Easy Korean Ground Beef Bowls (20-Minute Family Dinner)

A bowl of white rice topped with cooked ground beef, sliced green onions, julienned carrots, and sliced cucumbers, placed on a white surface with a beige and white cloth in the background.

5 from 3 votes

Easy Korean Ground Beef Bowls (20-Minute Family Dinner)

These Korean ground beef bowls come together in 20 minutes with a savory soy and sesame sauce, served over seasoned rice with fresh carrots, cucumbers, and green onions.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time20

Servings:

Calories: 572kcal

Author: Lyuda @ Grace-Filled Kitchen

Equipment

Skillet

Ingredients

For the Korean Beef:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly minced ginger or ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp corn starch
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
1/3 cup beef bone broth optional, but will make it extra saucy

For Serving:

2 cups cooked rice fluffed with 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 avocado diced
2 green onions thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon sesame seeds
Carrot and cucumber salad (recipe linked)

Instructions

Cook the beef

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 3–5 minutes, breaking it up as it browns. Drain any excess fat if needed.

Make the sauce

While the beef is cooking, in a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, corn starch, and crushed red pepper flakes (if using). Mix well to combine, then add bone broth, and stir one more time.

Add the sauce

Pour the prepared sauce over the cooked beef and stir to combine. Let it simmer for about 2 minutes, until heated through and slightly thickened.

Assemble and serve

Divide the rice evenly among four bowls. Top with the Korean beef, then add any desired serving toppings. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

Whisk the sauce while the beef cooks so everything is ready at the same time.
Pre-shredded carrots save prep time and work just as well as julienned.
The sesame oil and soy sauce stirred into the rice before serving makes a noticeable difference. Don't skip it.
Leftovers reheat beautifully and are excellent for meal prep throughout the week.

Nutrition