Asian Korean Beef Bowls (Printable Version)
Savory Korean-style beef over steamed rice with fresh vegetables and punchy gochujang sauce
# What You Need:
→ Beef
01 - 1 lb lean ground beef
→ Sauce
02 - 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 2 tbsp light brown sugar
04 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
05 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
07 - 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste) or 1 tsp red pepper flakes
08 - 2 tsp rice vinegar
→ Rice and Bowls
09 - 1 1/2 cups jasmine or short-grain white rice
10 - 2 cups water
→ Toppings
11 - 2 medium carrots, julienned
12 - 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
13 - 4 scallions, thinly sliced
14 - 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
15 - Kimchi (optional)
16 - Fresh cilantro (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - Rinse rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Add rice and 2 cups water to a saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 12–15 minutes until tender. Fluff with a fork.
02 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, gochujang, and rice vinegar until smooth.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spatula, until browned (about 5 minutes). Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Pour the sauce over the beef and cook, stirring, for another 2–3 minutes until the beef is evenly coated and the sauce has thickened slightly.
05 - Divide the steamed rice among 4 bowls. Top each with the beef mixture, carrots, cucumber, scallions, sesame seeds, and optional toppings like kimchi or cilantro.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered all day
- You can customize the toppings to use whatever vegetables are sitting in your crisper drawer
- It hits that perfect balance of sweet, salty, and spicy that makes you want to keep eating
02 -
- I once forgot to drain the fat after browning the beef and the sauce turned into a greasy puddle, so do not skip that step
- The sauce will look thin when you first pour it over the beef, but it thickens quickly as it cooks
03 -
- Double the sauce and keep half in the refrigerator for a quick dinner later in the week
- Prep all your vegetables while the rice cooks so everything is ready to assemble