Korean Ground Beef Bowl (Printer Version)

Savory seasoned beef over rice with tangy pickled vegetables and sesame garnish.

# 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
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

# How to Prepare:

01 - In a bowl, combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt, stirring until dissolved. Add carrot, cucumber, and radish, tossing to coat. Let sit for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
02 - Prepare jasmine rice or cauliflower rice according to package instructions. Keep warm until serving.
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 minutes until fragrant and saucy.
05 - Remove from heat and stir in sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
06 - Divide 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 Suggestions:

01 -
  • The pickled vegetables add a bright, refreshing contrast that makes each bite feel lighter than it should be.
  • Everything comes together in under 35 minutes, which means you can make this on a Tuesday without stress.
  • You can swap rice for cauliflower rice or use turkey instead of beef without losing any of the flavor magic.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of letting the pickled vegetables sit for at least 15 minutes—this is what transforms raw vegetables into something with actual flavor and the right amount of crisp.
  • The sesame oil goes in at the very end, off the heat, because cooking it destroys that toasted flavor you're paying for.
03 -
  • Make the pickled vegetables the night before so they have time to develop real flavor and you're one step ahead when dinner time hits.
  • If you mince your ginger and garlic in a food processor instead of by hand, they blend more evenly into the sauce and disappear completely instead of leaving chunks.
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