An easy and delicious Korean recipe is made with ground beef, served over rice with cucumbers and gochujang sauce.
Korean rice bowl with beef
If you have a package of ground beef that you don’t know what to do with, make this easy Korean beef recipe. You will love it! This dish is so popular that it has made it into my fan favorite recipes Recipe book for preparing meals. Other of my favorite Korean inspired recipes are this Gochujang Glazed Salmon, Korean Grilled Chicken, and these Gochujang Meatballs. For more stir-fries with ground beef, try this recipe with ground beef and broccoli.
Prepare Korean inspired food in your kitchen
When I worked full time in Manhattan years ago, my office was two blocks from Koreatown and I loved having it lunch there with colleagues. Since then, Korean food has become more popular, with Korean restaurants popping up everywhere. But even where I currently live, we don’t have any Korean restaurants near us, so this Korean beef dish brings those great flavors to my kitchen!
- Great for many dietary restrictions: This dish is high protein, weight watcher friendly, kid friendly, gluten free and dairy free.
- Idea for a quick and easy dinner: The entire dish is ready in less than 30 minutes.
- Convenient: Rice and ground beef are affordable staples and provide a nutritious, filling meal.
If you make this Korean beef recipe, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos on Instagram OR Facebook!
Notes on ingredients
Here’s everything you need to make this quick and easy Korean ground beef recipe. See the recipe card below for a printable list:
- I’m Willow: Choose a low-sodium soy sauce.
- Light brown sugar: Adds a hint of sweetness.
- Sesame oil: It gives a nutty flavour, if you are allergic you can omit it.
- Crushed red pepper flakes: For the seasoning, if you want it more delicate, omit or reduce the chilli pepper.
- Ground beef: I use 93% lean ground beef. You can use any ground meat here, such as chicken or turkey.
- Garlic: Crush two cloves to add flavour.
- Ginger: Fresh ginger is best. You can store it in the freezer in a ziplock bag and grate it with the peel still attached.
- Brown rice: I’m obsessed with frozen brown rice from Trader Joe’s. It takes three minutes to heat up and the consistency is perfect.
- Cucumber: If you use an English or Persian cucumber, you don’t need to peel it. Just slice it thinly.
- Gochujang: Gochujang is what makes these bowls! Add more or less depending on your heat preferences.
- Sesame seeds and shallots for garnish.
How to Make Korean Beef Bowls
Here are photos and step-by-step directions for this Korean beef recipe, which is served in a bowl with rice, cucumbers and sauce. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for printable instructions.
- Make the Korean Beef Sauce: Combine the soy sauce, two tablespoons of water, brown sugar, sesame oil, and chili flakes in a bowl.
- Cook the minced meat: Heat a large pan over a high heat, grease it with oil and brown the minced meat for about five minutes, breaking it up with a spoon. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook for a minute.
- Add the sauce and simmer: Pour in the sauce and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
- assemble: Place rice in each bowl, garnish with beef, cucumber, Gochujang, sesame seeds and scallions.
Korean variations of minced meat
The variations for these Korean Beef Rice Bowls are endless. Let’s dive in!
- Protein: Swap the beef for lean ground turkey, ground pork or ground chicken. If you are vegetarian, use crumbled tofu, as well as beef or the impossible burger.
- Extra Protein: Top the bowl with a super simple fried egg.
- Vegetable Options: You can add almost any vegetable. Sauteed mushrooms, bok choy, matchstick carrots or edamame would all work.
- Pickled vegetables: Stir in pickled onions, cucumbers or carrots. Kimchi would also be good.
- Other spices: Garnish with sliced fresh jalapeños.
- Alternatives to rice: For fewer carbs, serve Korean beef over cauliflower rice or veggie rice.
- Lettuce wraps: You could also make some lettuce wraps with the meat to change it up.
Preparing and storing meals
My family always eats these rice bowls when I make them, so I often double the recipe to have extra for leftovers.
- Refrigerator: Cooked meat will keep for up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
- Freezer: Freeze without cucumbers or garnish for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave.
- To pack your bags lunch: Store the meat, rice, sesame seeds and Gochujang in one container and the cucumbers and shallots in another. Heat the rice container until hot and cover it with the vegetables.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gochujang
What does gochujang taste like?
One essential ingredient you will need for this rice bowl recipe is gochujang sauce. It is a slightly spicy and sweet Korean seasoning and has a distinct flavor found only in Korean cuisine. It is also available in paste form, which requires diluting with a little water and sesame oil. If you can’t find it in your local supermarket, there are many different brands on Amazon.
Is gochujang gluten-free?
Gochujang typically contains wheat, but not all brands do. If you are gluten-free, check the labels first! And while we’re on the topic, soy sauce isn’t gluten-free either, so replace the amino acids with tamari or coconut.
What is a good substitute for gochujang?
Sriracha is probably the closest sub to gochujang, but that’s not exact. You may need to mix it with a little hoisin sauce or sugar and sesame oil to bring it closer. I highly recommend using gochujang if you can find it!
How can I make these Korean beef bowls delicate?
If you’re not a fan of spicy food or are serving these bowls to spice-averse family members, omit the chili from the beef and leave the gochujang on the side. Everyone can add as much (or little) sauce as they like.
More bowl recipes you’ll love
Product: 4 portions
Portion: 1 bowl
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Combine the soy sauce, 2 tablespoons water, brown sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
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Heat a large, deep non-stick pan over high heat, drizzle with oil and add the minced meat. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
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Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute.
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Pour the sauce over the meat, cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
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To assemble the bowls, place 3/4 cup rice in each bowl, garnish with a scant 2/3 cups beef, cucumbers, Gochujong, sesame seeds and scallions.
Last step:
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Variations:
- Protein: Swap the beef for lean ground turkey, ground pork or ground chicken. If you are vegetarian, use crumbled tofu, over beef or impossible burgers.
- Extra Protein: Try filling the bowl with a fried egg.
- Add more vegetables: You can add almost any vegetable. Sauteed mushrooms, bok choy, matchstick carrots or edamame would all work.
- Pickled vegetables: Stir in pickled onions, cucumbers or carrots. Kimchi would also be good.
- Other spices: Garnish with sliced fresh jalapeños.
- Alternatives to rice: For fewer carbs, serve Korean beef cauliflower riceor vegetarian rice.
- Lettuce wraps: You might as well do it lettuce wraps with meat to change it.
Serve: 1 bowl, Calories: 394 kcal, Carbohydrates: 47 G, Protein: 30 G, Fat: 9 G, Saturated fat: 3 G, Cholesterol: 70 mg, Sodium: 807 mg, Fiber: 4 G, Sugar: 7 G
