Korean Ground Beef Bowl (Printable)

Savory gochujang beef over rice with fresh vegetables and kimchi

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Beef

01 - 1 lb lean ground beef
02 - 2 tablespoons gochujang
03 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
04 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
08 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ For the Bowl

09 - 4 cups cooked short-grain rice
10 - 1 cup shelled edamame, cooked
11 - 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
12 - 1 cup carrot, julienned
13 - 1 cup kimchi, chopped
14 - 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

# Preparation Steps:

01 - Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté minced garlic and ginger for 1 minute until fragrant.
02 - Add ground beef to the skillet, breaking it apart with a spatula as it cooks. Continue cooking for 5 to 6 minutes until fully browned and cooked through.
03 - Stir in gochujang, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and evenly coats the beef.
04 - Remove from heat and stir in half of the sliced green onions.
05 - Divide cooked rice evenly among 4 serving bowls. Top each bowl with the beef mixture, edamame, cucumber, carrot, and kimchi.
06 - Sprinkle remaining green onions and toasted sesame seeds over each bowl. Serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than most takeout, so you'll actually make it on busy nights instead of ordering delivery.
  • The balance of spicy, savory, and fresh feels fancy enough to serve guests but simple enough that nothing can really go wrong.
02 -
  • Don't skip browning the beef properly at the start, because that caramelization is what makes the whole thing taste intentional rather than just ground meat in sauce.
  • The kimchi's sourness is supposed to surprise you, so if yours tastes muted or boring, your bowl will taste muted too.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes right before serving, because warm toasted seeds taste infinitely better than ones that have been sitting in a jar.
  • If you can't find kimchi, use pickled daikon radish instead, which gives you that funky-sour element without the spice overload.
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