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Quick, easy, and bursting with flavor, this Korean Ground Beef Bowl is a perfect weeknight dinner! Finish it off with crisp vegetables and spicy mayo.
Featured with this recipe
When I need a quick dinner with lots of protein and veggies, I make these Korean Ground Beef Bowls. Everyone loves adding their own toppings and I love how easy it is to make! I’m obsessed with the contrast of the sweet and savory beef with the cool crunchy toppings. Drizzle some spicy mayo and sprinkle sesame seeds and green onion on top and it is really has everything!
Ingredients in a Korean Ground Beef Bowl
- Korean Ground Beef
- Rice
- Cucumbers
- Carrots
- Green Onion
- Sesame Seeds
- Spicy Mayo
How to Make Korean Ground Beef
Typically, Korean beef is made with a sliced ribeye, a NY strip, or flank steak. These steaks are cut thinly and then they marinate for a long time to give them their signature flavor. I use ground beef because you don’t have to marinate it, it’s easier to cook, and the meal comes together faster. Not to mention, using ground beef saves money, too! This delicious Korean ground beef comes together in just a few simple steps:
- Whisk all the sauce ingredients together and set aside.
- Saute the aromatics in oil until they are golden and fragrant.
- Add the beef to the pan and break it up into small pieces. Cook over medium-high heat until browned all the way through.
- Drain excess grease and then pour the sauce over the beef and simmer to reduce.
How to Make Korean Ground Beef Bowls
- Prepare the Korean Ground Beef as listed above or in the recipe card.
- Start your bowl with a layer of rice.
- Add the ground beef on top of the rice.
- Add your veggie toppings like carrots and cucumber.
- Finish off your bowl with a drizzle of spicy mayo and a sprinkle of sesame seeds and green onion.
Variations
Typical toppings include sliced cucumbers, carrots, and green onion. Try these variations for a unique bowl:
- Egg- fried egg, or even a boiled egg make a great addition to this bowl. The rich flavor of the yolk adds so much!
- Veggies- use edamame, broccoli, green beans, or bean sprouts.
- Sriracha mayo- if your marinade doesn’t have enough heat, or you want a creamy spice added to your bowl, try this addition. It tastes great!
- Rice- make your Korean Ground Beef Bowls over a pile of cauliflower rice instead of regular rice, or even brown rice for a nutty flavor.
Recipe Tip
Add more red pepper flakes or sriracha to the sauce if you like it spicy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers separately. Reheat the rice and beef together in the microwave, and then add your cold toppings after. This does great for meal prep. You can keep your hot ingredients in one storage container, and cold in another. Bring it to work, keep in the fridge, and you have easy Korean beef bowls for days!
Vegetables you can add are zucchini, mushrooms, bell pepper, broccoli, and (not a vegetable, but) tofu. All of these things can be stir-fried for added flavor in the sauce mixture, or your own sauce concoction.
You can also add kimchi, seaweed sheets, or seaweed salad.
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Korean Ground Beef Bowl
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Ingredients
For the Korean Beef
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 3 green onions sliced
For the Bowls
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- 1 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 6 persian cucumbers or mini cucumbers, sliced
- spicy mayo see notes for recipe
- green onion sliced
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
For Korean Beef
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook until golden brown and fragrant.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned. Drain excess grease.
- Add sauce and green onions and cook until the sauce has reduced a little and is clinging to the beef.
To Assemble:
- To each bowl add ½ cup rice, 2/3 cup beef, ¼ cup shredded carrots, 1 sliced persian cucumber, green onions, and sesame seeds.
- Top with spicy mayo and serve.
Notes
- Add Sriracha or Gochujang paste to the beef sauce for extra spice.
- If you don’t have fresh ginger, you can replace it with ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.
- You can use thinly sliced sirloin steak instead of ground beef. Just marinate the beef in the sauce overnight before cooking to ensure tenderness.
My husband said to add this recipe to our rotation, and I sent this recipe to my twin sister. That is high praise for any recipe. Agree with another comment, don’t skip the spicy mayo!
I loved it! Super quick and easy. Great for last minute dinners since most ingredients I had on hand. I really liked it with the spicy mayo so don’t skip that step. I’ll add it to my round of dinners and would loved to try hard boiled egg with it next time.
Good