Ribeye, Rice and Broccoli
A proper seared ribeye over a bed of rice with a heap of broccoli — about 58 grams of protein and 820 honest calories. The oldest, simplest bulking plate there is, done right. When you want one steak dinner that builds something, this is it.
Plate 01 / Finished
There’s a guy I used to lift with in Stockholm — old-school, been competing since before I had a single tattoo — and his answer to every nutrition question was the same three words: ribeye, rice, broccoli. I used to tease him for it. Then I spent one off-season actually eating it, two or three times a week, and I shut up. I put on the cleanest size of my life that winter, recovered like a kid, and looked forward to dinner every single night. Some things are simple because they work.
This is that plate, made with a little care. A ribeye seared hard so the fat renders and the crust forms, rested properly, then sliced over rice that soaks up the juices, with broccoli on the side for the fibre and the colour. About 58 grams of protein and 820 calories of real, satisfying food — no powders, no tricks, nothing you can’t pronounce. The ribeye carries the fat, the rice carries the carbs, and you do the work in the gym.
I cook this when I want dinner to feel like a reward without being a write-off. It’s the meal I make on a Friday after a heavy week, the one I’d happily put in front of anyone whether they lift or not. Learn to sear a steak properly and you’ll have this for life. No rush, no fuss — just stand at the pan, take your time, and I’ll talk you through it.
01Who it’s for & when to eat it
This is a high-calorie, high-protein plate that bends to your goal. The ribeye stays the star; you move the rice scoop and trim the cut. Here’s how I steer it.
The default plate
Full rice portion, the ribeye seared in its own fat, broccoli on the side. Calorie-dense, protein-rich, deeply satisfying — exactly what you want on a building phase. My Friday-night standard.
Trim it down
Swap the ribeye for a leaner sirloin, drop the rice to a fist, and double the broccoli. You keep the steak-dinner feel for far fewer calories. See the variations below for exact numbers.
Steady fuel
A moderate rice scoop with the full ribeye and a real pile of greens. Plenty of protein and good fats to keep you full and recovering, without tipping the day over. A solid main any time.
Timing: this is a post-training dinner at its best — protein and carbs to refill and rebuild after a hard session. It also makes a brilliant weekend lunch when you’ve got the time to stand and sear properly.
02Ingredients
Makes 1 plate. Doubling up? Sear the steaks one or two at a time so the pan stays screaming hot — a crowded pan steams the crust away.
Servings 1 · adjust on the live recipe card- Ribeye steak trimmed250 g · 8.8 oz
- Jasmine rice dry weight80 g · 2.8 oz
- Broccoli, in florets150 g · 5.3 oz
- Garlic, crushed2 cloves
- Olive oil to sear2 tsp · 10 ml
- Butter to baste1 tsp · 5 g
- Fresh thyme optional2 sprigs
- Sea saltto taste
- Black pepperto taste
Swaps I actually use: on a cut I’ll switch the ribeye for a 250g sirloin or rump — far less fat, same protein, same steak-dinner feeling. No butter in the house? Sear in oil alone; you lose a little richness but the macros get leaner. Broccoli not your thing? Tenderstem, green beans, or asparagus all sit perfectly next to a steak.
03Step by step
Start the rice first
Rinse the jasmine rice and get it cooking — pan or rice cooker, your call. It takes the longest, so set it going and leave it covered to steam while you handle the steak. Warm rice waiting for the meat, not the other way round.
Out of the fridge, dry it well
Take the ribeye out so it loses its fridge chill, then pat it bone-dry with paper towel and season both sides generously with salt and pepper. A dry, room-temperature steak sears far better than a cold, wet one.
Magnus says: moisture is the enemy of a crust. Dry the steak like you mean it.
Get the pan smoking, then steak in
Heat the oil in a heavy pan until it just begins to shimmer and smoke. Lay the ribeye in away from you and leave it — don’t poke it — for two to three minutes until a deep brown crust forms, then flip.
Magnus says: if you move it too early, it tears the crust and sticks. Trust the pan and wait.
Butter, garlic, thyme — spoon it over
Drop the heat to medium, add the butter, crushed garlic and thyme, and tilt the pan so the foaming butter pools. Spoon it over the steak for a minute or so. Cook to your liking — about 4 minutes total for a medium 250g ribeye.
Let it sit before you cut
Lift the steak onto a board and leave it to rest five minutes. This is not optional — cut it straight away and the juices run out onto the board instead of staying in the meat. Steam the broccoli for three to four minutes while it rests.
Magnus says: resting is the cheapest way to a better steak. Five minutes of patience, every time.
Slice against the grain, build the plate
Slice the ribeye across the grain into thick strips and lay it over the rice so the juices soak in. Broccoli alongside, a last pinch of salt, and a spoon of the pan butter drizzled over the top. Eat it warm.
04The spec sheet
Real numbers, calculated — not guessed. The recipe makes 1 plate, around 500g of cooked food total. Here’s what the full plate and a flat 100g actually give you.
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100g |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 820 kcal | 164 kcal |
| Protein | 58.0 g | 11.6 g |
| Carbohydrate | 65.0 g | 13.0 g |
| — of which sugars | 3.0 g | 0.6 g |
| Fat | 36.0 g | 7.2 g |
| — of which saturates | 15.0 g | 3.0 g |
| Fibre | 4.5 g | 0.9 g |
| Sodium | ~0.55 g | ~0.11 g |
Moderate-high, thanks to the ribeye’s fat. On a bulk that’s a gift — you hit big calories from a sensible plate instead of a barrel of food.
A lifter’s metric. Lower than a lean cut meal, which is expected with a fatty steak — but the absolute protein is high, and that’s what matters when you’re building.
- Vitamin B12~5 µg · 208% DV
- Zinc~11 mg · 100% DV
- Vitamin C~85 mg · 94% DV
- Selenium~38 µg · 69% DV
- Iron~4.5 mg · 25% DV
- Niacin (B3)~12 mg · 75% DV
Macros are calculated from standard food-composition data and will shift a little with your exact ingredients and brands. Micronutrient figures are estimates against general adult Daily Values. Numbers are for guidance, not medical advice — see our Nutrition Disclaimer.
05Bulk / Cut / TRT variations
One plate, three jobs. The steak does the heavy lifting; you adjust the cut, the rice, and the fat. Macros below are for a full serving (one plate built as described).
Build it up
Full ribeye, 100g dry rice, and an extra knob of butter spooned over at the end. Maybe a soft-boiled egg on top for good measure. Calorie-dense, recovery-friendly, and an absolute pleasure to eat.
The lean version
Swap to a 250g sirloin or rump, sear in a teaspoon of oil with no butter, drop the rice to a fist (40g dry) and double the broccoli. Steak dinner feel, cut-friendly numbers.
Steady & balanced
Full ribeye, a moderate 60g dry rice, and a generous pile of greens with lemon. Good fats and high protein to keep you full and recovering, without overshooting the day.
06Meal prep & storage
Steak is best fresh off the pan, I’ll be honest — but it does prep, and the rice and broccoli prep brilliantly. Here’s how I handle the leftovers without ruining a good ribeye.
Box the sliced steak separately from the rice. Cooked ribeye keeps three days; slice it after resting so it reheats fast and stays tender.
Rice freezes perfectly. I freeze cooked steak only if I must — thaw in the fridge and reheat gently to avoid drying it out.
Reheat steak fast and low — a quick warm in a pan, or 60–90 seconds in the microwave. Overheat it and it tightens. Or just slice it cold over a hot bowl of rice.
My honest advice: cook the steak fresh and batch-cook the rice and broccoli ahead. That way the part that suffers from reheating is the part you make to order, and the rest is done. Best of both.
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07Common questions
How do I know when the steak’s done without cutting it? +
A thermometer is the honest answer: about 54°C / 130°F for medium-rare, 60°C / 140°F for medium, pulled a few degrees early to allow for carryover during the rest. If you’ve no thermometer, the firm-but-springy feel of the meat comes with practice — but a cheap probe takes the guesswork out for good.
Can I make this leaner for a cut? +
Yes — swap the ribeye for a sirloin or rump, sear in a little oil instead of butter, cut the rice to a fist and load up the broccoli. You keep nearly all the protein and the steak-dinner feel while dropping the calories by a third or more. See the Cut variation above.
Do I really need to rest it? +
You really do, love. Resting lets the juices settle back into the muscle instead of flooding your board when you slice. Five minutes is plenty for a steak this size, and it’s the single easiest thing you can do to make it better.
Can I cook it from frozen? +
Better not. A frozen steak won’t sear properly and cooks unevenly. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then bring it to room temperature and dry it well before searing. Worth the small bit of planning for a steak this good.
What if I don’t have a heavy pan? +
Use the heaviest pan you have and get it properly hot before the steak goes in — heat retention is what gives you the crust. A thin pan drops temperature the moment the cold meat lands. Cast iron is ideal, but a sturdy stainless pan will do the job fine.
This plate lives inside a full week of meals.
This ribeye plate is one dinner in my 7-day bulking plan — seven days of high-protein, calorie-dense meals with the macros counted and the grocery list written. You pick the goal; I do the maths.
See the bulking meal plan →
08Pairs well with
Magnus Olafsson
I’m Magnus — twenty years under the iron, from a cold gym in Stockholm to the classic-physique stage, and now mostly in my kitchen in a pink apron. I’ve cut for shows, bulked through winters, and I’ve been on TRT since I was thirty-five. I know what it takes to eat for the body you’re chasing, and I know it shouldn’t come with a side of shame.
Everything here is food I actually cook and macros I actually count. I don’t diagnose, I don’t promise, and I never make a number up. I just feed you well and tell you the truth.
Slim Diet Era shares recipes and general nutrition information. It is not medical or dietetic advice, and we do not provide guidance on obtaining or using any controlled substance. See our Medical Disclaimer and Nutrition Disclaimer.