Easy 15 minute Korean Beef Bowl
This Korean beef bowl is a dinnertime lifesaver. Sometimes we can find ourselves in a rut when it comes to dinner. Trying to feed a family on a budget while still making food that is tasty and adaptable to the picky eaters is sometimes a challenge. That’s where a recipe like this one comes in.
This Korean beef bowl is easy and fast for the crazy nights when everyone has to be somewhere after dinner. It is also super tasty and delicious. This is a recipe that puts dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes if you can multitask and get the rice on pretty quickly. Or alternatively, use Minute Rice, which is done in 8 minutes, and there you have it, dinner in 15 – 20 minutes Including rice.
Sometimes I come across a recipe that I try once, and it’s just not worth the work to make again. The taste to effort ratio just isn’t there. This is NOT one of those recipes. From the first time I made it up until now a few years later, it still manages to please everyone and even leave them asking for more.
If you have big eaters than I suggest doubling the recipe and especially if you are feeding more than four. Even with a side dish of rice and some veggies, you may still want to double this. This beef bowl is one recipe that is quite regular in my dinner rotation, with no complaints from the family!
This Asian inspired beef bowl is a healthy ground beef recipe (healthier if you use lean or extra lean ground beef), that is stir fried (no need for a wok), with a marinade made of fresh ginger, fresh garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper flakes. Served with green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
I always serve this with rice, whether that be minute rice or regular long grain rice, it’s a great addition and to be honest, the dish needs something else. I also often serve this with either some steamed veggie like broccoli, or an Asian smashed cucumber salad, which provides some acidity to the meal. You can find my recipe for Asian smashed cucumber salad here. Alternatively you could also make a quick pickle out of shredded carrots and thinly sliced cucumber with some rice vinegar, water and sugar.
If you don’t have typical Asian ingredients on hand, I would definitely recommend getting the basics. For this recipe you will need.
Ground beef (lean or extra lean)
Soy Sauce (I recommend low sodium)
Fresh Garlic and Ginger
Rice wine vinegar
Brown Sugar
Red Pepper flakes (optional)
Sesame oil (this comes in a small bottle, if you don’t make Asian dishes often), but don’t skip it!
Korean Beef Bowl
Ingredients
- 500 grams lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes or more to taste
- 1 T fresh ginger (minced) or 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1 T vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb. ground beef mince
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1/4 tsp sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes ,one clove of the garlic (minced) and ginger.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the other two cloves of minced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute (do not let it burn-it will get bitter) . Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 5 minutes, crumbling beef as it cooks, drain excess fat.
- Stir in soy sauce mixture until well combined, allowing to simmer until heated through, about 3 minutes.
- Serve immediately, garnish with green onion and sesame seeds (if using).
- serve with rice