Description
This Korean Ground Beef Bowl is a quick, easy, and flavorful meal packed with sweet, savory, and slightly spicy flavors. Ready in just 20 minutes, it’s perfect for busy weeknights and super customizable with simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound ground beef (lean 90/10 recommended)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (or honey)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (or coconut aminos for gluten-free)
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger (or 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 green onions, sliced
- Cooked white or brown rice, for serving
- Sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Brown the Beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until browned, about 5-7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
- Cook Aromatics: Lower heat to medium, stir in sesame oil and minced garlic. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, ground ginger, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes.
- Combine: Pour sauce into the skillet with beef. Stir to evenly coat the meat and let simmer for 2-3 minutes to blend flavors.
- Finish: Turn off heat, stir in most of the sliced green onions, saving some for garnish.
- Assemble: Serve beef over hot cooked rice. Top with remaining green onions and sesame seeds. Add steamed vegetables or a fried egg for extra flair.
Notes
Use ground turkey or chicken as a lighter option. For a low-carb version, serve over cauliflower rice. Adjust sweetness or spice to your liking by modifying sugar and pepper flakes. Leftovers store well and make excellent meal prep.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Korean-Inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 850mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 70mg