Korean Beef Bowls

These Korean beef bowls are made with ground beef cooked in a sweet and savory sauce, steamed rice and a colorful assortment of vegetables. An easy dinner option that’s ready in less than 30 minutes!

Korean ground beef is simple to make, yet packed with tons of flavor. Pair it with rice and veggies for a complete meal that tastes like it came from a restaurant.

When I’m looking for a super easy dinner that I know the whole family will eat, I often turn to these Korean beef bowls. This recipe uses a handful of ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry, and you can use whatever vegetables are in the house.

What is Korean beef?

Korean beef is sliced or ground beef that’s cooked in a combination of soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil. Often times other flavorings are added like garlic, ginger and chili peppers. While this particular recipe uses ground beef, you can substitute thinly sliced steak such as flank steak if you prefer.

How do you make Korean beef?

To make Korean beef, you’ll need to brown your ground beef, then stir in the garlic and seasonings. The whole thing will simmer for a few minutes until the beef is coated in the sauce. Sprinkle some sesame seeds and green onions over the top, then serve and enjoy!

To make Korean beef bowls, simply spoon your beef mixture over steamed rice and add some steamed or stir fried vegetables on the side. I typically put up a pot of rice to boil before I start cooking my beef, then I cook the beef and vegetables simultaneously in separate pans so that everything is ready at once.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can use whatever veggies you happen to have on hand. I used a combination of broccoli, carrots and asparagus here, but other great options are

• bell peppers
• bok choy
• mushrooms
• onions
• green beans

This Korean beef reheats beautifully, so feel free to make a double batch and save the leftover for lunch, or use your extra beef to make meal prep bowls for the week.

I typically use 90% lean ground beef in my cooking; I find that it’s plenty flavorful yet doesn’t produce a lot of excess grease. If you choose to use ground beef with a higher fat content, be sure to thoroughly drain the meat before proceeding with the recipe.

Not a fan of ground beef? This recipe can also be made with ground turkey, although the flavors will not be as rich.

More Asian food recipes

• Honey Garlic Shrimp Stir Fry
• Slow Cooker Orange Chicken
• Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
• Firecracker Chicken
• Shrimp Chow Mein

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5 from 6 votes

Korean Beef Bowls

These Korean beef bowls are made with ground beef cooked in a sweet and savory sauce, steamed rice and a colorful assortment of vegetables. An easy dinner option that's ready in less than 30 minutes!

Course Main

Cuisine Asian

Keyword asian food, korean beef, korean beef bowls

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 451kcal

Author Sara Welch

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lbs lean ground beef I use 90% lean
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 3 cups steamed rice
• 3 cups steamed or sauteed vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, carrots, mushrooms and/or peppers

Instructions

• Place a large pan over medium high heat on the stove. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking the meat up with a spatula, until done, approximately 4-6 minutes.
• Add the garlic and ginger to the pan and cook for 1 more minute.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, brown sugar and soy sauce.
• Pour the sauce over the meat and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Add it to the beef mixture and cook for 1 minute or until sauce has thickened.
• Stir in the green onions and sesame seeds.
• Divide the rice and vegetables between 4 bowls. Spoon the beef over the top and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 630mg | Potassium: 588mg | Sugar: 13g | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 4.3mg