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!

If you love Korean flavors as much as we do, you’ll love our Korean style recipes. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out our Korean beef nachos, Korean beef bowls and Korean beef lettuce wraps – the nachos are a real crowd-pleaser! This quick and basic ground beef recipe is also well-liked because it’s ready in just 20 minutes.

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

We all have those busy days that are so hectic that at the end of the day all we want is just a nice dinner on the table. This quick Korean beef recipe is perfect for those days as all you need is some ground beef and a few spices. Serve it with rice and you’re winning dinner! 

If you’re looking for a super easy ground beef recipe, this is it. It’s a lazy and quick (and budget-friendly) version of the classic Korean dish bulgogi that uses ground beef instead of thinly sliced sirloin. 

Why this recipe works

Did I mention that this recipe is super kid-friendly?  Because you’re using ground beef instead of sirloin, there is no marinating needed which saves a lot of time. This recipe is also highly customizable. You can even add different vegetables and serve with rice to make this into a dinner bowl that’s healthier, quicker and tastier than take-out.

Preparation instructions

• Combine soy sauce, chili pepper flakes or red pepper flakes, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and corn starch in a small bowl.
• Cook the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Using a large skillet will make the browning process quicker and easier. 
• Add sauce to the ground beef mixture.
• Cook for another five to ten minutes until the sauce thickens.
• Top with green onions and sesame seeds and serve with brown or white rice.

A small tip: If you like your ground beef to be even more flavorful, saute one onion in some vegetable oil before adding it to the beef. It’s a small step, but will add a lot of flavor. 

To make this recipe spicy, add one teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the sauce. It will give the dish a slight heat. 

What kind of beef should I use for this recipe?

As this is a quick version of a traditional Korean beef recipe, you need to use ground beef. You can use ground beef with any fat content – though the leaner it is, the better it’ll taste. If using ground beef with fat content higher than 7%, make sure to drain the excess fat that’s been rendered or else the final dish will be too greasy. 

I used 93% lean ground beef for this recipe and to make things 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. This would make an easy weeknight dinner that’s tasty and drool-worthy!

Side dishes

You can serve this dish with instant pot white rice, instant pot 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!

We believe that the beef has a very pleasant flavor. The sauce has just enough flavor for us but you can add more soy sauce if you like it saltier.

What to do with the leftovers

This is one of those ground beef recipes that’s perfect for meal prep. It keeps very well in the fridge and reheats well. Simply store the leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. To reheat, add one tablespoon of soy sauce before reheating to freshen up the flavor.

Looking for more ground beef recipes?

• Greek meatballs
• Italian stuffed peppers
• Greek eggplant moussaka
• Argentinian beef empanadas

Notes and tips

• Fresh garlic and fresh ginger always bring more flavor to dishes like this. If you don’t have fresh ingredients, use powdered garlic and ginger according to your tastes.
• Use lean beef if possible. If using beef that has more than 7% fat, make sure to drain the excess fat.
• You can leave the sugar out and use two tablespoons of honey instead.
• What makes this dish super tasty is perfectly browned beef, so please don’t skip this step and brown it all the way through (but make sure it’s not dry!).
• Feeding a crowd? You can double and triple this recipe easily to feed more people. 

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4.08 from 26 votes

Quick Korean Beef

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!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 6 Servings

Calories 401kcal

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
• 4 cups cooked rice
• 3 green onions chopped
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Instructions

• In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, pepper flakes, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and corn starch. Set aside.
• 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.
• Meanwhile, heat the rice.
• Serve cooked Korean beef over Jasmine rice and top with green onions and sesame seeds.

Notes

• The key to make a delicious Korean beef is making a good sauce. Please taste the sauce to make sure it has enough flavor. 
• If you like this dish saltier, add one more tablespoon of soy sauce. 
• Use lean ground beef for this recipe if available. If the ground beef has a fat content higher than 7%, please discard the rendered fat after browning the beef. 
• Fresh garlic and fresh ginger always bring more flavor to dishes like this. If you don't have fresh ingredients, use powdered garlic and ginger to your taste.
• You can leave the sugar out and use two tablespoons honey instead.
• What makes this dish super tasty is perfectly browned beef, so please don't skip this step and brown it all the way through (but make sure it's not dry!).
• Feeding a crowd? You can double and triple this recipe easily to feed more people.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 401kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 774mg | Potassium: 297mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg