Korean Beef Bowls
Korean Beef Bowls are the PERFECT quick and easy dinner, made from ground beef cooked in a sweet and savory sauce, served over rice and topped with green onions, ready in under 30 minutes!
Korean Beef Bowls are a really quick and easy weeknight meal, made with simple ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes. This is perfect for busy weeknights, or for a weekend meal prep.
Serve over cooked jasmine rice with fresh sliced carrots, cucumber, or chopped green onions. This is definitely going to be a new family favorite!
If you loved this recipe, you’ll also love my Garlic Butter Steak Bites, and Egg Roll in a Bowl!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Under 30 Minutes! Lean ground beef cooks really fast, so you’ll have dinner on the table in no time at all!
Gluten Free. I swap out the soy sauce for a gluten free soy sauce or tamari. This keeps the sauce gluten free with zero taste sacrifice!
Sweet-savory balance. Brown sugar caramelizes with tamari, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger for that classic bulgogi-style flavor!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Beef. I like to use lean ground beef that is 93% lean or higher. You can use a more fatty cut, but you’ll have to drain the grease from the pan before adding the other ingredients.
Onion. A yellow or white onion will work for this recipe. This is both for flavor, and to add some vegetables to the bowl.
Green Onion. Use the white part of the green onion to cook with, and the dark green parts to top the bowls right before serving.
Carrot. This adds a little bit of sweetness, which is a nice contrast to the savory flavor of the beef.
Tamari or Soy Sauce. This is added for flavor. I use tamari, which is very similar to soy sauce but it’s not made using wheat, so it’s gluten free. You can also use coconut aminos for a gluten free option.
Brown Sugar. The sweetness of the sugar helps balance out the savory flavors, and brown sugar also adds some molasses notes. If your sauce is too salty, add more sugar to balance it out.
If you don’t have brown sugar, you can use regular granulated sugar.
Rice Vinegar. The acidity in the vinegar helps to balance out the sweet flavors in the sauce, and adds a light and tangy bright flavor to the beef.
If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar.
Garlic. I like to use two cloves of garlic for this recipe, but you can add more or less based on your preferences.
Spices. Add ground ginger, crushed red pepper, or cayenne pepper to taste. You don’t need to add any extra salt because of the soy sauce.
Instead of crushed red pepper flakes, you can also use Korean Gochugaru (coarse crushed red pepper), just make sure the brand you choose is gluten free if you’re following a gluten free diet.
Sesame Oil. This is added for flavor. To get the best sesame flavor, you want to use toasted sesame oil. This will have the strongest aroma and flavor, so use sparingly until you’re used to this ingredient.
Kitchen Tools
For this recipe you’ll need a skillet.
How to Make Korean Beef Bowls
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the vegetable oil, onion, garlic, and the white parts of the green onion. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the beef and cook until browned, stirring occasionally for about 5-6 minutes, using a spatula to break the meat apart.
- Drain off any grease on the bottom of the skillet. Then add the sauce and simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce begins to thicken and meat is completely cooked through.
- Serve over rice or with lettuce wraps, and top with spring onions and sesame seeds if desired.
Recipe Variations
- Try adding more veggies like chopped zucchini, broccoli florets, sliced cucumber, spinach, or bell peppers.
- You can also make this with cubed steak or chicken thighs.
- This works great served over rice, but you can also serve it over rice noodles.
- Try serving the leftovers in the morning with a fried egg!
- Use butter lettuce to serve this as a healthy lettuce wrap instead. You can also add pickled vegetables like pickled red onions.
- For a lower carb option, try serving over cauliflower rice instead of white rice.
- Try adding some fresh minced ginger with the garlic for more flavor.
- If you’d like this even more spicy, add cayenne pepper or chili oil to the beef.
Recipe Tip! Remember to drain the grease from the ground beef before adding the sauce, to prevent the dish from being greasy. I like to use lean ground beef so there’s less grease to deal with.
Frequently Asked Questions
These beef bowls are a twist on a traditional Korean bulgogi dish. Bulgogi beef is a traditional Korean bbq dish that’s made from thinly sliced beef that’s marinated and cooked bbq-style. This rice bowl recipe instead uses ground beef and is cooked in a skillet, closer to other stir fry recipes, using similar flavors from the beef and the sauce.
Recipe Tip! For a leaner option, try using 93% lean ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken.
More Beef Recipes
Storage
Refrigerate leftover beef bowls for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
Freeze these beef bowls for 2-3 months in a freezer-safe container.
Cooking Tips
- Use a spatula to crumble the beef as it cooks, ensuring even browning and texture.
- Once the sauce is added, give it a few minutes to reduce slightly and fully coat the meat. It’ll thicken and the beef will absorb more of the flavor.
- After browning the meat, drain or spoon off any extra grease before adding the sauce to prevent a greasy texture.
Korean Beef Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced (for garnish)
For the Sauce
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons tamari, or gluten free soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 green onions, chopped
- 1-2 teaspoons sesame seeds, for topping
Equipment
- 1 large skillet
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add the vegetable oil, onion, garlic, and the white parts of the green onion. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the beef and cook until browned, stirring occasionally for about 5-6 minutes, using a spatula to break the meat apart.
- Drain off any grease on the bottom of the skillet. Then add the sauce and simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the sauce begins to thicken and meat is completely cooked through.
- Serve over rice or with lettuce wraps, and top with spring onions, carrot, and sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- For a leaner option, try using 93% lean ground beef, ground turkey, or ground chicken.
- Use a spatula to crumble the beef as it cooks, ensuring even browning and texture.
- Once the sauce is added, give it a few minutes to reduce slightly and fully coat the meat. It’ll thicken and the beef will absorb more of the flavor.
- After browning the meat, drain or spoon off any extra grease before adding the sauce to prevent a greasy texture.
Nutrition
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Love this but nowhere do you mention what to do with the carrot
Thanks I will add that! I just cut it into slices and place it on top. If you prefer cooked carrots, you can add it when you cook the onion.