Korean Beef Bowls (Printable)

Savory ground beef with Asian flavors over fluffy rice

# What You’ll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 1 lb lean ground beef

→ Sauce

02 - 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 2 tbsp light brown sugar
04 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
05 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
07 - 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste) or 1 tsp red pepper flakes
08 - 2 tsp rice vinegar

→ Rice and Bowls

09 - 1 1/2 cups jasmine or short-grain white rice
10 - 2 cups water

→ Toppings

11 - 2 medium carrots, julienned
12 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
13 - 4 scallions, thinly sliced
14 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
15 - Kimchi (optional)
16 - Fresh cilantro (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Rinse rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Add rice and 2 cups water to a saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 12–15 minutes until tender. Fluff with a fork.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, gochujang, and rice vinegar until well combined.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned (about 5 minutes). Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Pour the sauce over the beef and cook, stirring constantly, for 2–3 minutes until the beef is evenly coated and the sauce has thickened slightly.
05 - Divide the steamed rice among 4 bowls. Top each with the beef mixture, carrots, cucumber, scallions, sesame seeds, and optional toppings like kimchi or cilantro.
06 - Serve immediately while hot. Pairs well with a chilled glass of Riesling or green tea.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce comes together in seconds but tastes like it simmered for hours
  • You can customize the toppings based on whatever's wilting in your crisper drawer
  • Leftovers pack beautifully for lunch the next day, if they even make it that far
02 -
  • The rice needs to be the first thing you start because it takes longer than everything else combined
  • Don't skip draining the beef if there's more than a tablespoon of fat in the pan or the final dish will feel greasy
  • The sauce thickens quickly once it hits the hot beef, so have everything ready before you pour it in
03 -
  • Use tamari instead of soy sauce to make this gluten-free without losing any flavor
  • Let the beef get almost crispy in spots before adding the sauce for better texture contrast

Go Back