Get a taste of Korean cuisine with this delicious Korean Beef Bowl recipe.
Paired with fluffy rice and accompanied by blanched bok choy, this quick and flavorful meal is ideal for satisfying your cravings any day of the week!
About this dish:
At the heart of this dish lies its flavorful sauce, blending the spicy kick of gochujang with the sweetness of brown sugar.
Served over steamed white rice, the Korean Beef Bowl offers comfort and satisfaction, while blanched bok choy adds freshness and texture.
Easily adaptable, feel free to customize the dish to suit your taste preferences.
For a complete meal, serve this dish with a side of Spicy Cucumber Salad.
Nutritional Attributes:
This Korean Beef Bowl offers a balance of protein, vegetables, and grains, making it a well-rounded meal.
Ground beef provides essential nutrients such as protein and iron, while bok choy adds vitamins and minerals.
The garlic and onions in the dish offer immune-boosting properties, contributing to overall wellness.
How to make a Korean Beef Bowl:
- Preparation of Rice and Sauce:
- Cook rice according to package instructions and keep warm.
- Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, and gochujang in a small bowl until sugar dissolves.
- Cooking process:
- Sauté onions and garlic in a skillet until fragrant.
- Cook ground beef in the skillet until browned.
- Pour sauce over beef and simmer until thickened.
- Blanching Bok Choy:
- Blanch bok choy in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain.
- Serving:
- Serve beef and sauce over rice, garnished with bok choy, scallions, and sesame seeds.
Ingredients & Alternatives:
Main ingredients:
- White Rice: Serves as the base of the dish, providing a neutral flavor and a fluffy texture.
- Ground beef: Ground beef adds savory flavor and protein to the dish.
- Onion: Provides sweetness and depth of flavor.
- Garlic: Adds aromatic flavor and richness.
- Bok Choy: Adds a crunchy texture and subtle bitterness.
Stir-fry sauce:
- Light Soy Sauce: Adds saltiness and umami flavor.
- Rice Vinegar: Provides acidity and tanginess. Mirin can be used as an alternative.
- Sesame Oil: Adds nutty flavor and aroma.
- Brown Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps to balance the flavors.
- Gochujang (Korean Red Chili Paste): Adds depth of flavor and a spicy kick. Sriracha or chili garlic sauce can be used instead of gochujang for a different level of heat.
Garnishing:
- Scallions: Adds freshness, color, and a mild onion flavor to the sauce.
- Sesame Seeds: Provides a crunchy texture and nutty flavor to the dish. I am using a mix of both white and black sesame seeds for this dish.
Tips & Tricks:
- Prepare the stir-fry sauce and chop the vegetables while the rice is cooking to save time.
- Customize the level of spice by adjusting the amount of gochujang used in the sauce.
- Feel free to add a fried egg on top of this rice bowl for extra protein.
FAQ:
Is gochujang spicy?
Gochujang typically has a moderate level of heat, but the spiciness can vary depending on the brand and type. Start with a small amount and adjust according to your taste preferences. Feel free to add more gochujang for extra heat or reduce the amount for a milder flavor profile.
I don’t have any gochujang, what can I use instead?
If you don’t have gochujang on hand, you can substitute it with other chili-based sauces like sriracha or chili garlic sauce. Keep in mind that these alternatives may have a slightly different flavor profile, so adjust the amount according to your taste preferences.
Korean Beef Bowl
Ingredients Â
- 1/2 Onion thinly sliced
- 250 g Ground beef
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 2 Scallions thinly sliced (for garnish)
- 1 tsp Sesame seeds (for garnish)
- 2 cups White rice
- 2 Bok choy
For the Stir Fry Sauce:
- 3 tbsp Soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Rice vinegar
- 1 tsp Sesame oil
- 2 tbsp Brown sugar
- 1/2 tbsp Gochujang (Korean Red Chili paste)
InstructionsÂ
- Cook rice according to package instructions. Keep it warm until ready to serve.
- In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, brown sugar, and gochujang. Mix well until the sugar is dissolved.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a bit of oil.Add sliced onions and minced garlic to the skillet.Sauté until the onions are translucent and fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Push the onions and garlic to the side of the skillet and add the ground beef to the center.Break up the beef with a spatula and cook until browned and no longer pink, stirring occasionally.
- Once the beef is cooked, pour the sauce mixture over the beef in the skillet.Stir well to coat the beef evenly in the sauce.Allow the mixture to simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the beef beautifully.
- While the beef is simmering, bring a pot of water to a boil.Add the bok choy to the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes.Drain the bok choy well and set aside.
- To serve, spoon the beef and sauce mixture over the warm cooked rice.Arrange the blanched bok choy on the side of the plate.Garnish with additional sliced scallions and sesame seeds if desired.