Korean Ground Beef Bowl (Printable Version)

Savory ground beef in sweet-spicy Korean sauce over steamed rice with fresh toppings. Ready in 25 minutes.

# Ingredient List:

→ Base

01 - 1 lb 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, adjusted to taste
09 - 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
10 - 1 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chili paste), optional

→ 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:

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, until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
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 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 Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together from pantry staples you probably already have, which means no emergency grocery runs on tired evenings.
  • Its endlessly adaptable: swap the protein, dial the heat up or down, or pile on whatever vegetables are wilting in your crisper drawer.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully, making it just as exciting for lunch the next day.
02 -
  • Do not walk away while toasting sesame seeds, because they burn silently and a burnt seed will ruin the whole garnish with a bitter flavor that cannot be fixed.
  • If the sauce seems too thin after simmering, let it go another minute uncovered, but if it thickens too much, a splash of water will bring it back.
  • Ground chicken or turkey works as a lighter substitute, but you may need a teaspoon of oil to start since leaner meats stick more.
03 -
  • Let the beef sit in the hot skillet without stirring for the first two minutes so it develops a real crust instead of steaming in its own juices.
  • A squeeze of fresh lime juice right before serving brightens every flavor on the plate and makes the dish taste like it came from a restaurant.

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