Korean Ground Beef Bowl (Print version)
Savory Korean ground beef with sweet-spicy sauce over steamed rice, topped with fresh vegetables and sesame.
# What goes in:
→ 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 tbsp brown sugar
05 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
08 - 1/2–1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, adjusted to taste
09 - 2 tsp rice vinegar
10 - 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste), optional
→ Toppings
11 - 2 green onions, sliced
12 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
13 - 1 carrot, julienned
14 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
15 - Kimchi, for serving, optional
# Cooking steps:
01 - In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, crushed 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 evenly browned and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain any excess fat if necessary.
03 - Pour the prepared sauce over the browned beef and stir thoroughly to combine. Let the mixture 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 while hot.
# Tips from flavorandfeast:
01 -
- It delivers the deeply savory satisfaction of Korean flavors without requiring a single specialty cooking technique or hard to find equipment.
- The sauce ratio is forgiving enough that you can taste and adjust as you go, which means it works whether you like things gently sweet or face tingling spicy.
02 -
- Do not skip draining the excess fat from the beef before adding the sauce because it will prevent the glaze from properly thickening and coating each piece.
- Tasting the sauce before you pour it over the meat is the single best way to ensure the balance of sweet, salty, and spicy is exactly right for your palate.
03 -
- Toast your sesame seeds in a dry skillet for about two minutes until they darken slightly and release their aroma because this ten second step makes a noticeable difference in every bite.
- Let the beef sit in the sauce off the heat for one minute before serving so the flavors settle and the meat absorbs every last bit of that sweet savory glaze.