Description
Korean Beef Bowls are a flavorful and quick meal featuring savory ground beef cooked with a deliciously tangy and sweet sauce, served over fluffy rice and garnished with fresh green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes. Perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb. ground beef
- Salt/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: In a bowl, combine the beef broth with cornstarch, mixing well to dissolve completely, ensuring the broth is cool to prevent activating the cornstarch prematurely. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, hot sauce, sesame oil, and ground ginger. Mix thoroughly and set 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 for 3 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon. Then add diced onion and minced garlic, cooking for an additional 5-6 minutes until beef is fully cooked and onions are soft. Drain excess grease from the pan.
- Add the sauce to the beef: Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the skillet with the cooked beef. Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat slightly to maintain a boil. Let the sauce thicken and reduce for about 3 minutes, stirring periodically, until it reaches your desired consistency. The sauce will start out thin but will thicken as it simmers.
- Serve and garnish: Remove the skillet from heat. Serve the Korean beef over cooked rice or alternatives like cauliflower rice or lettuce wraps. Garnish with sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Add thinly sliced cucumbers and julienned carrots on the side for freshness and crunch.
Notes
- If you prefer less heat, omit or reduce the hot sauce; the final dish has a mild heat.
- Ground pork, chicken, or turkey can be used as alternatives to ground beef.
- Sauté broccoli for 4-5 minutes in the skillet before cooking the beef and add it back into the sauce for a nutritious addition.
- Other vegetable additions like water chestnuts, celery, kale, or spinach can enhance texture and nutrition.
- For extra crunch, garnish with chopped peanuts, cashews, sliced almonds, or crunchy chow mein noodles.
- To lower sodium, use low-sodium soy sauce and beef broth variations.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.
- For perfectly cooked rice, cook 1 cup white long grain rice in 2 cups chicken broth by boiling, then simmering with lid on for 15 minutes, checking for doneness and letting it rest 10 minutes off heat for fluffiness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl with rice
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
