Honey Garlic Ground Beef

Give me a pound of ground beef and a few pantry staples, and I’ll give you a dinner worth getting excited about! Honey garlic ground beef is coated in a buttery, sweet and savory sauce that tastes amazing spooned over white rice. And the best part? It’s on the table in just 17 minutes!

A Little Sweet, A Little Savory, A Lot to Love!

Dinner in 17 Minutes: From skillet to table in less than 20 minutes!
That Sauce! Buttery, garlicky, and perfectly balanced with sweet honey and savory soy sauce.
Pantry-Friendly: Made with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand!

Honey Garlic Ground Beef Ingredients

Ground Beef: I like using lean ground beef since the butter adds plenty of richness to the sauce. You could also use ground chicken or turkey instead.
Oil: Use a neutral tasting oil like olive, canola, or vegetable oil.
Soy Sauce: If you use a low-sodium soy sauce, you may need to add salt to taste to the beef mixture before serving.
Honey: This is the star of the show! No substitutions here.
Fresh Garlic: Freshly minced garlic gives the best flavor!
Green Onion & Red Pepper Flakes: Optional, but the perfect finishing touch!

How to Make Honey Garlic Ground Beef

I love this recipe for busy weeknights. Everything comes together in one skillet, and that buttery honey garlic sauce is so good! If you love my Korean ground beef and rice bowls or ground beef and broccoli, you’ll want to add this one to your dinner rotation!

Cook the Beef: Heat the olive oil in a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, crumble, and cook for 7-8 minutes until no longer pink. Remove the beef from the skillet and set aside.
Cook the Garlic: In the same skillet, melt the butter and add the minced garlic cloves. Cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Make the Sauce: Stir in the soy sauce and honey. Cook for about 1 minute until the sauce starts to thicken slightly.
Combine and Serve: Return the beef to the skillet and stir until coated in the sauce. Serve over rice and garnish with sliced scallions and red pepper flakes, if desired.

Ground beef being browned and cooked in a skillet.

Butter melting in the skillet and minced garlic cooking in the melting butter.

Alyssa’s Pro Tip

Don’t Burn the Garlic! Garlic cooks quickly, so stir it constantly and add the honey and soy sauce as soon as it’s fragrant. Burnt garlic can make your sauce taste bitter!

Must-Have Kitchen Equipment.

Large Skillet: Browns the beef and cooks the sauce.
Meat Masher: Breaks the ground beef into crumbles.
Wooden Spoon: Stirs the sauce and coats the beef.

Garlic Butter Ground Beef

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Juicy ground beef tossed in a buttery honey garlic sauce with the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors. Ready in just 17 minutes!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Asian American

Keyword easy, garlic butter ground beef, garlic butter ground beef recipe, honey butter garlic ground beef, honey butter ground beef, honey garlic butter ground beef

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 12

Total Time 17

Servings Servings

Calories 337kcal

Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cloves minced garlic
¼ cup soy sauce
⅓ cup honey
2 tablespoons sliced green onion for garnish
red pepper flakes optional for garnish

Instructions

In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add 1 pound lean ground beef, then crumble and cook for 7-8 minutes, until no longer pink. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside.
Returning to the same skillet, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 4 cloves minced garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add ¼ cup soy sauce and ⅓ cup honey. Heat for 1 minute, until it starts to slightly thicken.
Add the cooked beef back to the skillet. Stir to coat the ground beef in the sauce. Serve over rice and garnish with 2 tablespoons sliced green onion and red pepper flakes.

Notes

Leftover Instructions

In the Refrigerator: Store leftover ground beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
In the Freezer: Let the beef cool completely, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: Warm in a skillet over medium heat.