Korean Ground Beef Bowl | Quick & Easy Weeknight Favorite
Derek
This Korean ground beef bowl combines savory-sweet ground beef, garlic, ginger, and gochujang over fluffy jasmine rice—ready in 20 minutes! Perfect for meal prep and easy weeknight dinners, this bold-flavored dish is customizable with veggies and toppings to suit any craving.
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Korean-Inspired
Servings 4 servings
Calories 480 kcal
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
- ¼ cup soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp gochujang
- 2 cups cooked jasmine rice
- Green onions and sesame seeds for garnish
Step 1: Cook Beef Heat sesame oil and cook beef until browned.
Step 2: Season Beef Add garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, and gochujang. Simmer 5 minutes.
Step 3: Prepare Rice Cook jasmine rice according to package instructions.
Step 4: Assemble Bowls Spoon beef over rice, garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Secret Tips for the Best Korean Ground Beef Bowl
1. Bloom the aromatics first
For the richest flavor, sauté your minced garlic and ginger in sesame oil for 1–2 minutes before adding the ground beef. This blooming process releases essential oils and enhances the base flavor of your Korean ground beef stir-fry.
2. Use a mix of soy sauce and tamari
To create a gluten-free Korean ground beef bowl, use tamari, but even if gluten isn’t a concern, combining tamari with regular soy sauce gives the dish deeper umami and a more complex finish.
3. Don’t skip the brown sugar
Even though it’s a small amount, brown sugar balances the saltiness of the soy sauce and the heat of the gochujang perfectly. It helps achieve that signature sweet-savory taste you love in a Korean beef rice bowl.
4. Double the gochujang for spice lovers
If you want a spicy Korean ground beef bowl recipe, double the amount of gochujang or add a teaspoon of Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru). It will give the dish a satisfying slow-building heat.
5. Stir in sesame oil at the end
Drizzling a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil into the beef just before serving intensifies the nutty aroma and flavor, taking your Korean ground beef bowl from good to restaurant-quality.
6. Use day-old rice
For perfect Korean beef rice bowl meal prep, make your jasmine or short-grain rice the day before and refrigerate it. Chilled rice holds its shape better and won’t get mushy under the saucy beef.
7. Layer in texture with toppings
Add fresh cucumber slices, shredded cabbage, pickled carrots, or kimchi to bring crunch and contrast to your bowl. This tip is key for anyone building a healthy Korean ground beef bowl with vegetables.
8. Finish with a fried egg
For a Korean ground beef bowl with bibimbap flair, top each bowl with a crispy-edged fried egg or a soft-poached egg. The runny yolk enriches the beef and brings everything together beautifully.Keyword easy korean beef bowl, gluten free korean ground beef bowl, healthy korean ground beef bowl with vegetables, keto friendly korean beef bowls, korean beef bowl meal prep, korean beef bowl recipe, korean beef rice bowl, korean ground beef bowl, korean ground beef bowl with gochujang sauce, korean ground beef stir fry, spicy korean ground beef bowl recipe
