Korean Ground Beef Bowls
A quick, cozy weeknight dinner with savory ground beef, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and warm rice. These Korean Ground Beef Bowls are easy to customize with fresh toppings like cucumber, kimchi, sesame seeds, and green onions, making them a flexible and satisfying meal for busy nights.
Equipment
- large skillet
- pot with lid for cooking rice
- spatula
- knife
- cutting board
- measuring spoons
- serving bowls
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground beef, preferably 80/20
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 2 green onions, chopped, plus more for garnish
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
- 2 cups cooked rice, such as jasmine, basmati, or brown rice
- sesame seeds, optional for topping
- sliced cucumber, optional for topping
- kimchi, optional for topping
- pickled vegetables, optional for topping
- bell peppers, optional add-in
- carrots, optional add-in
- broccoli, optional add-in
- spinach, optional add-in
- fried egg, optional for topping
Instructions
- Cook the rice so everything is ready at the same time. For the stovetop method, rinse 1 cup of rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Add it to a pot with 2 cups of water, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes until the water is absorbed. Let it sit off the heat for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork. You can also use a rice cooker or Instant Pot.
- Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the ground beef. Break it up with a spatula as it cooks and let it brown until it’s no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- If there’s a lot of grease in the pan, drain off the excess. Stir in the minced garlic and ginger and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until fragrant.
- Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, and chopped green onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then let the mixture simmer for another couple of minutes so the flavors combine.
- Spoon cooked rice into each bowl, then top with the seasoned ground beef. Finish with any toppings you like, such as cucumber, kimchi, sesame seeds, extra green onions, steamed broccoli, sautéed peppers, pickled vegetables, or a fried egg.
Notes
This recipe is intentionally simple and works best as a flavorful base bowl. For extra texture and flavor, add toppings like cucumber, kimchi, sesame seeds, extra green onions, steamed broccoli, sautéed peppers, pickled vegetables, or a fried egg. Use tamari for a gluten-free version. Ground turkey, ground chicken, plant-based ground, tofu, tempeh, or finely chopped mushrooms can be substituted for the beef. Store leftover beef and rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, keeping crunchy toppings separate until serving.