Chinese steamed eggs with minced beef is a full meal on a plate! Steamed eggs with minced meat is always a good pairing — but this saucy and savory beef sauce poured over these silky soft eggs make a combination that’s hard to resist!
If you haven’t seen my post on how to make the BEST, silkiest, Chinese steamed eggs, I highly recommend checking it out first! I went through many tests (and fails) to gather the most helpful tips for this dish.
note: if you use a stainless steel vs a porcelain or ceramic plate (what I’m using), you may want to reduce the cook time by 1 min or so, since stainless steel conducts heat quicker.
Remember that everyone’s stove, steamer, and tools (like your plate) may vary slightly, so I recommend using this as a guide, then fine tuning it based on your setup! Good luck, and feel free to comment with any questions you have!
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Steamed Eggs with Minced Beef
Silky, soft steamed eggs topped with a savory and saucy minced beef — a combination that's perfectly delicious over a warm bed of rice.
(Note: This steamed egg recipe was created to produce consistent results every time, regardless the size or amount of eggs used — which is why I like using a scale to measure the weight! However, if you're just using 3 standard large eggs, you can use 1 1/4 cups of liquid instead of measuring by scale.)
Place a large cup or bowl on a kitchen scale, set the unit to fluid oz, and crack the eggs into the cup. Add a 2:1 ratio of warm chicken broth (or water) to eggs. For example, if the eggs weighed 5 fluid oz in total, you’ll add 10 fluid oz of warm water. You can also choose to measure by volume (using the lines on a liquid measuring cup) or with egg shell halves (12 egg shell halves of liquid for 3 eggs).
3 large eggs, 2:1 ratio of warm chicken broth (or water) to eggs
Season with salt and chicken bouillon powder (skip if already using chicken broth). Beat thoroughly.
1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
Steam the eggs
Bring a pan of water (at least 2-3 inches high) to a boil. Lower to medium heat.
Set up your steamer, and place a bowl or plate in the middle. Strain the egg mixture onto the plate. With a spoon or paper towel, remove all the foam and bubbles on the surface.
Cover the eggs either with an upside down plate or wrapped foil or plastic. This will prevent condensation from dripping onto the surface of the egg.
Put the lid on the pan, and steam on medium heat for 8 mins (time may vary slightly based on what plate you’re using). After 8 mins, turn off the heat and leave the pan lid on, letting the residual heat continue cooking it for another 3-5 mins.
Make the saucy minced beef
While you wait for the steamed eggs to cook, heat up a pan on medium heat, and add 1 tbsp of neutral oil. Once warm, add the ground beef. Spread it across the pan and break it up into smaller pieces as it cooks.
5 oz ground beef, Neutral oil for cooking
Once it’s no longer pink, add the diced onions and minced garlic. Continue cooking for 1-2 mins or until onions are softened and translucent.
1/4 of an onion or a medium shallot, 3 cloves garlic
Add the seasonings, chicken broth, and peas to the pan. Mix well.
3/4 cup low sodium chicken broth, 1/4 cup frozen green peas, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1/2 tbsp light (regular) soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/8 tsp white pepper
In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch slurry until it’s fully dissolved. Add it to the pan. Cook for 1-2 min or until sauce is thickened to your liking. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary!
1 tsp cornstarch, 1 tbsp water
Finish with sesame oil.
1/4 tsp sesame oil
Check that the steamed egg is cooked through by lightly tapping the side of the dish. It should be set, but slightly jiggle in the middle. If it still looks watery, steam it for a few more minutes. Once it's done, carefully remove the steamed egg from the pan, and top it with the saucy minced beef, scallions, and chili oil (optional). Enjoy with rice!