Korean Ground Beef Bowl (Printable)
Savory ground beef in sweet-spicy soy-ginger sauce over steamed rice with fresh vegetables and sesame toppings.
# What You’ll Need:
→ 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, for serving (optional)
# How-To Steps:
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, 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 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 Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together from pantry staples you probably already have, which means no special grocery run on a busy weeknight.
- It hits every note: sweet, savory, spicy, and fresh, all in one bowl without needing a single fancy technique.
02 -
- Do not walk away while the sauce is simmering because brown sugar can go from caramelized to burnt in seconds once the liquid reduces.
- Drain excess fat from the beef before adding the sauce or you will end up with a greasy pool instead of a glossy coating.
03 -
- Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan right before serving because pre toasted seeds from the store have usually lost their fragrance.
- Cook the beef in two batches if your skillet is on the smaller side because overcrowding leads to steaming instead of browning.