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    Home » Recipes » Recipes

    Aug 22, 2023 by Cook With Dana

    Easy One Pot Beef and Rice

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    beef, rice, corn made in a rice cooker with green onions on top

    This easy one pot beef and rice is inspired by the popular Japanese fast-food chain, Pepper Lunch. All you have to do is add all the ingredients (rice, corn, thinly sliced beef and your sauce) in the rice cooker (or stovetop pot) and wait for the magic to happen! We are using short grain rice so the rice is tender and chewy (think sushi rice!) and the thinly sliced beef just melts in your mouth.

    You won’t regret making this super flavorful and easy one pot beef and rice during a busy work night!

    Inspired by Pepper Lunch Sauce & Recipe

    pepper lunch with corn green onions and beef
    Pepper beef rice sold at the popular restaurant, Pepper Lunch

    The popular Japanese chain, Pepper Lunch was to provide customers with a unique and interactive dining experience, where they could cook their own meals right at their table. The most popular meal that is served are their sizzling hot plates of beef, rice and corn. The success of the first Pepper Lunch location in Japan led to its expansion across Asia and beyond, with restaurants now located in over 15 countries worldwide.

    Instead of using a sizzling plate, we are cooking all the same ingredients and sauce (garlic pepper sauce) in the rice cooker. Check out the recipe below for this copycat pepper lunch that requires minimal dishes!

    Recipe Tips

    beef corn rice and green onions pepper lunch inspired
    • Use short grain rice for this dish. Don’t forget to wash the rice in a strainer a few times until the water runs clear. If you don’t wash off the excess starch in the rice, the rice clumps together and tastes a little grainy when cooked. After washing the short grain rice, the grains will separate and make the rice smooth and soft!
    • Use high quality (I prefer USDA prime chuck cuts) thinly sliced beef so the beef is tender and melts in your mouth. If you use thicker slices of beef, the beef will get overcooked and may have a tough texture.
    • Soak the short grain rice in water while you prep the sauce and green onions. This helps soften the rice and give you great texture. Don’t worry, the rice is still chewy and tender, it will not be mushy after doing this.

    Looking for more one pot meals?

    chicken and rice with cucumbers, spicy sweet and sour red sauce, green onions ginger
    One pot hainanese chicken rice made in one pot with sweet and sour chili and ginger scallion sauce.
    Chinese chicken and sausage cooked in the rice cooker for an easy and delicious meal!
    mushroom and bamboo rice
    For vegetarians, I recommend this savory mushroom and bamboo rice made in a rice cooker.

    Ingredients for your easy one pot beef and rice:

    *note: use the standard measuring cups, not the rice cups*

    rice

    • 1 cup short grain rice – soak with 2 cups of water prior to cooking
    • ½ cup water
    • ½ pound thinly sliced beef – I get thinly sliced beef at H-mart or 99 Ranch. I prefer the chuck cuts or anything that has lots of marbling and fat for this dish!
    • ½ cup corn – frozen or canned corn works for this recipe
    • ½ white onion, finely diced
    • 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
    • 2 garlic, minced
    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

    sauce: (use half and save a little to pour on top when eating)

    • ¼ cup soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoon water
    • 1 tablespoon mirin
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 garlic, grated
    • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
    • lots of black pepper, to taste

    garnish:

    • sauce
    • 1-2 green onions, thinly sliced

    How to make your one pot beef and rice:

    Step 1. Soak 1 cup short grain rice with 2 cups water. Soaking the rice in water helps soften the rice as short grain rice can be hard in the center if not soaked.

    rice soaked in water
    soak your rice in water while you prepare the ingredients

    Step 2. Prepare the sauce by mixing ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon mirin, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 grated garlic, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, and lots of black pepper to taste. Mix until sugar has dissolved. OPTIONAL: scoop out a few tablespoons of sauce and put it to the side if you want to use as a garnish when the rice is finished cooking.

    soy sauce mixed with garlic
    make sauce by mixing the ingredients in step 2. Mix well until sugar has dissolved. Scoop a little bit of sauce on the side to use for later.

    Step 3. Add the thinly sliced beef to the sauce you prepared in Step 2. Let the beef marinate for a few minutes while you prepare the next steps.

    thin beef marinated in soy sauce
    add thinly sliced beef to the sauce and marinate while you prepare the next few steps.

    Step 4. Mince 2 cloves garlic and 1 tablespoon ginger. Dice ½ white onion.

    Step 5. Wash 1 cup of rice in a strainer (or in the same bowl you used before) until water runs clear. Make sure your strain all the water to ensure that you add the right amount of water in the next step. The water should barely cover the surface of the rice. We don’t need to add too much water because the beef will provide some moisture to the rice and we don’t want soggy rice.

    rice with onions, garlic, gingerr
    strain all the water after washing rice. add minced garlic, ginger, onion and ½ cup water

    Step 6. In the pot with rice, add ½ cup water, marinated beef from step 3, ½ cup corn, onion, ginger, garlic and 1 tablespoon butter. Place pot in rice cooker and press the cook button. If you don’t have a rice cooker, use the alternative cooking instructions below.

    rice with beef and butter on top
    add corn, thinly sliced beef and butter to the rice. place pot in rice cooker and press the ‘cook’ button!

    Step 7. When the rice is done, mix everything together. Garnish the rice with some sliced green onions and leftover sauce. Hope you enjoy!

    beef corn rice and green onions pepper lunch inspired
    Check out this bite of savory rice, melt-in-your-mouth beef, and corn!

    ALTERNATIVE COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:

    I understand that not everyone has a rice cooker, so some of us might use pots on the stovetop to cook the beef and rice. If that is you, get your medium sized pot ready. Add the rice, corn, and beef according to the recipe directions. Once your pot is filled with rice and all the ingredients…follow the instructions below and you can make your one pot beef and rice!

    1. Heat pot to medium high and cook for 5-7 minutes covered with a lid. The water will start boiling. Make sure to watch over the fire because the water might boil over ◡̈
    2. After 5-7 minutes, turn heat to low and cook for 10 more minutes covered. Do not open the lid during the entire cooking process.
    3. Then turn off the heat and do not open the covered pot. Leave for 20 minutes covered. After the 20-25 minutes is up, mix the rice together and garnish with sliced green onions. Hope you enjoy.

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    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    4.77 from 21 votes

    One Pot Beef and Rice

    Pepper lunch inspired dish of beef and rice made in a rice cooker! This savory rice is perfect for those busy nights.
    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time45 minutes mins
    Course: Main Course
    Servings: 2 people

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup short grain rice
    • ½ cup water
    • ½ pound thinly sliced beef
    • ½ cup corn
    • ½ white onion diced
    • 1 tablespoon ginger minced
    • 2 garlic minced
    • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

    sauce (save a little bit for garnish!)

    • ¼ cup soy sauce
    • 2 tablespoon water
    • 1 tablespoon mirin
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • 1 garlic grated
    • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
    • lots of black pepper to taste

    garnish

    • leftover sauce
    • 1-2 green onions thinly sliced

    Instructions

    • Soak 1 cup short grain rice with 2 cups water. Soaking the rice in water helps soften the rice as short grain rice can be hard in the center if not soaked.
      1 cup short grain rice
    • Prepare the sauce by mixing ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon mirin, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 grated garlic, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, and lots of black pepper to taste. Mix until sugar has dissolved. OPTIONAL: scoop out a few tablespoons of sauce and put it to the side if you want to use as a garnish when the rice is finished cooking.
      ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon mirin, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 garlic, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, lots of black pepper
    • Add the thinly sliced beef to the sauce you prepared in Step 2. Let the beef marinate for a few minutes while you prepare the next steps.
      ½ pound thinly sliced beef
    • Mince 2 cloves garlic and 1 tablespoon ginger. Dice ½ white onion.
      2 garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger
    • Wash 1 cup of rice in a strainer (or in the same bowl you used before) until water runs clear. Make sure your strain all the water to ensure that you add the right amount of water in the next step. The water should barely cover the surface of the rice. We don’t need to add too much water because the beef will provide some moisture to the rice and we don’t want soggy rice.
      1 cup short grain rice
    • In the pot with rice, add ½ cup water, marinated beef from step 3, ½ cup corn, onion, ginger, garlic and 1 tablespoon butter. Place pot in rice cooker and press the cook button. If you don't have a rice cooker, use the instructions below.
      1 cup short grain rice, ½ cup water, ½ pound thinly sliced beef, ½ cup corn, ½ white onion, 1 tablespoon ginger, 2 garlic, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
    • When the rice is done, mix everything together. Garnish the rice with some sliced green onions and leftover sauce. Hope you enjoy!
      leftover sauce, 1-2 green onions

    Video

    View this post on Instagram

    A post shared by Dana | home chef👩🏻‍🍳 (@cookwithdanaa)

    Notes

    I understand that not everyone has a rice cooker, so some of us might use pots on the stovetop to cook the beef and rice. If that is you, get your medium sized pot ready. Add the rice, corn, and beef according to the recipe directions. Once your pot is filled with rice and all the ingredients…follow the instructions below and you can make your one pot beef and rice!
    1. Heat pot to medium high and cook for 5-7 minutes covered with a lid. The water will start boiling. Make sure to watch over the fire because the water might boil over ◡̈
    2. After 5-7 minutes, turn heat to low and cook for 10 more minutes covered. Do not open the lid during the entire cooking process.
    3. Then turn off the heat and do not open the covered pot. Leave for 20 minutes covered. After the 20-25 minutes is up, mix the rice together and garnish with sliced green onions. Hope you enjoy.
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Mandy says

      August 18, 2023 at 5:27 pm

      5 stars
      Yummy and easy recipe! I used frozen briskets and frozen corn since that’s what I had on hand it worked great! Had to thaw the frozen meat a bit before marinating. I didn’t follow the instruction to let the rice sit in the water and ended up with a bit of grainy rice. Will do so next time. Boyfriend tried it and loved it too. Will definitely make this again for lazy days.

      Reply
      • Cook With Dana says

        August 22, 2023 at 4:08 pm

        So happy it tasted well! Thanks so much for trying the recipe!

        Reply

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