This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my disclosure policy.
Korean Ground Beef and Rice Bowls are so incredibly easy to make and will become a family favorite! This makes the perfect weeknight meal.
Such a simple meal with all the flavor! Try these different variations of Korean beef in these recipes: Korean Beef Noodles, Korean Ground Beef Stir Fry, or Slow Cooker Korean Beef.
Korean Ground Beef and Rice Bowls
This right here is my boy’s favorite weeknight meal. They beg me to make it every week. Since we have been so busy with Lacrosse, we have been having it every week. It requires minimal ingredients and little effort to make.
With minimal ingredients and big flavor, my kids devour it every time. The ground beef browns in minutes but still brings that classic Korean taste with brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger. I always have these simple ingredients on hand, so all I need is a pound of ground beef to make it happen. Serve it over rice, toss in some veggies, and top with sesame seeds and green onions for a quick, delicious dinner you’ll make again and again. If you love these flavors, try my Slow Cooker Korean BBQ Chicken next!
How do you make Korean Ground Beef and Rice Bowls?
- In a large skillet cook the ground beef and garlic breaking it into crumbles over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain the grease.
- In a small bowl whisk brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes and pepper. Pour over the ground beef and let simmer for another minute or two.
- Serve over hot rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
What temperature should ground beef be cooked to?
The interior of a raw hamburger usually does contain bacteria, and is safest if cooked well done.The USDA sets the minimum safe temperature for ground beef at 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Can you make this with chicken?
Yes! This is a great chicken flavor as well. Sauté your chicken with all the ingredients. Cook until it is no longer pink.
What is the best rice to use?
- White rice
- Brown rice
- Jasmine rice
Looking for more simple ground beef recipes?! Here you go!
- Salsa Verde Beef and Mushroom Enchiladas
- Beefy Baked Tacos
- Tater Tot Nachos
- Cheesy Baked Ziti
- Classic Baked Spaghetti
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Korean Ground Beef and Rice Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef 90% lean
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cups hot cooked white or brown rice
- sliced green onions and sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- In a large skillet cook the ground beef and garlic breaking it into crumbles over medium heat until no longer pink. Drain the grease.
- In a small bowl whisk brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes and pepper. Pour over the ground beef and let simmer for another minute or two.
- Serve over hot rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
My toddler LOVED this. He held his mouth open and made a panting sound between bites hahaha. I even had to take a video! It was delicious, thanks for the recipe.
The family loved it! I doubled the sauce and added a bunch of steamed broccoli. Yummy!
This was awesome! Doubled the sauce (except the brown sugar and pepper flakes). Added chopped bell peppers, steamed broccoli, and onions and about two tablespoons of flour to thicken the sauce once I added it. Can’t wait to try with steak and chicken. Thank you! This is a keeper!
Made this tonight. It was excellent! Whole family loved it.
Make this recipe quite often. I reduce the sesame oil to 1 tsp. I add 5 spice & hoisin sauce to it.
I really enjoy 5 spice & hoisin – how much did you add of each to the recipe?
Tried this recipe while looking for something new to do with ground beef and it was amazing. Tried it with cubed chicken and wasn’t that successful. Ground chicken, however, is pretty awesome. It is obviously a different texture than the beef, but both are great and there’s a nice heat to the dish as well.
In a 9×13 pan, we put rice on the bottom, with water, raw chicken thighs, and doubled the sauce, and baked it. It was amazing. Maybe that will be better than cubed chicken.
Can I use fresh ginger instead of ground ginger?
Yes, that sounds great! Enjoy!
I used fresh. Just use more of it.
My family loved it and they are picky! It was so quick and easy too. Based on another review, I doubled the sauce then at the last minute added some fresh asparagus for a different texture. We will do this one again.
That is great to hear! I am so glad that everyone loved it! XOXO
We love it!!! My family of 4 devoured it. I did make extra sauce. We didn’t think it was too sweet and it had just enough heat! I’m going to try it with steak and chicken! ? Thank you!!
I just tried this and omg it’s so good!
Thank you for this!!! Just one question can i substitute honey for the brown sugar?
MMM! That sounds good. Let me know how it turns out! XOXO
I love this recipe/meal but my husband and sons have gone low carb. I’ll replace the rice with lettuce and do wraps but do you have suggestions for the brown sugar?
You can substitute the brown sugar for any type of other low sugar, brown sugar. Maybe honey?? The brown sugar is a key ingredient for its flavor and sweetness in this bowl. Let me know what you are substituting it with! XOXO
You can use Splenda brown sugar. No calories and it measures and cooks just like real sugar.
Totally late response but I am low carb and used monkfruit sweetener instead. I used a little less than sugar because It was way too sweet for me.
You could try swerve brown sugar maybe…good for keto
This was a hit with my 20-month-old and 3-year-old! Left out the chili flakes for them. Out sriracha on ours 🙂
Great tasty recipe for a simple midweek meal. Big thumbs up!
Quick delicious family meal. Even the picky kid devours Korean Beef.
Way too sweet! Half of the sugar is enough!
Love it. Do you have nutrition/calorie on this recipe?
I like to use myfitnesspal.com or skinnytaste,com for any nutritional questions I may have. Hope that helps and you are able to find what you are looking for. XOXO