Crispy Chili Ground Beef and Cauliflower Skillet

ground beef and cauliflower skillet with yum yum sauce, pickled radish, sesame garlic crunch, jasmine rice, and sliced scallions

Crispy Chili Ground Beef and Cauliflower Skillet

Extra lean ground beef and pan roasted cauliflower in a sweet and spicy chili crisp sauce.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 25

Servings: Servings

Calories: 310kcal

Author: Mason Woodruff

Ingredients

1 pound Cauliflower Florets cut into bite size pieces
1 pound Extra Lean Ground Beef
1 ½ Tablespoon (24g) Olive Oil divided
¼ cup (64g) Tomato Paste ideally double or triple concentrated
2 Tablespoons (42g) Honey
2 Tablespoons (30g) Chili Crunch
2 Tablespoons (30g) Coconut Aminos or low sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoons (30g) Black Vinegar or balsamic vinegar
⅓ cup Water
4 Scallions thinly sliced (greens and whites separated)

Instructions

Mix the tomato paste, chili crunch, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, water, and scallion whites together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the cauliflower and toss to coat in the oil. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower begins to brown in spots. Transfer to a large bowl and cover with a plate or lid. The steam will finish cooking the cauliflower.
Add the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, followed by the ground beef. Cook for 3-4 minutes on one side to brown the beef until a crust begins to form. Break the beef apart with a spatula and finish cooking.
Add the sauce to the beef and cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens and evenly coats the beef. Add the cauliflower to the pan and toss everything together.
Garnish with the scallion greens and serve over rice (see notes below for more healthy garnish ideas).

Notes

Pictured here is a lightened up yum yum sauce made with nonfat Greek yogurt, honey, sriracha, dijon mustard, vinegar, toasted sesame oil, garlic, salt, and white pepper. Sriracha mayo and other Asian-inspired sauces also work well.

I also served this with pickled radish and sesame garlic crunch. Kimchi and other pickled veggies, toasted sesame seeds, and other crunchy toppings like roasted nuts or wonton strips are great alternatives.

You can try a low calorie, oil-free chili crunch or try adding toasted sesame seeds, dried garlic and onion granules, and chile flakes mixed with the other sauce ingredients.

Nutrition