Korean Ground Beef Bowl (Printable)

Savory gochujang beef over rice with fresh vegetables and kimchi.

# What You'll Need:

→ Beef Preparation

01 - 1 pound 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 ginger, minced
07 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
08 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ Bowl Assembly

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

# Method:

01 - Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic and ginger for 1 minute until fragrant.
02 - Add ground beef and cook, breaking up meat with a spatula, until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 to 6 minutes.
03 - Stir in gochujang, soy sauce, and brown sugar. Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and coat the beef.
04 - Remove from heat. Stir in half of the green onions.
05 - Divide rice among 4 serving bowls. Top each with ground beef, edamame, cucumber, carrot, and kimchi.
06 - Sprinkle with remaining green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • Ready in 30 minutes, but tastes like you spent an hour in the kitchen.
  • The gochujang beef has a sweet and spicy depth that makes your mouth happy in ways plain seasoned ground beef never could.
  • It's customizable enough that everyone at the table gets exactly what they want, from the heat level to the toppings.
  • Naturally dairy-free and packed with vegetables, so it feels indulgent without any of the heaviness.
02 -
  • If your sauce looks too thin after 3 minutes, let it simmer another minute or two; it should reduce enough to coat a wooden spoon slightly.
  • Don't skip toasting your sesame seeds if they aren't already toasted—the difference between raw and toasted is the difference between background flavor and a revelation.
03 -
  • Make the beef ahead and reheat it gently; it actually tastes better the next day as the flavors marry.
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan if they aren't pre-toasted; 2 minutes over medium heat and they go from dormant to fragrant.
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