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A flavorful Korean Ground Beef Bowl is presented as a featured image, showcasing its colorful and delicious ingredients.

Easy Korean Ground Beef Bowl

This Korean ground beef bowl recipe delivers a quick and flavorful weeknight meal. It perfectly balances sweet, savory, and umami flavors, offering a satisfying and adaptable dish that's easy to customize with your favorite toppings.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Korean
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground beef 80/20 recommended
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 inch ginger, grated
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar or honey
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon gochujang Korean chili paste, optional
  • 1/4 cup water
  • Cooked rice, for serving
  • Optional toppings: sliced green onions
  • Optional toppings: sesame seeds
  • Optional toppings: kimchi
  • Optional toppings: fried egg

Equipment

  • Large skillet or wok
  • Spoon
  • small bowl
  • whisk
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • Grater
  • knife
  • cutting board

Method
 

  1. In a large skillet or wok, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Break it up with a spoon as it cooks. Drain off any excess grease.
  2. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the skillet and cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar (or honey), sesame oil, gochujang (if using), and water.
  4. Pour the sauce over the ground beef and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly and the beef is coated.
  5. Serve the Korean ground beef over cooked rice. Top with your favorite toppings, such as sliced green onions, sesame seeds, kimchi, or a fried egg.

Notes

Adjust the ingredients to your liking. For a less salty dish, reduce the amount of soy sauce. Freshly grated ginger makes a huge difference in flavor. If you are sensitive to spice, start with a smaller amount of gochujang. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Fluffy, slightly sticky rice (like short-grain or medium-grain) is ideal for soaking up the flavorful sauce.