This Korean Ground Beef Recipe gets layered with warm rice and tangy pickled veggies for a weeknight bowl that hits every craving.
Author’s Notes
Tried Them All… This One Wins!
I’ve tried a lot of Korean Ground Beef recipes, and most of them were either too sweet, too complicated, or way too spicy for my kids.
This one? It hits just right.
The meat is saucy and flavorful without being overpowering, and the pickled veggies take it to another level, but they only take a minute to throw together.
This dinner is super fast, totally customizable, and something I actually want to eat for leftovers (which says a lot). If you’re looking for an easy, flavor-packed dinner that checks all the boxes, this is the one.
Korean Ground Beef Recipe Ingredients
The full recipe is below, but here are a few quick ingredient tips:
- Carrots & cucumbers: Use pre-cut carrots and slice cucumber, no peeling needed! Add in some pickled red onions as well!
- Green onions: Use the white parts while cooking and save the green tops for garnish.
- Sesame oil: Toasted gives the best flavor.
- Garlic & ginger: Fresh, pastes, or frozen cubes all work, go with whatever’s easy.
- Gochujang, chili-garlic, or sriracha: All are great! Add slowly if you’re sensitive to spice.
Quick Tip
Spiciness
Korean Ground Beef has a little heat, but it’s easy to adjust. Red pepper flakes go in the meat, and Gochujang on top lets everyone control the spice. My kids skip the Gochujang and still love it! If you leave it out, add more garlic and ginger for extra flavor.
Gochujang is a spicy Korean paste. No Gochujang? Try chili-garlic sauce or Sriracha instead.
Featured Comment
So good!! New favorite recipe and will definitely make again. I pickled carrots and radishes for the topping. It was all sooooo yummy!!! And quick and easy 🙂
– Malia
Storage
Store the meat and veggies in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat the meat in the microwave or on the stove. Keep sauces on the side and add just before serving.
What To Serve With Korean Ground Beef:
Side Dishes
How To Make White Rice (Baked!)
Side Dishes
Roasted Broccoli Recipe
Salads
Asian Cucumber Salad
Eggs And Potatoes
Scrambled Eggs
Korean Ground Beef
Video
Equipment
- Large nonstick pan
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups matchstick carrots
- 1-1/2 cups thinly sliced English cucumbers
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 bunch green onions divided
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil divided
- 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey (93/7)
- 1 up to 2 tablespoons minced garlic see note 1
- 1 up to 2 tablespoons ginger paste
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce not lite
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 up to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds optional, for serving
- Cooked rice for serving
- Gochujang or chili-garlic sauce or sriracha sauce, see note 2, for serving
Instructions
- Optional Pickled Veggies: In a large bowl, toss carrots and cucumbers with rice vinegar, sugar (if using), and salt. Let them sit, tossing occasionally while you prep everything else.
- Thinly slice the bunch of green onions. Divide into two parts—about ½ cup of the white/light green bases and ½ cup of the darker green tops.
- Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef or turkey and start crumbling and browning it. After 3 minutes, stir in the base portion of the green onions. Continue cooking until beef is browned. Drain excess liquid if needed.
- Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds. Then add soy sauce, honey, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Simmer until the sauce is absorbed and the meat is nicely caramelized, about 2–3 more minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil, the green onion tops, and sesame seeds (if using).
- Divide cooked rice between bowls. Add the beef and a big pile of pickled veggies. Drizzle with your sauce of choice—Gochujang, chili-garlic sauce, or sriracha (a little goes a long way!).
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hello! I’m planning to make this soon. Can you tell me the approximate serving size in ounces or grams? Thanks!
Hey! I don’t have the final serving size weighed out. If you make the entire recipe and weigh it and divide by 4, you’ll have exact oz/grams per serving size for the nutrition facts.
hi!!! ok im making today….as far as the rice.. i am horrible at rice i want to try your way. can
you please tell me the amounts of water , rice, do u rinse rice..and do we cover the pot while boiling?? thank you!!
Hey Barbara! You’ll want to do about 10 cups water to 1 cup rice. Once boiling season with salt (I add 2-1/2 tsp fine sea salt). Rinse rice in a fine mesh sieve until water runs clear then add to the boiling water. Boil for 6 minutes (or until tender; taste a grain). Do not cover the pot, just boil it like you would boil pasta. Once rice is tender, drain it off and it’s ready to go! This method works for BASMATI rice, not long-grain/regular rice.
This was great. Very easy and quick but with a lot of flavor. The gochujang adds a great heat at that end. Will make again for certain.
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks Amanda! 🙂
Hi! I noticed you mentioned regular soy sauce and not lite soy sauce. Why the distinction? I’m just curious because I have to eat low sodium and was planning on using coconut aminos.
Thanks!
More saltiness/flavor!
Great recipe. Easy to make. Great flavors. I will make this again.
I’m s thrilled to hear! Thanks! 🙂
I love this receipt it was delicious. I loved the pickled veggies and the flavor of the turkey was so tasty. This receptor was so easy. My favorite Korean turkey bowls receipt by far.
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks Cristy! 🙂
So easy to make and so delicious! I appreciated the quick pickle instructions as well.
I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks Nicole!
Your brother in law here! This Korean ground turkey is unbelievably delicious! I’ve started meal prepping this and honestly it’s been my favorite dish on my weekly prep! Thanks for an amazing recipe as always!
Thank you Bryan!!
Loved it! Rice turned out great, too—and my rice is usually a gluey mess. Added green bell peppers to the turkey because I had some to use up and wanted more veggies. Delicious!
So glad to hear you enjoyed this and the rice turned out well! 🙂 Thanks for the comment and review Alex!
It was delicious.
So glad to hear that! Thanks Sheila!
Thanks for posting this recipe! This meal is fantastic! So tasty and refreshing!! I did miss a tad of the sweet sticky so just added a small amount of brown sugar but I also only had lite soy sauce so maybe that was part of the reason I was craving to modify a bit. Who ever thought ground turkey could taste so flavorful!!
YAY! So happy to hear this! Thanks so much Lauren! 🙂