Description
Korean Beef Bowls are a flavorful and quick-to-make dish featuring savory ground beef cooked in a sweet and tangy sauce, served over perfectly cooked rice and garnished with fresh vegetables and sesame seeds. This recipe combines ground beef with garlic and onions, simmered in a rich, thickened sauce made with soy sauce, beef broth, honey, and rice vinegar, perfect for a satisfying weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main
- 1 lb. ground beef
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
Sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Garnishes
- Green onions, sliced
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Red pepper flakes
For Serving
- Thinly sliced cucumbers
- Julienned carrots
- 3 cups cooked white long grain rice
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: Combine the beef broth with the cornstarch in a bowl and mix until smooth. Ensure the broth is cool or room temperature to prevent activating the cornstarch prematurely. Stir in the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, hot sauce, sesame oil, and ground ginger. Set aside in a cool place until ready to use.
- Cook the beef: Season the ground beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, for about 3 minutes. Then add the diced onions and minced garlic and sauté together until the beef is fully cooked and onions are softened, about 5-6 minutes. Drain excess grease from the skillet.
- Add the sauce and reduce: Pour the prepared sauce over the cooked beef mixture in the skillet. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat slightly and allow it to boil gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and reduces to your desired consistency, approximately 3 minutes.
- Serve and garnish: Remove the skillet from heat. Spoon the beef mixture over cooked rice. Garnish with sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and red pepper flakes. Serve alongside thinly sliced cucumbers and julienned carrots, or use cauliflower rice or lettuce wraps if preferred.
- Optional rice preparation: For perfectly cooked rice, bring 2 cups of chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan. Add 1 cup of white long grain rice, stir to submerge, and cover the pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Check if liquid is absorbed and rice is tender; if not, cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 10 minutes to fluff.
Notes
- If sensitive to heat, omit the hot sauce; the recipe remains flavorful without it.
- Ground pork, chicken, or turkey can be used instead of ground beef.
- Add sautéed broccoli or other vegetables like water chestnuts, celery, kale, or spinach for variety.
- Try additional toppings such as roughly chopped peanuts, cashews, sliced almonds, or crunchy chow mein noodles for texture.
- To reduce sodium, use low sodium soy sauce and/or reduced sodium beef broth.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months; the dish freezes well.
- Do not stir rice after cooking to avoid stickiness; letting it sit covered helps fluff it up.
