Korean Ground Beef Bowls
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These Korean-inspired ground beef and rice bowls are outrageously easy to make, delicious, and ready in less than 20 minutes. If you’re looking for something new to do with ground beef, this is the answer! Top with your favorite veggies and toasted sesame seeds for an easy, vibrant, and flexible dinner.
Quick, Flavorful, and Customizable
Sometimes you just need a super easy home-cooked meal. Easy, and every bit as fast as discussing what to order for takeout. Maybe even faster. This is a recipe for those kinds of days. This easy Korean-inspired ground beef is:
- Absolutely delicious. The combination of savory, sweet, and salty flavors in the quick homemade sauce is downright irresistible.
- Super quick and easy — 15 minutes flat. The beef literally takes less than 15 minutes, start-to-finish, and most of that is sufficiently hands-off to allow you to slice up veggies and other toppings. I call it a 20-minute meal only because it might take that long to make rice.
- Good for customizing. These bowls are a great way to use not only ground beef but also a variety of veggies that may be lingering in your fridge. Steam some broccoli or snow peas; slice up fresh cucumber, carrots, radish, or bell pepper; etc.
Pro tip
This build-your-own-bowl method is a great way to let everyone choose what they like and can encourage picky kids to experiment. We like to lay out topping options and ask kids to “add colors.” They usually will serve themselves at least one or two veggies that way — without a fight!
Ingredient Notes
A note on yield
If you make this with one pound of ground meat, you will likely have four relatively modest servings, depending of course on how much everyone eats. It doubles perfectly and reheats well, so if there is any concern over having enough, brown two pounds of ground meat and double the sauce ingredients, too.
How To Make Korean Ground Beef Bowls
This is an overview. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Word to the wise: if you plan to make rice in the Instant Pot or on the stove, start it first thing — before cooking the beef.
Begin the main recipe by browning the beef and garlic together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Ground beef or sirloin typically renders enough fat on its own, but if you’re substituting ground turkey or chicken, warm a drizzle of vegetable or olive oil in the skillet first.
While the meat browns, whisk together the sauce ingredients and start to prep toppings.
When the meat is mostly browned, pour the sauce into the skillet and stir well. Cook for another couple of minutes while the sauce thickens and absorbs into the meat.
You can then bring the heat all the way down to the lowest setting to keep the meat warm without drying out while you finish any final topping prep.
What To Serve with Korean Ground Beef
My absolute favorite way to serve Korean ground beef is over plain rice — white, brown, or cauliflower — with a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds and an array of sliced cucumbers, shredded carrots, green onions, or other fresh crunchy veggies on top. The beef is also tasty with steamed or stir-fried veggies.
Not a fan of rice? Pick up some Bibb lettuce and use the same filling to make Korean beef lettuce cups instead. We find them every bit as satisfying and delicious.
Storage and Freezing
This recipe doubles very easily, and since my kids are only getting hungrier, I often do just that. The meat reheats very well and makes delicious lunches. Simply store any leftovers tightly-covered in the fridge for 3-4 days; rice and beef in one container for easy reheating, veggies in another.
Also, yes, Korean ground beef can be frozen! Store the cooked beef in any freezer-safe container for 3-4 months, and defrost in the fridge for 6-8 hours before warming in the microwave or in a skillet. If the beef looks dry after reheating, add a few drops of sesame oil or a small amount of water.
Korean Ground Beef Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef or sirloin
- 2-3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 8-10 cranks freshly-ground black pepper
- rice, cucumber, shredded carrots, green onions, sesame seeds, etc. for serving
Instructions
- Warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and garlic. Break up the meat into small crumbles and cook until mostly browned. Drain or dab up excess fat if needed.1 pound lean ground beef, 2-3 cloves garlic
- While the meat browns, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger, and red and black pepper in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, and start to prep veggie toppings.1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 8-10 cranks freshly-ground black pepper
- When the meat is mostly browned, stir in the sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes more, just until the sauce thickens and is absorbed into the meat. When it's as thick as you like it, reduce heat all the way to low until ready to serve.
- Serve hot over rice and with veggies or other garnishes as desired.rice, cucumber, shredded carrots, green onions, sesame seeds, etc.
Notes
- Substitute Poultry: You can use ground chicken or turkey in place of the beef, but add a drizzle of oil to cook it in.
- Other Topping Ideas: We also love sliced radishes, chopped bell peppers, edamame, and steamed veggies like broccoli or snow peas.
- Yield: This recipe yields 4 modest servings if paired with rice or another base and veggies. It doubles easily, so if you have any concern over having enough, use 2 pounds of ground beef and double the sauce ingredients, too.
- Timing: If you’re making rice on the stovetop or Instant Pot to accompany this meal, be sure to start it first, because the beef comes together extremely quickly and you don’t want to be waiting on the rice at the end.
- Storage: Leftovers keep very well, tightly-covered in the fridge, for 3-4 days.
- Nutrition: Nutritional info is automatically calculated and an estimate based on 1 pound of ground beef seasoned and divided among 4 equal servings; it does not include rice, veggies, or other sides.
Nutrition Estimate
Post originally published August 18, 2020, and updated April 30, 2025 with new photos and more detailed information on the process and substitutions. The recipe is unchanged.
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes
Looking for more dinners to make with that pound of ground beef you purchased on sale? Instant Pot ground beef tacos, unstuffed peppers, 25-minute ground beef pasta, or chili garlic beef and shells are always winners.
Enjoy Asian-inspired skillet dinners? You’ll also love my recipes for sweet and sticky Asian-inspired meatballs, ground beef bowls with edamame, ground beef and broccoli, and teriyaki ground beef.
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Yummy! This was really good. I followed the recipe exactly – except when the beef/garlic mix was almost cooked, I added shredded carrots to fry with it for a bit before draining the mix of the hamburger grease and then adding the sauce mix.
We had it over white rice. The rice was a bit too dry and I think I will double the sauce mix next time I make this and also add some frozen petite peas. I cut green onions/scallions and had toasted sesame seeds for topping.
It went well with steamed asparagus on the side.
I’m so happy you liked it! It sounds really good with the carrots mixed in – I like carrots a little tenderized that way, too. 🙂 Double the sauce sounds delicious, as well. Thank you for taking the time to leave this feedback!
This has become a consistent meal in our rotation! It is so tasty and the flexibility of veggie choices is a big plus. Thank you Monica.
So tasty! Enjoyed by 4, 7, 10 year olds plus both parents. Loved the idea of customizing for each person!
Oh my gosh this is SO good! I made it tonight and my three normally picky kids all asked for seconds! Super quick to get on the table on a weeknight and requires almost zero prep work!
I made this recipe for some fun variety for my family, as it’s out of my comfort zone in terms of cuisine. But it was super EASY to make, with simple ingredients, and very tasty. My daughter loved the vegetables; my son, the meat; and my husband and I enjoyed all of it, but that’s par for the course for my kids. I’m making it again this week. It’s a good meal for hectic weekdays.
That is so great to hear, Elizabeth – thanks a million for sharing this feedback!