Asian Korean Beef Bowls (Print version)
Savory Korean beef over jasmine rice with crisp vegetables and spicy gochujang sauce.
# What you'll 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)
# Method:
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 and combined.
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 constantly, for 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 advice:
01 -
- This recipe proves you dont need expensive cuts of meat or hours of marinating to get restaurant-quality Korean flavors at home
- The balance of sweet, savory, and slightly spicy hits every craving while fresh vegetables keep each bite feeling light and satisfying
02 -
- Draining the beef after browning prevents the final dish from feeling greasy and lets the sauce cling to the meat instead of sliding off
- Letting the sauce cook with the beef for those extra few minutes allows the flavors to meld and the consistency to become sticky and coating rather than thin and watery
03 -
- Use a box grater to quickly julienne carrots if you are not comfortable with knife skills
- Grate ginger on the finest side of your grater or use a microplane to avoid fibrous strings in your sauce