Quick Korean Beef and Rice Recipe

Korean Beef and Rice is a family favorite that comes together in less than 20 minutes and tastes better than take out. Enjoy ground beef browned to perfection with a delicious homemade sauce that makes the best meal!

If you love Korean flavors as much as we do, you’ll love our Korean beef recipes such as Korean beef nachos, Korean beef bowls and Korean beef lettuce wraps which is a real crowd-pleaser. This basic Korean beef recipe is also a favorite because it’s quick and ready in 20 minutes!

An easy Korean beef recipe that’s ready in no time!

One of many advantages of moving to the US is that I get to try all these amazing cuisines that I was completely unaware of back in Iran. Of all the cuisines I’ve tried so far, Asian has a special place in my heart and we love recreating Asian flavors at home using ingredients that we already have on hand.

Today I want show you one of our favorite easy, go-to meals: quick Korean beef. This is a lazy and quick version of the classic Korean dish bulgogi that uses ground beef instead of sirloin which makes it quicker as budget friendly. All those flavors combining and holding the ingredients together makes every bite a pleasant experience, especially because it’s made in less than 25 minutes.

Why this Korean Beef Recipe works

This is a quick and easy ground beef recipe that is super kid-friendly.  Because you’re using ground beef instead of sirloin, there is no marinating needed which would save time. You can make it in less than twenty-five minutes and it’s so easy to customize it. You can add different vegetables and serve with rice to make this into a Korean beef bowl which would taste much better than take-out, and it’s healthier, and of course, quicker.

How to make Korean Ground Beef Recipe

The key to a delicious Korean beef is the sauce because it gives great flavor to the beef. Start with an easy sauce by combining soy sauce, chili pepper flakes or red pepper flakes, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and corn starch in a small bowl. Then cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink and add the sauce to it. Cook for another five to ten minutes, top it with green onions and sesame seeds and serve with white rice.

I used lean ground beef to make this quick Korean beef and to make it even quicker, I served it with a boil-in-bag instant rice that is already portioned (no need to measure!) and ready in 10 minutes. Instant Jasmine rice is great with Asian-inspired recipes such as this easy Korean beef.

Side dishes for Korean Beef

You can serve Korean beef with white rice, brown rice, steamed vegetables like broccoli and carrots, or even noodles. This recipe is so easy to modify and it tastes great with almost everything!

This quick Korean ground beef has a very pleasant flavor. The sauce I made to mix with the beef has just enough flavor for us but you can add more soy sauce if you like it saltier. If you have leftovers and want to reheat it, I recommend adding one tablespoon of soy sauce before reheating – that gives it a fresh flavor.

Notes and tips to make Korean Beef:

• Fresh garlic and fresh ginger always bring more flavor to dishes like this but they’re not available, use powdered garlic and ginger to your taste.
• Use lean beef to make this Korean beef recipe. If using any beef that has more than 10% fat, make sure to drain the excess fat.
• You can leave the sugar out and use two tablespoons honey instead.
• The key to a very tasty Korean beef is perfectly browned beef, so please don’t skip this step and brown the beef all the way through (but make sure it’s not dry!).
• To brown the beef, use a large pan so it’s easier to stir and break.

This will become your go-to recipe, just as it’s one of ours!

Some more Asian recipes for you: 

• 30-minute Honey Sesame Chicken
• Chicken Egg rolls with Sweet and Hot Sauce
• Chicken Asparagus Stir Fry
• Teriyaki Pineapple Salmon
• Sweet and Sour Chicken Wings
• Teriyaki Chicken Loaded Sweet Potatoes
• Instant Pot Brown Rice Recipe

Tools and ingredients to make Korean Beef and Rice Recipe

• Nonstick Skillet
• Organic Soy Sauce
• Sesame Seeds

This post contains affiliate links.

5 from 5 votes

Print

Quick Korean Beef

This Korean Beef is so easy and quick to make. It's always a favorite! 

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 317 kcal

Author Shadi HasanzadeNemati

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger or 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
• 1 teaspoon corn starch
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 lb ground beef I used 93% lean
• 2 bags Success® Jasmine Rice
• 3 green onions chopped
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, pepper flakes, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and corn starch. Set aside.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium heat. Saute ground beef until brown and no pink left. Add the sauce and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, cook Success® Jasmine Rice according to the package.
4. Serve cooked Korean beef over Jasmine rice and top with green onions and sesame seeds.

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