If you’re craving for something quick, comforting and packed with protein, this 20-Minute Tomato Egg Beef Rice bowl makes it perfect for busy weekdays when you still want a proper meal that actually keeps you full.
Table of Contents
- What is 20-Minute Tomato Egg Beef Rice?
- Ingredients List
- How to Make 20-Minute Tomato Egg Beef Rice
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is 20-Minute Tomato Egg Beef Rice
This Tomato Egg Beef Rice is a super quick and comforting dish that’s packed with protein and made to be eaten with freshly steamed rice.
This is basically like the classic Chinese tomato and egg stir fry, but we’re also adding tender, juicy slices of stir fried beef. That extra beef brings so much flavour and makes the whole bowl feel even more hearty.
The beef gets tossed in a simple marinade using the usual Chinese pantry staples like soy sauce and oyster sauce. Also adding a touch of baking soda to the beef, which is the Chinese restaurant secret that makes sliced beef taste extra tender.
From there it’s just about scrambling some silky eggs, sautéing fresh tomatoes until they turn soft and saucy, then throwing everything back together.
It hits all your macro goals and it’s genuinely super filling. The best part is that the whole thing comes together in under 30 minutes, so it’s perfect for a quick weekday lunch or dinner that will actually keep you full!
Ingredients List
Check out the recipe card below for the full ingredient list.
Sliced Beef
I like using thinly sliced sirloin steak for this recipe because it has a good amount of marbling and cooks really quickly. Rump or ribeye work well too.
If you’re slicing it at home without a meat slicer, freeze the steak for about 30 to 40 minutes so it firms up a little. It makes it much easier to get those thin slices with just a knife.
If you happen to have frozen hotpot beef sitting in the freezer, that works perfectly as well!
The marinade is simply a mix of light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, cornstarch, baking soda and sesame oil. The cornstarch and a small touch of baking soda is a classic Chinese restaurant trick that helps tenderise the beef. It’s optional, but it makes the beef texture extra velvety.
Tomatoes
I usually use three to four large tomatoes for this recipe. Before chopping them, I score a small X on the bottom of each one and soak them in boiling hot water for about a minute. This makes the skins super easy to peel off.
Sometimes I don’t bother peeling off the tomato skin, but if I’m in the mood for a smoother and saucier dish, taking the skins off helps the tomatoes break down and melt into the sauce more evenly. It’s totally optional though!
Tomato paste and ketchup
I love when this dish tastes really tomato-ey, so I add a bit of tomato paste for extra richness and a squeeze of ketchup for a light sweetness. It rounds out the flavour and brings everything together without overpowering the fresh tomatoes.
How to Make 20-Minute Tomato Egg Beef Rice
Thinly slice your steak against the grain. Tip: freeze for 30–40 minutes so it’s slightly firm, this makes it easier to slice thinly. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add the beef and massage it until most of the liquid is absorbed. Finish with 1 tsp sesame oil to lock in the marinade. Set aside.
To peel the tomatoes, cut a small X on the bottom of each one. Put them in a bowl and cover them completely with boiling hot water for about 2 minutes. The skins should come right off. Peeling is optional, but it helps the tomatoes melt into a smoother sauce. Chop them into small wedges.
Beat the eggs in a bowl, then stir in the cornstarch slurry (1/2 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water). This makes the eggs smoother and silkier.
Heat a tablespoon of neutral oil in a wok or frying pan over high heat. Pour in the beaten eggs and scramble them gently. Once they’re just set, take them out and set aside.
Add a bit more oil if you need to, then add the marinated beef. Stir fry until the beef is about 80% cooked. It cooks really fast and will finish later when it goes back in the pan. Remove and set aside.
Add more oil again if needed. Add the minced garlic and ginger and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook it for about 15 seconds to bring out the flavour. Add the tomatoes and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes until they start to soften.
Season with sugar and ketchup. Use your spatula to gently squish the tomatoes. Add the 1/4 cup water and let everything simmer for a moment.
Add the scrambled eggs and cooked beef back in. Toss everything together so it’s well combined and the sauce thickens a little.
Top with chopped green onions and serve with rice. Enjoy!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, I personally like using sirloin because it’s well marbled and tender, but rump or ribeye work just as well. Thinly sliced hotpot beef is also a great shortcut.
No, peeling is optional. But peeling them gives you a smoother and saucier finish. Keeping the skin on adds a little texture and saves time.
Fresh tomatoes give the best flavour and texture, but if you’re in a rush, you can use canned chopped tomatoes. The sauce will be a bit thinner and less fresh tasting.
A tiny amount of baking soda helps tenderise the beef, which gives you that soft and velvety texture you get at Chinese restaurants. This is because baking soda baking soda raises the pH of the beef, which keeps the muscle fibres from tightening too much when they cook. That means the beef stays juicy and super tender. You only need a small amount for it to work, which is why it’s optional but very effective.
20-Minute Tomato Egg Beef Rice
2
servings10
minutes20
minutesA quick and comforting 20-minute tomato egg beef rice bowl that’s high in protein, saucy, tender and perfect for a weekday lunch or dinner that actually keeps you full.
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Ingredients
200 g sirloin steak, thinly sliced
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp minced ginger
3 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped into small wedges
1 tbsp ketchup
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup water
1 green onion, chopped (for garnish)
- To marinate the beef:
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp white pepper powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp water
1 tsp sesame oil
Directions
- Thinly slice your steak against the grain. Tip: freeze for 30–40 minutes so it’s slightly firm, this makes it easier to slice thinly. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add the beef and massage it until most of the liquid is absorbed. Finish with 1 tsp sesame oil to lock in the marinade. Set aside.
- To peel the tomatoes, cut a small X on the bottom of each one. Put them in a bowl and cover them completely with boiling hot water for about 2 minutes. The skins should come right off. Peeling is optional, but it helps the tomatoes melt into a smoother sauce. Chop them into small wedges.
- Beat the eggs in a bowl, then stir in the cornstarch slurry (1/2 tbsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water). This makes the eggs smoother and silkier.
- Heat a tablespoon of neutral oil in a wok or frying pan over high heat. Pour in the beaten eggs and scramble them gently. Once they’re just set, take them out and set aside.
- Add a bit more oil if you need to, then add the marinated beef. Stir fry until the beef is about 80% cooked. It cooks really fast and will finish later when it goes back in the pan. Remove and set aside.
- Add more oil again if needed. Add the minced garlic and ginger and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook it for about 15 seconds to bring out the flavour. Add the tomatoes and stir fry for 2 to 3 minutes until they start to soften.
- Season with sugar and ketchup. Use your spatula to gently squish the tomatoes. Add the 1/4 cup water and let everything simmer for a moment.
- Add the scrambled eggs and cooked beef back in. Toss everything together so it’s well combined and the sauce thickens a little.
- Top with chopped green onions and serve with rice. Enjoy!
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