One-Pot Spicy Thai Basil Beef Stir Fry
A quick and flavorful one-pot stir fry combining ground beef, bold Thai basil, and a spicy-sweet sauce served over jasmine rice. This Thai-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs ground beef, vegetable oil, garlic cloves, minced for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small red Thai chili, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup packed fresh Thai basil leaves
- 4 cups cooked jasmine rice
- 2 stalks green onions, sliced
The wok we’d stir-fry this in → Best Woks for 2026: Carbon Steel, Nonstick & Flat-Bottom Picks + Buying Guide
Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →
Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 1 pound ground beef and cook, breaking up with a spatula, for 5-6 minutes until browned and cooked through.
- Step 2: Add 4 minced garlic cloves and 1 thinly sliced small red Thai chili to the pan, stirring for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Step 3: Stir in 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1/4 cup water. Let the sauce simmer for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Step 4: Remove from heat and fold in 1 cup packed fresh Thai basil leaves until wilted.
- Step 5: Serve the spicy basil beef over 4 cups cooked jasmine rice and garnish with sliced green onions from 2 stalks.







