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A delicious Korean Ground Beef Bowl is shown as the featured image, showcasing its savory and colorful ingredients.

Best Korean Ground Beef Bowl

This Korean Ground Beef Bowl recipe delivers savory ground beef in a sweet and spicy sauce, served over rice. It's a quick, flavorful, and customizable weeknight dinner that's better than takeout.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Korean
Calories: 550
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound ground beef 80/20 recommended
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1-2 tablespoons gochujang Korean chili paste
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • Cooked rice, for serving
  • Sesame seeds, for topping
  • Sliced green onions, for topping
  • Kimchi, for topping
  • Sriracha mayo, for topping
  • Fried egg, for topping optional

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.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, gochujang, sesame oil, rice vinegar (or lemon juice), water, and cornstarch.
  4. Pour the sauce over the ground beef and stir to combine.
  5. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and the beef is coated.
  6. Serve the ground beef over cooked rice.
  7. Garnish with your favorite toppings, such as sesame seeds, sliced green onions, kimchi, and a fried egg.

Notes

For optimal flavor and texture, use 80/20 ground beef. Short-grain rice, like sushi rice, works best for absorbing the sauce. Adjust the amount of gochujang to your spice preference. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.