Korean Ground Beef Bowl (Printable Page)

Savory gochujang beef with rice, vegetables, and kimchi in a quick 30-minute meal.

# What You Need:

→ For the Beef

01 - 1 lb lean ground beef
02 - 2 tablespoons gochujang
03 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
04 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
08 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ For the Bowl

09 - 4 cups cooked short-grain rice
10 - 1 cup shelled edamame, cooked
11 - 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
12 - 1 cup carrot, julienned
13 - 1 cup kimchi, chopped
14 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

# Steps:

01 - Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic and ginger for 1 minute until fragrant.
02 - Add ground beef to the skillet and cook, breaking up the meat with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 to 6 minutes.
03 - Stir in gochujang, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and evenly coat the beef.
04 - Remove from heat and stir in half of the sliced green onions.
05 - Divide cooked rice evenly among 4 serving bowls. Top each portion with seasoned ground beef, edamame, cucumber slices, julienned carrot, and chopped kimchi.
06 - Sprinkle each bowl with remaining green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes flat, which means weeknight dinners stop feeling like a chore.
  • The combination of warm beef, cool vegetables, and tangy kimchi creates this perfect balance that keeps you coming back for more bites.
  • You can customize every element based on what you have or what you're craving that day.
02 -
  • Don't skip toasting your sesame seeds yourself if you can, because the difference between raw and toasted is the difference between a good bowl and one that tastes restaurant-quality.
  • If your gochujang seems too thick to combine smoothly with the beef, whisk it together with the soy sauce first before adding it to the pan, which prevents lumps and ensures even distribution.
03 -
  • Brown your beef in a dry skillet first before adding sesame oil if you want maximum color and deeper flavor from the meat itself.
  • If you find the sauce is too thin after cooking, drain some excess liquid before adding the gochujang mixture, which helps it cling better to the beef.
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