30 Minute Korean Beef Recipe
User Reviews
5
39 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
15 mins
-
Cook Time
10 mins
-
Total Time
25 mins
-
Servings
4
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
American
30 Minute Korean Beef Recipe
Report
This recipe prepares a Korean-style ground beef seasoned with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and brown sugar, cooked with sesame oil and red pepper flakes for balanced savory and slightly sweet flavors. Served alongside steamed white rice and fresh vegetables like carrots, cucumber, radish, and edamame, it creates a complete Korean Beef Bowl with a creamy, spicy mayonnaise garnish.
Description
Thirty Minute Korean Beef features lean ground beef browned in sesame oil, infused with minced garlic, grated ginger, and a combination of soy sauce, fish sauce (optional), and dark brown sugar. The addition of red pepper flakes gives a mild heat, while green onions add freshness. The meat is served over steamed long-grain rice cooked with garlic and salt for aroma and flavor.
The accompanying bowl includes crisp, fresh vegetables such as julienned carrots, sliced cucumber, thin radish slices, and edamame, providing varied textures and balances the rich beef. A spicy mayonnaise made from mayonnaise and Sriracha sauce garnished with sesame seeds adds creaminess and a mild kick to the dish.
Variations include substituting light brown sugar or a sugar substitute and using ground turkey instead of beef. The carrots can be eaten raw or lightly sautéed for softer texture. This dish suits a quick, balanced meal combining savory, sweet, and spicy elements.
Share:
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef 93/7 is best, lean
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil or regular sesame oil, toasted
- 1 tablespoon garlic about 4-5 cloves, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated or minced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes more or less to taste
- 1/4 cup soy sauce low sodium
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce optional
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar more or less to taste
- 1 bunch green onions chopped
Garnishes
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce or your favorite hot sauce, add more to taste
- sesame seeds to garnish
Veggies you need for a Korean Beef Bowl
- 3 medium carrot sliced into matchsticks
- 1 English cucumber sliced
- 4 radish sliced very thin
- 1 (5-ounce) bag edamame frozen
For the rice
- 1 & 1/2 cups long grain white rice
- 2 & 1/4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic smashed and minced
Instructions
- Start your rice first. Add 1 and 1/2 cups long grain rice, 2 and 1/4 cups water, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon garlic (you can use jarred garlic) to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, with the lid on.
- Once it reaches a boil (steam escapes from the lid) turn the heat down to low and set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, turn off the heat but don't remove the lid. After another 10 minutes fluff with a fork. Leave the lid on until you are ready to eat.
- Brown the meat. Place a 12-inch skillet over a burner and set the heat to medium high. Add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of toasted sesame seed oil and swirl to coat. Once the pan is hot, add 1 pound of lean ground beef. Stir and break up the meat into small pieces. Keep cooking until all the meat is completely cooked, about 5-8 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium.(If you didn't use lean ground beef, take a minute now to drain the grease from the pan.)
- Add seasonings. Smash the 5 cloves of garlic and mince finely, you should end up with about 1 tablespoon. Grate or mince the ginger until you get about 1 tablespoon.
- Add the garlic and ginger to pan. Add 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes. If you like just a hint of spice, start with 1/2 teaspoon, if you like things very spicy start with 1 teaspoon. You can always add more flakes later if you like it hot.
- Stir everything together and cook for 1-2 minutes over medium heat until the garlic and ginger are very fragrant.
- Add sauce ingredients. Add in 1/4 cup of low sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce, and start with 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Stir it all in and let it cook for a minute or so.
- Taste it and decide if you want it sweeter. I usually add 2 more tablespoons to make it a full 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Play around with it until you get the sweetness level you like. You can also add any salt or black pepper to taste at this point (but remember, even low sodium soy sauce is very salty so be careful.)
- Add green onions. Once you have the taste where you like it, turn off the burner. Chop the bunch of green onions. Or, use scissors to snip them directly into the pan.
- Add about three quarters of the bunch of onions. Mix well to let them wilt slightly with the warm beef. Sprinkle the rest over the top, or reserve for passing at the table.
- Prep the veggie toppings, if using. Peel and chop 2 carrots into matchsticks.** Slice the cucumbers. Slice the radishes very thin. Follow the instructions on the bag of edamame for steaming in the microwave (it should say to microwave for about 2-3 minutes.) Don't forget the reserved green onions.
- You can either add all the veggies to individual bowls and have guests build their own dinner, or plate each bowl of Korean beef with the veggies on top.
- Sesame seeds. Don't forget the sesame seeds! I love the nutty flavor they add. Black or toasted white seeds are really good.
- Make the sriracha mayo (optional) (but not really). In a small bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and 1-3 teaspoons of sriracha sauce (or your favorite hot sauce) until combined. You can thin it with 1-2 teaspoons of milk if you want. Use a spoon to drip over the top of the beef and rice when plating. This mayo is not really traditional with Korean Beef, but I never pass up an opportunity to drizzle my food with sriracha mayo. Don't be a fool.
Notes
- Brown rice can be substituted for white rice as preferred.
- Brown sugar Splenda or light brown sugar can replace dark brown sugar, but the flavor will be less molasses-rich.
- If raw carrots are not preferred, sauté carrot matchsticks in oil for 7-9 minutes to soften them.
- Pickled carrots or daikon also work well as vegetable toppings for a different flavor profile.
- Ground turkey can be used instead of beef for a leaner option; cooking times remain similar.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
39 reviews
Excellent
Other Recipes
You'll Also Love
