Korean Ground Beef Bowl (Printable)

Savory seasoned beef over rice with tangy pickled vegetables

# 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 Make It:

01 - In a bowl, combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt, stirring until dissolved. Add carrot, cucumber, and radish, tossing to coat. Allow to sit for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
02 - Prepare jasmine rice or cauliflower rice according to package instructions. Keep warm until assembly.
03 - Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking apart with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.
04 - Add soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and gochujang to the browned beef. Stir thoroughly and cook for 2 to 3 additional minutes until fragrant and sauce coats the meat.
05 - Remove from heat and fold in sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
06 - Divide rice or cauliflower rice among serving bowls. Top each with seasoned ground beef and a generous portion of pickled vegetables.
07 - Top each bowl with additional green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It actually tastes restaurant-quality: Those few minutes letting the beef soak in sesame oil and ginger create a depth that feels way more complex than the minimal effort involved.
  • You control the heat and nutrition: Skip the gochujang if you prefer mild, or lean into cauliflower rice if you're watching carbs—flexibility that feels intentional, not compromised.
  • Pickled vegetables transform everything: That tangy crunch is the secret weapon that keeps you coming back for another spoonful when you thought you were full.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the excess fat from the beef: A little residual oil is good for flavor, but excess fat dilutes the soy-sesame sauce and makes the final dish feel heavy rather than balanced.
  • The pickles are non-negotiable to the whole experience: I tried making this without them once thinking I'd save time, and it became just another savory beef bowl—the tangy crunch is what makes this dish actually memorable and keeps you wanting more.
03 -
  • Make a double batch of pickled vegetables: They keep in the fridge for days and elevate plain rice, roasted vegetables, or even scrambled eggs throughout the week—once you start doing this, you'll wonder how you lived without it.
  • Use a ratio of 2:1 beef to greens mentally: I used to under-top my bowls with the beef, but leaning generous with the seasoned meat while still respecting the vegetables creates the balance that makes this feel like a complete meal rather than a side with toppings.
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