Description
This quick and budget-friendly Korean Ground Beef Bowl is packed with bold flavors and ready in just 20 minutes! Sweet, savory, and slightly spicy, this dish features tender ground beef caramelized in a flavorful soy-based sauce with garlic, ginger, and sesame. Served over fluffy rice and topped with crisp veggies or a fried egg, it’s the ultimate comfort food for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
Main Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef (or substitute ground turkey or chicken)
- ¼ cup soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar (or honey)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- ½ teaspoon gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) (optional)
- 3 green onions, sliced (reserve some for garnish)
- 2 cups cooked rice (white, brown, or cauliflower rice for low-carb)
Optional Toppings:
- Shredded carrots
- Sliced cucumbers
- Steamed broccoli
- Sesame seeds
- Fried egg
Instructions
- Prepare the Ingredients
- Mince garlic, grate ginger, and slice green onions.
- If adding veggies, prep them now (shred carrots, steam broccoli, slice cucumbers).
- Make the Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and gochugaru (if using).
- Cook the Ground Beef
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon.
- Cook until browned and most of the liquid has evaporated (about 5–7 minutes). Drain excess grease if necessary.
- Add Aromatics
- Push the beef to one side of the pan, add a drizzle of sesame oil, then sauté garlic and ginger for about 1 minute.
- Mix into the beef.
- Incorporate the Sauce
- Pour the sauce over the beef, stirring to coat evenly. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Assemble the Bowl
- Serve beef over cooked rice. Add desired toppings like shredded carrots, sliced green onions, cucumbers, steamed broccoli, sesame seeds, or a fried egg.
Notes
- For more sauce: Double the marinade recipe.
- For spice lovers: Add extra gochugaru or a drizzle of sriracha.
- For a low-carb option: Swap rice for cauliflower rice or lettuce cups.
- Make-ahead: This dish stores well in the fridge for up to 4 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Korean-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: ~400-450
- Sugar: ~6g
- Sodium: ~700mg
- Fat: ~20g
- Saturated Fat: ~6g
- Unsaturated Fat: ~12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: ~35g
- Fiber: ~2g
- Protein: ~25g
- Cholesterol: ~70mg