Missing Jollibee’s Honey Beef Rice but on a budget? Try my Honey Ground Beef! It has all those sweet and savory flavors for a fraction of the cost.
I’m not sure if Jollibee ever served Honey Beef Rice here in the US, but if not, you guys missed out.
It’s thinly sliced beef and onions coated in a sweet and savory honey-soy gravy, then served over rice. Simple, but so good.
Sadly, it’s been discontinued for reasons that still don’t make sense to me, because this one was so good.
So, of course, I had to make my own version at home.
I went with ground beef because it’s cheaper and easier to find. And the flavor was spot on. It had that same sweet, savory honey flavor I remembered from Jollibee, but with a much cheaper cut of beef.
And there are so many ways to serve it. Spoon it over rice with your favorite toppings, or use it for lettuce and tortilla wraps.
So, if you need a different dinner recipe to add to the rotation, try this one tonight!
What Is Jollibee Honey Beef?
Jollibee Honey Beef Rice is a Filipino fast-food favorite that dates back to the 1990s. It was made with thinly sliced beef and onions coated in a sweet and savory honey-soy sauce, then served over rice.
It eventually disappeared from the menu, but Jollibee brought it back for a limited-time return in 2021. It has since disappeared from the regular menu again, which is why making a copycat version at home is such a good option.
For this copycat recipe, I went with ground beef to make it more affordable and weeknight-friendly.
Of course, you can also use thinly sliced beef like the classic Jollibee version and follow the same recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Honey Ground Beef
- It brings back a discontinued Jollibee favorite. If you miss Jollibee’s Honey Beef Rice, this ground beef version lets you recreate those sweet and savory flavors at home.
- It’s more affordable. Ground beef is cheaper than the thinly sliced beef used for classic Jollibee Honey Beef, but you still get that same sweet and savory flavor.
- It’s ready fast. Ground beef cooks in minutes, so you can have the whole dish on the table in about 30 minutes.
- It’s easy to customize. Add mushrooms or garlic, swap in another ground meat, or use the beef for rice bowls, protein bowls, noodles, and more.
- It’s great for meal prep. The beef reheats well, so you can make a batch ahead and portion it with rice and vegetables for easy meals.
Honey Ground Beef Ingredients
- Ground beef. You can also use ground chicken, pork, or turkey. For a more classic Jollibee-style copycat, use thinly sliced beef such as ribeye, sirloin, chuck, or short plate.
- Butter. Adds richness and is used to sauté the onions.
- Yellow onion. Adds sweetness and savory flavor as it cooks in the butter.
- Salt and pepper. To season the beef.
- Soy sauce. Gives the sauce its salty, savory base.
- Liquid seasoning. For extra umami.
- Oyster sauce. Adds another layer of umami.
- Honey. Gives the sauce its signature sweetness.
- Cornstarch Slurry. Thickens the sauce into a rich gravy.
How to Make Jollibee-Style Honey Ground Beef
This dish comes together in one skillet in about 20 minutes.
1. Saute the Onion
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute onions until softened.
2. Brown the Ground Beef
Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until browned and cooked through. Drain any excess grease if needed.
3. Add the Honey Sauce
Stir in the soy sauce, liquid seasoning, oyster sauce, honey, and 1/4 cup water. Bring everything to a gentle simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Thicken the Gravy
Whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water until smooth. Slowly stir the slurry into the beef and simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce thickens into a gravy.
5. Serve
Remove from heat and spoon the honey ground beef over rice. Serve and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Honey Ground Beef
- Try thinly sliced beef. I use ground beef for this recipe because it’s affordable and cooks in minutes. But if you want something closer to the original Jollibee Honey Beef, use thinly sliced ribeye, sirloin, chuck, or short plate instead.
- Swap the ground beef. The honey sauce works with just about any ground protein. Try ground chicken, turkey, or pork. Just note that leaner meats may need more butter or oil.
- Add mushrooms. Sliced mushrooms are great for bulking up the dish without needing more meat. Sauté them with the onions before adding the ground beef.
How to Serve Honey Ground Beef
Honey ground beef is great with plain rice, but you can easily use it to make a more complete meal.
- Make a rice bowl. Serve the honey beef over rice, then add a fried egg and your favorite vegetables.
- Make a protein bowl. Use less rice and bulk it up with vegetables, avocado, edamame, or an egg for a higher-protein meal.
- Serve it with noodles. Spoon the beef over udon, ramen, or rice noodles.
- Make lettuce wraps. Spoon it into crisp lettuce cups with cucumber, carrots, or green onions.
- Stuff it into tortillas. Use the honey ground beef for tacos or wraps with avocado and crunchy vegetables.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
To Store: Let the honey ground beef cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
To Reheat: Warm the beef in a skillet over medium-low heat until heated through. Add a splash of water if the gravy has thickened too much. Microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals, stirring between each one.
More Easy Ground Beef Dinner Recipes
Ground Beef Shawarma (Filipino-Style)
Honey Ground Beef (Jollibee-Style)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ medium yellow onion diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon liquid seasoning
- 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
- 3 tablespoons honey
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes, until softened.
- Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, breaking the meat into small crumbles, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Stir in the soy sauce, liquid seasoning, oyster sauce, honey, and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Whisk the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water until smooth. Slowly stir the slurry into the beef. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens into a gravy.
- Remove from the heat and serve over rice. Enjoy!
One Response
Wow! It does taste just like jollibee!