These Korean beef bowls are one of our most popular recipes on Damn Delicious. Please enjoy!
We are using ground beef instead of thin pieces of sirloin in this recipe, which is a fun twist on the classic Korean meal bulgogi. To make bulgogi taste better and more tender, it is marinated overnight. But with this quick ground beef alternative, you can have the same flavors in no time.
Reasons I adore this recipe
- Hero of the week. These beef bowls come together quite quickly because they only need a few ingredients. It only takes 10 to 15 minutes to prepare, and if you have some leftover cooked rice, dinner will be ready in 20 minutes or less.
- Affordable. This recipe is easy to make for four people using just ground beef and rice from the pantry.
- Recipe that can be changed. You can throw in any leftover vegetables, such chopped bell peppers, carrots, or broccoli florets, for a wonderful supper that cleans out the fridge.
How to be successful: hints & tactics
- Use soy sauce with less salt. Reduced sodium has less salt and sodium, but the taste stays the same.
- Use the meat you like best. Ground beef, pork, chicken, turkey, tofu, or plant-based ground beef will all work great here.
- Put in some veggies. You can add mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers, or snow peas to make the dinner more filling.
- More protein. Need extra protein? Put a fried egg on top of your bowls.
- Add more sauce. Want more sauce to soak up with rice? Those who like sauce can simply double or triple the amount of sauce.
- Serve with your favorite grains. You can use white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa, or farro.
- Prepare meals as needed. These Korean beef bowls are great for eating on the fly and can be easily prepared ahead of time for the week.
Things You Need
- ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes, or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon of oil from vegetables
- 1 pound of ground beef
- 3 cloves of chopped garlic
- ¼ teaspoon sesame seeds
- 2 green onions, cut into thin slices
Tools
Skillet made of cast iron
How to do it
- Whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and ginger in a small bowl.
- Put a lot of vegetable oil in a big cast iron skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and simmer, stirring all the time, until it smells good, about 1 minute.
- Add the ground beef and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it is browned. Make careful to break up the beef as it cooks. Drain any extra fat.
- Add the soy sauce mixture and green onions and stir until everything is thoroughly mixed. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes, or until it is hot.
- If you want, serve right away with green onions and sesame seeds on top.
Questions People Ask About the Korean Beef Bowl
- Do I have to use meat that has been ground?
- Not at all! You can use ground pig, chicken, turkey, tofu, or plant-based ground beef instead of the ground beef.
- Can I prepare something ahead of time?
- Of course! Here are step-by-step instructions for preparing this meal for the week.
- How do I save leftovers?
- You can keep leftovers in the fridge for 2–3 days in a container that doesn’t let air in.
- Can this go in the freezer?
- Yes! You can put the leftovers in separate freezer bags, freeze them, and then thaw them overnight. To reheat them, add a tablespoon of water as needed.
- Is it possible to make Korean beef in a slow cooker?
- 100%! This is one of our favorite recipes for the crockpot, and it’s great for the cold months.