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Healthy 30-Minute Thai Basil Beef (Pad Gra Prow) is savory, sweet, with just the right amount of kick. Easy to prepare any night of the week for a healthy easy dinner recipe! Gluten-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free, whole30 and paleo.
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4.50 from 4 votes

Healthy Thai Basil Beef

A paleo friendly healthy version of classic Thai Basil Beef (Pad Gra Prow) made gluten-free, soy-free, and refined sugar-free. Easy to whip up any night of the week in 30 minutes or less!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Beef Main Dishes
Cuisine: Thai
Servings: 3 Servings
Calories: 421kcal
Author: Julia

Ingredients

For the Thai Basil Sauce

For the Basil Beef:

  • 1 Tbsp avocado oil
  • ½ medium-sized yellow onion sliced
  • 1 small red bell pepper cut into matchsticks
  • 1 pound ground beef***
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 large jalapeno sliced, optional****
  • 1 cup fresh basil chopped

Instructions

  • Stir together the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl or measuring cup until everything is well-combined.
    sauce in a measuring cup
  • Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the sliced onion and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the sides of the onion begin showing some color.
    Onions sautéing in a skillet.
  • Scoot the onion off to the side and place the ground beef in the center of the skillet. Allow it to brown for 2 minutes before breaking it up into smaller pieces using a spatula or wooden spoon. 
    onions sautéing and beef browning in a skillet
  • Stir in the bell pepper, garlic, and jalapenos until well-incorporated and the garlic is fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.
    onions, beef, bell pepper, and garlic cooking in a skillet
  • Pour the sauce into the skillet and stir well. Bring everything to a full boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and the vegetables have reached your desired level of doneness, about 2 to 3 minutes.
    Pouring sauce into a skillet
  • Stir in the fresh basil.
    Fresh basil on top of thai basil beef
  • Serve the Thai Basil Ground Beef over steamed white rice, jasmine rice, brown rice, rice noodles, stir fry noodles, or cauliflower rice for a low carb option.
    Horizontal photo of black bowl of rice, basil beef, with limes and jalapenos

Notes

*If you aren’t soy-free, use 2 tablespoons of soy sauce or liquid aminos plus 2 tablespoons of brown sugar or pure maple syrup to replace the coconut aminos.
**You can also use gluten-free all-purpose flour, cornstarch, or arrowroot flour.
***I use lean ground beef that has 10% fat or less. If you prefer your food less greasy like me, stick with 10% or lower fat content. If you love rich foods, feel free to use 85/15 or 80/20. 
****Remove the seeds of the jalapeno for a mild dish, or omit it altogether. To make spicy Thai Basil Beef, include the jalapeno seeds, use 2 jalapenos, or add more red chili paste to the sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(of 3) | Calories: 421kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 23g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g