Budget friendly Korean Beef Bowls on your table in less than 30 minutes, bursting with flavor and one of the absolute easiest meals you will ever make!
KOREAN BEEF BOWLS
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I love a quick and easy dinner, but all too often, they taste like “quick and easy” dinners but not these Korean Beef Bowls! These Korean Beef Bowls are bursting with flavor from the soy sauce, Chinese rice wine, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and and the secret ingredient that makes these Korean Bowls not only “Korean” but lick the bowl delicious – Gochujang!
Gochujang is absolutely essential in these Korean Beef Bowls. It’s a Korean condiment that can be found in the Asian section of your grocery store. Now if you are wondering if there is possibly room in your refrigerator next to your Sriracha, Chili Garlic Sauce, Chili Paste and Sweet Chili Sauce, let me answer you friend, YES, yes, there is.
Gochujang is the sweet heat behind Korean dishes and its distinctly wonderful flavor can only be found in Korean cuisine. Gochujang is savory, sweet and spicy all at the same time, leaning more towards the sweet. It is made from red chilies, glutinous rice (doesn’t actually contain gluten but means it’s very sticky) and soybeans. It’s both complex in flavor and milder in heat (compared to other chili pastes), making it perfect to elevate any meat, chicken or veggies. So while you might buy Gochujang specifically for these bowls, I can guarantee you are going to be reaching for this flavor bursting condiment to dress up practically everything.
So yes, please find a special place in your refrigerator for Gochujang. And then you will find a special place in your heart and a can’t-stop-craving-these-Korean-Beef-Bowls spot in your belly.
Korean Beef Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1/4 onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
- 4-5 cups cooked brown rice
Korean Sauce
- 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar**
- 2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine may substitute dry sherry
- 2-3 tablespoons Gochujang or more if desired
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Stir Fry
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 large zucchini sliced
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- *may add or substitute additional vegetables
Garnish
- Green onions
- Chili paste
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
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Whisk together Korean Sauce in a medium bowl. Set aside.
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Brown beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger and sauté an additional 30 seconds. Drain off any excess fat.
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Add Korean Sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 5-10 minutes or until reduced and thickened. Taste and add chili paste for spicier, brown sugar for sweeter. Remove from skillet but do not wipe out.
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Add one teaspoon olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and red bell peppers (or other desired vegetables) and stir fry 2-3 minutes or to your desired crisp-tenderness.
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Layer 4 bowls with rice and top with Korean beef and vegetables.
Recipe Notes
**Use 3 tablespoons brown sugar if using 3 tablespoons Gochujang, use 2 tablespoons brown sugar if using 2 tablespoons Gochujang
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Lauren says
This looks great! My family loves Gochujang!
Ivette says
Love this recipe! One question, for the Korean Sauce, what “pepper” are you referring to? Black pepper or Pepper Flakes? Thank you!
Julie @Real Housemoms says
Hi Ivette! it’s black pepper for the sauce. We’ve updated the recipe card to reflect this. Sorry for the confusion, thank you for bringing this to our attention.