Name: Quick & Easy Korean Ground Beef Bowl
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef (lean or 80/20, your choice); 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated (or ½ tsp ground ginger powder); ¼ cup soy sauce (low-sodium if preferred); ¼ cup brown sugar; 2 tsp sesame oil; ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (adjust to taste); 2 cups cooked rice (white, brown, or cauliflower); 2 green onions, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional garnish); Optional toppings: fried egg, shredded carrots, kimchi, sliced cucumbers

Jump to Recipe

Korean Ground Beef Bowl is the weeknight dinner you didn’t know you needed. Sweet, savory, garlicky beef piled high on fluffy rice, ready in just 25 minutes—it’s faster than takeout and way tastier too. Perfect for busy nights, budget-friendly, and endlessly customizable.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This isn’t just good, it’s “make it three nights in a row and still crave it” good.

Speed demon status: Dinner in 25 minutes flat. That’s faster than arguing over what to order.
Saucy goodness: Sweet, savory, garlicky, with a little kick. Flavor level = chef’s kiss.
Budget hero: Ground beef + pantry staples = delicious on the cheap.
Crowd-pleaser: Kids, picky eaters, your roommate who lives on cereal—they’ll all demolish this.
Customizable: Add veggies, swap proteins, make it spicy, keep it mild. This recipe is a blank canvas.
Meal-prep gold: Double it, pack it, and pretend you’re that organized person.

Ingredients for Korean Ground Beef Bowl

Here’s your shopping list (aka stuff you probably already have lying around):

1 lb ground beef – Lean for less grease, 80/20 for juicy flavor.
3 garlic cloves, minced – Or more, because garlic = life.
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated – Optional, but it makes you look fancy.
¼ cup soy sauce – Low-sodium if you like to pretend you’re being healthy.
¼ cup brown sugar – Balances the salty goodness.
2 tsp sesame oil – Don’t skip this. It’s tiny but mighty.
¼ tsp red pepper flakes – Add more if you enjoy living dangerously.
2 cups cooked rice – White, brown, jasmine, cauliflower…Here’s a guide on how to cook perfect rice every time.
2 green onions, sliced – For garnish, crunch, and pretending you’re a food blogger.
Sesame seeds – Totally optional, but they make the dish look like Pinterest goals.

Optional toppings: fried egg (yes, do it), kimchi, shredded carrots, sliced cucumbers.

How to Make Korean Ground Beef Rice Bowls

Start the rice: Because no one likes beef with nothing to sit on.
Brown that beef: Medium-high heat, skillet, break it up like you’re mad at it. Cook until no pink remains.Here are some tips for bro wning ground beef perfectly.
Flavor bomb: Stir in garlic and ginger. Cook 1 minute. Your kitchen now smells like happiness.
Sauce magic: Add soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Stir until beef is glossy and saucy.
Simmer: Give it 2–3 minutes to soak up all that flavor. (This is the part where you’ll want to grab a spoon and taste. Go ahead. I won’t tell.)
Assemble: Rice in bowl → beef on top → green onions and sesame seeds.
Upgrade: Slap a fried egg on top. Break the yolk. Watch it run. Cry happy tears.

Recipe Tips

Drain the grease if you’re using fatty beef. Nobody wants greasy rice soup.
Don’t torch the garlic: One minute max or it turns into bitter sadness.
Taste test: Soy sauces vary. Add more sugar or soy until it’s perfect for you.
Double the batch: Leftovers are even better the next day.

What to Serve With Korean Ground Beef

Want to go from “yum” to “OMG”? Try these on the side:

Kimchi: Tangy, spicy, crunchy, perfect.
Cucumber salad: Fresh + cooling = balance.
Steamed broccoli or spinach: Because green stuff makes you feel like you’re adulting.
Extra fried egg: No explanation needed.

Variations of Korean Beef Bowls

Protein swap: Ground turkey, chicken, pork, or tofu.
Veggie boost: Toss in zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, spinach—whatever’s lurking in the fridge.
Spice it up: More chili flakes, sriracha, or gochujang if you’re feeling fiery.
Switch up the base: Noodles, quinoa, cauliflower rice—get creative.
Sweet swaps: Honey or maple syrup instead of brown sugar. Works like a charm.

Storage Instructions

Fridge: Beef + rice, stored separately, lasts up to 3 days.
Freezer: Freeze just the beef mixture (rice gets weird). Keeps 2 months.
Reheating hack: Splash of water or soy sauce before microwaving keeps it juicy.

Top Tips for Success

Small beef crumbles = max flavor: More sauce coverage = happier taste buds.
Don’t skip sesame oil: It’s the secret handshake of this dish.
Let your rice rest: Fluffier grains = better bowls.
Egg on top = non-negotiable: Sorry, I don’t make the rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I meal-prep this?
Yes, and you’ll feel like a genius eating it for lunch all week.

Q: What rice should I use?
Jasmine is dreamy, but any rice hanging around your pantry works.

Q: Is this authentic Korean food?
Nope—it’s Korean-inspired, fast, and flavorful. Traditional? Nah. Delicious? Absolutely.

Q: Can I freeze it?
Yup. Beef only though. Rice is a diva and doesn’t freeze well.

Q: How spicy is it?
Mild. Add chili paste if you want to breathe fire.

Q: What toppings are best?
Kimchi, cucumber, carrots, green onions, sesame seeds, fried egg. Basically: ALL of them.

Final Thoughts

The Quick Korean Beef Rice Bowl is proof that dinner doesn’t need to be complicated to taste amazing. It’s fast, cheap, filling, and customizable—aka the holy grail of weeknight cooking. Next time you’re staring at that pack of ground beef wondering “ugh, what now?”—make this. Sprinkle sesame seeds, add that egg, and pat yourself on the back. You just made a restaurant-worthy meal without leaving the couch.

Dinner hero status? Unlocked.

Quick & Easy Korean Ground Beef Bowl

Yield: 4 cups beef mixture

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

This Korean Ground Beef Bowl is the ultimate weeknight dinner—sweet, savory, and garlicky beef served over fluffy rice in just 25 minutes. Budget-friendly, customizable, and packed with flavor, it’s faster than takeout and a guaranteed family favorite!

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef (lean or 80/20, your choice)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated (or ½ tsp ground ginger powder)
¼ cup soy sauce (low-sodium if preferred)
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tsp sesame oil
¼ tsp red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
2 cups cooked rice (white, brown, or cauliflower)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp sesame seeds (optional garnish)
Optional toppings: fried egg, shredded carrots, kimchi, sliced cucumbers

Instructions

Cook the rice: Prepare rice according to package instructions and keep warm.
Brown the beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it into crumbles, until no longer pink (5–6 minutes). Drain excess grease if needed.
Add aromatics: Stir in minced garlic and ginger. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Make the sauce: Add soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Stir until beef is evenly coated.
Simmer briefly: Let the mixture cook for 2–3 minutes so flavors blend and sauce thickens slightly.
Assemble bowls: Divide rice into bowls, top with beef mixture, and garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, and optional toppings. Serve immediately.