Korean Ground Beef Bowl (Printable)

Savory seasoned beef over rice with crisp tangy pickled vegetables

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef

01 - 1 lb lean ground beef
02 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
03 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
04 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
05 - 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 teaspoon gochujang or sriracha optional for heat
08 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced
09 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

→ Rice Base

10 - 4 cups cooked jasmine rice or cauliflower rice

→ Quick Pickled Vegetables

11 - 1 cup carrot, julienned
12 - 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
13 - 1/2 cup radish, thinly sliced
14 - 1/2 cup rice vinegar
15 - 1 tablespoon sugar
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Garnish

17 - Additional green onions, sliced
18 - Extra sesame seeds

# Cooking Steps:

01 - In a bowl, combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir until dissolved. Add carrot, cucumber, and radish. Toss to coat. Let sit for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
02 - Cook jasmine rice or cauliflower rice according to package instructions. Keep warm.
03 - In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add ground beef. Cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
04 - Add soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and gochujang to the beef. Stir well and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes until fragrant and saucy.
05 - Remove from heat and stir in sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
06 - Divide cooked rice among bowls. Top with seasoned ground beef and a generous portion of pickled vegetables.
07 - Garnish with additional green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Everything comes together in one pan while the rice cooks, leaving you with minimal cleanup and maximum flavor.
  • The pickled vegetables cut through the richness of the beef in a way that makes every bite feel bright and balanced.
  • You can swap the rice for cauliflower rice and still feel completely satisfied, no sad diet food here.
  • It reheats beautifully, so leftovers for lunch actually become something to look forward to.
02 -
  • Do not skip draining the beef if it releases a lot of fat, or the sauce will taste greasy instead of glossy and cling properly.
  • Letting the pickled vegetables sit for at least 15 minutes is non-negotiable, they need time to soften and absorb the brine or they will taste like raw veggies with vinegar on them.
  • If you are using gochujang, start with just a teaspoon and taste before adding more, some brands are much spicier than others and it is easy to overdo it.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for a minute before adding them to the beef, it wakes up their nutty flavor and makes them taste fresher.
  • Use a microplane to grate the ginger directly into the pan so you get all the juice without any fibrous bits.
  • If your pickles taste too sharp, add a pinch more sugar to the brine, it rounds out the acidity without making them sweet.
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