Korean Ground Beef Bowl (Printable)
Savory ground beef in sweet-spicy Korean sauce served over steamed rice with fresh crunchy toppings.
# What You Need:
→ Main
01 - 1 pound lean ground beef
02 - 2 cups cooked jasmine or short-grain rice
→ Sauce
03 - 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
04 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
05 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
08 - 1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
09 - 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chili paste, optional for extra spice)
→ Toppings
11 - 2 green onions, sliced
12 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
13 - 1 carrot, julienned
14 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
15 - Kimchi (optional, for serving)
# How to Make It:
01 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, red pepper flakes, rice vinegar, and gochujang if using. Set aside.
02 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spatula or wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
03 - Pour the prepared sauce over the browned beef and stir well to combine. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and evenly coats the beef.
04 - Divide the cooked rice evenly among 4 serving bowls. Spoon the saucy Korean ground beef mixture over each portion of rice.
05 - Top each bowl with sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, julienned carrot, thinly sliced cucumber, and kimchi if desired. Serve immediately.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The sauce comes together from pantry staples you probably already have, and it tastes like you spent hours reducing something precious.
- Twenty five minutes from cutting board to bowl makes this faster than delivery and honestly better.
02 -
- Do not drain every speck of fat from the beef after browning because a tablespoon or two left behind helps the sauce emulsify into something silky.
- If your sauce seems thin after three minutes of simmering, just give it one more minute rather than adding cornstarch, the sugar will do the work.
03 -
- Toast your sesame seeds in the same skillet right after the beef comes out, using the residual fat and heat, for a deeper flavor than a dry pan ever gives.
- Make a double batch of just the sauce and keep it in a jar in the fridge for stir fries, marinades, or drizzling over roasted vegetables throughout the week.