Description
Korean Beef Bowls are a flavorful and satisfying meal featuring seasoned ground beef cooked with onions and garlic, simmered in a rich, tangy, and slightly sweet sauce. Served over perfectly cooked rice and garnished with green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes, this dish offers a delightful blend of savory and spicy flavors. It's easy to prepare, perfect for weeknight dinners, and customizable with various protein and vegetable options.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
Sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Garnishes
- Green onions, sliced
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Red pepper flakes
For Serving
- Thinly sliced cucumbers
- Julienned carrots
- 3 cups cooked white rice
Instructions
- Prepare the Sauce: Combine the beef broth with the cornstarch in a bowl and mix until fully combined, ensuring the broth is cold to avoid activating the cornstarch prematurely. Stir in the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, hot sauce, sesame oil, and ground ginger. Set the sauce aside in a cool place until ready to use.
- Cook the Beef: Season the ground beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef. Cook and crumble the beef for about 3 minutes. Add the diced onions and minced garlic, then sauté everything together for an additional 5 to 6 minutes or until the beef is fully cooked through. Drain excess grease from the skillet.
- Add the Sauce and Simmer: Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet with the cooked beef and bring it to a boil. Allow the mixture to boil and thicken, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until it reaches your desired consistency. The sauce will reduce and thicken considerably during this time.
- Finish and Serve: Remove the skillet from heat. Garnish the beef with sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes. Serve the dish over cooked rice, cauliflower rice, or use it as a filling for lettuce wraps. Add thinly sliced cucumbers and julienned carrots on the side for extra freshness and crunch.
- Cook the Rice (Optional): Bring 2 cups of chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan. Add 1 cup of white long-grain rice and submerge it completely. Return to a boil, cover the pot, and reduce heat to a gentle simmer on medium-low. Let it steam for 15 minutes. If the rice is not fully cooked and liquid remains, continue simmering for 5 more minutes. Once cooked, remove from heat and optionally let it sit covered for 10 minutes to make it fluffier.
Notes
- If you are sensitive to spice, omit the hot sauce as it is mild in the finished dish. Frank's Hot Sauce is recommended if used.
- Ground pork, chicken, or turkey can substitute the ground beef for variation.
- Add sautéed broccoli or other vegetables like water chestnuts, celery, kale, or spinach for more nutrition.
- Try various toppings such as chopped peanuts, cashews, sliced almonds, or crunchy chow mein noodles for added texture.
- To reduce sodium, use low sodium soy sauce and reduced sodium beef broth.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months without loss of flavor.
- For perfectly cooked rice, follow the method detailed above to achieve fluffy, non-sticky rice.
- Experiment by serving over cauliflower rice or in lettuce wraps for low-carb alternatives.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl with rice
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg
