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Korean Ground Beef Rice Bowl Recipe with Gochujang

Korean ground beef rice bowl - featured image
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A quick and easy Korean-inspired ground beef rice bowl with a flavorful gochujang sauce and refreshing sesame cucumber salad. Perfect for weeknight dinners, this dish balances sweet, spicy, and savory flavors with a satisfying texture contrast.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound (450g) ground beef (80/20 blend)
  • 2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 3 green onions, thinly sliced (half for cooking, half for garnish)
  • 2 cups cooked jasmine or short-grain rice
  • 1 large cucumber (about 8 ounces or 225g), thinly sliced or julienned
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (plus 1 teaspoon for sauce)
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Red pepper flakes (optional, for extra heat)
  • Water (1 teaspoon for sauce, plus splash if needed)

Instructions

  1. Cook 2 cups (370g) of jasmine or short-grain rice according to package instructions (about 15-20 minutes).
  2. While the rice cooks, thinly slice one large cucumber. Toss with 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, a pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds. Let sit at least 10 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons gochujang, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon water. Adjust sweetness or spiciness to taste.
  4. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up gently, until browned and no longer pink, about 6-8 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed.
  5. Stir in minced garlic and grated ginger. Cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
  6. Pour sauce over beef and stir to coat. Simmer 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or extra gochujang if desired.
  7. Remove from heat and stir in half the sliced green onions.
  8. Serve beef over cooked rice, topped with sesame cucumber salad, remaining green onions, and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. Optionally add a fried egg on top.

Notes

Do not overcrowd the pan when browning beef to ensure proper caramelization. Toast sesame seeds yourself for best flavor. Adjust gochujang and brown sugar to balance heat and sweetness. The cucumber salad is best fresh but can sit while cooking beef. Adding a splash of water or broth can loosen thick sauce. Optionally add a fried egg for richness.

Nutrition

Keywords: Korean ground beef, gochujang, rice bowl, sesame cucumber salad, quick dinner, easy weeknight meal, spicy beef bowl

Find it online: https://zorbmeal.com/korean-ground-beef-rice-bowl-recipe-with-gochujang-easy-homemade-dinner/