Korean Beef Bowl (Printable)

Seasoned ground beef in spicy Korean chili paste over rice with pickled vegetables and kimchi.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Beef

01 - 1 lb lean ground beef
02 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
05 - 3 tbsp gochujang
06 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
07 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
08 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
09 - 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
10 - 2 green onions, thinly sliced

→ For the Pickled Vegetables

11 - 1/2 cup carrot, julienned
12 - 1/2 cup daikon radish, julienned
13 - 1/2 cup rice vinegar
14 - 1 tbsp sugar
15 - 1/2 tsp salt

→ For Serving

16 - 4 cups cooked white rice
17 - 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
18 - 1/2 cup radish, thinly sliced
19 - 1 cup kimchi, chopped
20 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

# How-To Steps:

01 - Combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl, stirring until dissolved. Add julienned carrot and daikon radish, mix well, and set aside to pickle while preparing remaining components.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and ginger, sautéing for 1 minute until fragrant. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, approximately 5-6 minutes. Drain excess fat as needed.
03 - Stir gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and sesame oil into the cooked beef. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and coat the beef evenly. Remove from heat and incorporate half of the sliced green onions.
04 - Divide cooked rice evenly among 4 bowls. Top each portion with a generous serving of the seasoned beef mixture. Arrange pickled vegetables, cucumber slices, radish slices, and chopped kimchi around the beef. Garnish with remaining green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
05 - Serve the bowls immediately while the beef is hot and the rice is warm.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can make it on a regular Tuesday night without stress.
  • The spicy-sweet-tangy balance hits in a way that makes you feel like you're eating something special, not just dinner.
  • You control the heat level, so whether you like it gentle or fiery, this bowl adapts to exactly what you want.
02 -
  • Don't skip draining the excess fat from the beef—it prevents the sauce from being greasy and lets the flavors come through clean.
  • Gochujang needs a little time to cook and meld with the other ingredients, so those 2 to 3 minutes aren't wasted time, they're essential for depth.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for 2 minutes right before serving—it wakes them up and makes them taste ten times better.
  • Make the pickled vegetables the night before if you want them more tangy and developed, and they'll keep in the fridge for a week.
Return