Description
Korean Beef Bowls offer a flavorful and easy-to-make meal featuring ground beef simmered in a savory, slightly sweet, and tangy sauce. Served over fluffy rice and garnished with green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes, this dish provides a perfect balance of textures and tastes for a satisfying dinner.
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 long grain rice
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a bowl, combine the beef broth and cornstarch, mixing well until smooth without lumps. Ensure the broth is cold or at room temperature to avoid activating the cornstarch prematurely. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, hot sauce, sesame oil, and ground ginger. Stir until fully combined and set aside in a cool place.
- Cook the beef: Season the ground beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the ground beef. Cook and crumble the beef for 3 minutes, then add the minced garlic and diced onion. Continue cooking and sautéing for another 5-6 minutes until the beef is fully cooked and the onions are translucent. Drain any excess grease from the skillet.
- Add the sauce: Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet with the beef mixture. Bring the sauce to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Allow it to boil and reduce for about 3 minutes or until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
- Finish and serve: Remove the skillet from heat. Garnish the beef with sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes. Serve the beef mixture over the cooked rice along with thinly sliced cucumbers and julienned carrots. You can also use cauliflower rice or lettuce wraps as alternatives.
Notes
- If sensitive to heat, omit the hot sauce or reduce its amount; its flavor is subtle in the final dish.
- Substitute ground beef with ground pork, chicken, or turkey for variation.
- Adding sautéed broccoli or other vegetables like water chestnuts, celery, kale, or spinach is a great way to increase nutrition and flavor.
- Try different toppings such as chopped peanuts, cashews, sliced almonds, or crunchy chow mein noodles for added texture.
- Use low sodium soy sauce and reduced sodium beef broth to control the dish's sodium content.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
- For perfectly cooked rice, simmer 1 cup long grain white rice in 2 cups chicken broth for 15-20 minutes, then optionally let it rest covered off heat for 10 minutes to enhance fluffiness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl with rice
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
