pot recipes? TRY THESE!
Cuban-Inspired Pulled Pork with Mojo
Instant Pot Beer-Braised Chicken Tacos
Salsa Verde Shredded Beef Bowls
Slow Cooker Thai Red Curry Chicken and Veggies
Slow Cooker Thai-Inspired Beef Bowls
Ingredients
For the Steak:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/3 cup coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- zest of 1/2 lime
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1-inch knob of ginger fresh, peeled and finely grated
- 2 to 3 Thai chili peppers, minced
- 2 pounds flap or flank steak, cut into 4 equal-sized pieces
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Veggie Salad:
- 6 mini bell peppers, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
- 1 cup julienned carrots
- 1 Thai chili pepper, minced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For Assemby:
- 2 cups prepared white rice
- fresh cilantro leaves, to garnish
- fresh Thai basil leaves, to garnish
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
Make the Shredded Beef:
- In the base of the slow cooker, whisk together the oil, garlic, coconut sugar, coconut aminos, fish sauce, peanut butter, lime zest, lime juice, ginger, and Thai chili peppers until well combined.
- Season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper, then nestle into the sauce. Cook on high for 4 to 6 hours or low for 8 to 10.
- When the cook time is complete, use two forks to shred the meat and keep on warm while you prepare the veggie salad.
Make the Salad:
- In a large bowl, combine the bell peppers, red onions, julienned carrots, chili peppers, garlic, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and salt. Set aside for at least 10 minutes to lightly “pickle.”
Assemble the Bowls:
- Divide the beef into bowls with cooked rice and veggie salad. Top with cilantro and basil. Serve with a lime wedge.
Notes
Instant Pot Method:
- Complete step 1 by adding all of the sauce ingredients to the bottom of an Instant Pot. Add 1/4 cup low-sodium beef or chicken broth and whisk until well combined. (unlike the slow cooker, you’ll need a little extra liquid to get the pressure cooker to work).
- Season the beef with salt and pepper and nestle into the sauce.
-
Close the lid and turn the valve at the top so that it is sealed. Press the ‘manual’ button and set the timer to 45 minutes.
-
When the cook time is complete, manually release the pressure by carefully turning the valve to vent. Allow all the of the steam to release before carefully opening the Instant Pot. Using two forks, shred the beef.
- Complete the recipe as written above (make the salad and assemble).
Freezer Tips:
- Let the meat cool completely, then transfer it to airtight containers or freezer bags, leaving some space for expansion. Label and date the containers before placing them in the freezer.
- To thaw, transfer the meat to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight.
- For reheating, warm the meat in a skillet over medium heat on the stove, adding a splash of water or broth to keep it moist.
- Alternatively, you can reheat this in the microwave in short intervals, stirring in between to ensure even heating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography and Styling by Eat Love Eats.
We went to 2 different butcher shops and one meat counter at a grocery store and no one had flap steak. Would be great if you put alternatives in the recipe.
Hi!! I have a section below the recipe with Q+A that lists this there!
This looks amazing Alex. Thank you for sharing. Can we substitute the coconut sugar and coconut aminos? If so, what would I use? Thanks!!
You can swap in brown sugar + soy sauce or tamari. Just know that the soy will be saltier than the coconut aminos so maybe omit the fish sauce.
Made this recipe the day after it was posted and it did not disappoint! So so easy to put together, amazing flavor from both the beef and the bright crunchy veggies. Will be a staple in our house moving forward
So glad this was a hit! Thanks for commenting
This looks delicious! We have a nut allergy here – think we could leave out the nut butter altogether?
Thanks!
yes you could!
Can I omit the coconut sugar?
Yes you can. It does help carmelize the meat a little but i think it will still be great without it.
Protein is showing as only 4 g?
Just fixed that. The nutritional values are automatically applied to recipes using a plug in and they can really be off. It’s more accurate now.
This was great! I think user error in cooking it just a tad too long, probably do 6 1/2 on low, but great flavor. Topped over cauliflower rice. Would make again!
I can’t find Thai chilis at any of our local grocery stores! What’s a good substitute or do you know where to find them?
You could use half of a serrano pepper instead or even a jalepeno!
Hi! These look amazing. Can I substitute a different nut butter? If so, which one do you recommend?
almond butter would work fine here!
Couldn’t find flap steak. Wegmans butcher said was another word for sirloin. Now cooking away. We will see!
Enjoying all your recipes in your two books!
so excited to try this! No presearing is a huge win!
Looks like a great freezer meal as well
Hi Alex!! So excited to try this and I already know it’s going to be 5 stars just like all of your other recipes! I am having a tough time finding flap steak. Are there any other cuts of beef you would suggest to use? Thanks!
Hi Hannah! yes, you can use flank steak here! I prefer flap steak always, but since it’s being cooked low and slow flank steak will still get tender and turn out well with this recipe! ENjoy!!
In Insta Pot instructions it says to add 1/4 cup low sodium. Could you please clarify? Can’t wait to make this!
Low-Sodium broth sorry about that.