Description
This Korean Ground Beef Bowl is a flavorful and easy-to-make meal combining savory ground beef with vibrant vegetables, tender shiitake mushrooms, and aromatic spices served over steamed short-grain rice. Finished with a soft scrambled egg and garnished with scallions and sesame seeds, it’s a perfect balanced dish that brings Korean-inspired flavors to your table in just 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Marinade
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20 blend recommended)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Korean chili flakes (gochugaru), or more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetables
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 cup carrots, julienned
Other
- 4 cups cooked short-grain rice
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced (for garnish)
- Sesame seeds (for garnish)
- Optional: Kimchi, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the ground beef: Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain off any excess grease.
- Sauté aromatics: Push the beef to the side of the pan. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the chopped onion, minced garlic, and minced ginger, and sauté for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add vegetables: Stir in the sliced red and green bell peppers, shiitake mushrooms, and julienned carrots. Stir-fry for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender-crisp.
- Add seasonings: Stir in the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, Korean chili flakes (gochugaru), and black pepper. Let the mixture simmer gently for 2 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Combine beef and vegetables: Add the cooked ground beef back to the pan and stir everything together. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
- Prepare the eggs: In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Cook scrambled eggs: Heat a small non-stick skillet over medium heat with a teaspoon of vegetable oil. Pour in the eggs and cook, stirring occasionally, until set but still slightly moist. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Assemble bowls: Divide 1.5 cups of cooked short-grain rice into each serving bowl.
- Add beef mixture: Spoon the beef and vegetable mixture evenly over the rice in each bowl.
- Top with eggs: Place the scrambled eggs on top of the beef mixture.
- Garnish: Sprinkle sliced scallions and sesame seeds over the top. Add extra Korean chili flakes if you like more heat.
- Serve: Serve immediately with optional kimchi on the side for a traditional Korean accompaniment.
Notes
- Using 80/20 ground beef blend provides the best flavor and texture.
- Adjust the Korean chili flakes (gochugaru) to your desired spice level.
- You can substitute shiitake mushrooms with cremini or button mushrooms if unavailable.
- For a vegetarian version, swap ground beef with crumbled tofu or plant-based meat alternatives.
- Leftover beef mixture is great for meal prep and can be stored in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
- Short-grain rice works best for an authentic Korean texture, but jasmine rice can be used as a substitute.
