Korean Beef Bowl

Savory ground beef stir-fried in a rich Korean-inspired sauce, served over fluffy white rice with a refreshing side of quick-pickled cucumbers.

• Prep: 10 min
• Cook: 15 min
• Total: 25 min
• Servings: 6
• Cuisine: Korean
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $2.50/serving

Dietary

• Dairy-Free
• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein

Tags

• quick
• stir-fry
• healthy
• spicy

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (lean)
• 1 yellow onion (small, finely diced)
• 2 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (grated)
• 0.5 cup low-sodium soy sauce (low-sodium)
• 0.25 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 0.5 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2.5 cup white rice (uncooked)
• 1 English cucumber (thinly sliced)
• 0.25 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 0.25 cup green onions (chopped)
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Instructions

1. First, prepare the quick-pickled cucumbers: In a small bowl, combine English cucumber slices, white vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss to coat and set aside.
2. Cook the white rice according to package directions. For typically 6 servings, combine 2 1/2 cups rice with 5 cups water in a pot, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes until water is absorbed.
3. While rice cooks, in a large skillet or wok, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon. Drain excess fat and return beef to skillet.
4. Add finely diced yellow onion to the skillet with the beef and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic and grated fresh ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Pour the sauce over the beef mixture in the skillet.
6. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly and coats the beef.
7. Serve the Korean beef mixture over fluffy white rice. Top with the quick-pickled cucumbers and optional chopped green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

Adjust red pepper flakes to your preferred spice level. For a complete meal, you can also add steamed broccoli or shredded carrots to the bowl.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 540
• Protein: 28.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 75.3 g
• Fat: 15.5 g
• Fiber: 2.5 g
• Sodium: 1350 mg
• Saturated Fat: 4.8 g
• Sugar: 18.2 g
• Cholesterol: 60 mg