
Easy, delicious and healthy Korean beef rice bowl is made with minced beef and served with cucumber and red pepper paste over rice.

Korean beef rice bowl
If you have minced beef and don't know what to do with it, try making this easy Korean beef rice bowl with cucumber, rice, and red pepper paste sauce. You will love them! This recipe was so popular that it was included in our Meal Prep Cookbook as a fan favorite. My favorite Korean recipes are Gochujang Salmon, Korean Grilled Chicken, and Gochujang Meatballs. For more stir-fry recipes using ground beef, try this Ground Beef and Broccoli recipe.
Korean beef rice bowl ingredients
Everything you need to make this quick and easy one bowl ground beef recipe is here. See recipe card below for exact measurements.

- I am Willow: Choose low-sodium soy sauce.
- Light brown sugar: It adds sweetness.
- Sesame oil: It has a savory taste, so you can omit it if you are allergic.
- Crushed red pepper flakes: If you want a spicy taste, omit or reduce the red pepper.
- Ground beef: We use 93% low-fat beef. You can use ground meat, such as chicken or turkey, for this.
- garlic: Crush a couple of cloves for flavor.
- ginger: Fresh ginger is best. Put it in a ziplock bag and store it in the freezer, then grind it with the skin still intact.
- Brown rice: I'm obsessed with frozen brown rice from Trader Joe's. It takes about 3 minutes to warm up and the texture is just right.
- cucumber: If you use English or Persian cucumbers, there is no need to peel them. Just slice it thinly.
- chili pepper paste: Gochujang is what makes this bowl! Add more or less depending on your heat preference.
- Sesame seeds and chives For topping.
How to make Korean beef rice bowl
Here are step-by-step photos and instructions for this Korean bowl recipe: See recipe card below for full recipe.



- Korean Beef Bowl Sauce: Mix soy sauce, 2 tablespoons water, brown sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper powder in a bowl.
- To cook ground beef: Heat a large frying pan over high heat, add oil, and fry the minced beef for about 5 minutes, then mash the meat with a spoon. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.
- Add sauce and bring to a boil. Pour in the sauce and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
- collect: Place rice in each bowl and top with beef, cucumber, red pepper paste, sesame seeds, and chives.
Korean beef variations
The variations of this Korean beef rice bowl are endless. Let's jump in!
- protein: Replace beef with lean ground turkey, ground pork, or ground chicken. If you're vegetarian, use mashed tofu in addition to beef or the Impossible Burger.
- Additional Protein: Try these super easy fried eggs on a bowl.
- Vegetable Options: You can add almost any vegetable. Roasted mushrooms, bok choy, matchstick carrots, or peas all work.
- Pickled Vegetables: Mix in the pickled onions, cucumbers or carrots. I think kimchi would be good too.
- More seasoning: Garnish with sliced fresh jalapenos.
- Rice Alternatives: For a lower carb meal, serve Korean beef over cauliflower rice or vegetable rice.
- Lettuce packaging: You can also switch things up by making lettuce wraps with meat.

Meal Preparation and Storage
My family eats up this bowl every time we make it, so we often double the recipe for leftovers.
- refrigerator: Cooked beef can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- freezer: Freeze without cucumbers or garnish for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave.
- To pack lunch: Put beef, rice, sesame seeds, and red pepper paste in one container and store cucumbers and green onions in another container. Reheat the rice container until warm and top with the vegetables.
Gochujang FAQs
What does red pepper paste taste like?
One of the essential ingredients for this rice bowl recipe is red pepper paste sauce. It is a slightly spicy and sweet Korean seasoning and has a unique taste that can only be found in Korean food. It also comes in paste form, so you need to thin it down with a little water and sesame oil. If you can't find it at your local supermarket, Amazon has a variety of brands.
Is red pepper paste gluten-free?
Gochujang typically contains wheat, but not all brands do. If you’re gluten-free, check the label first! And while we're on the subject, soy sauce also doesn't contain gluten, so substitute it with tamari or coconut aminos.
What is a good substitute for red pepper paste?
Sriracha is probably the closest sub to gochujang. But it's not exact. You may need to mix in a little hoisin sauce, sugar, or sesame oil to get it closer. If you are looking for red pepper paste, I highly recommend trying it!
How do I make Korean beef rice bowl mild?
If you're serving this bowl to a family member who doesn't like spicy food or spice, omit the peppers from the beef and reserve the red pepper paste. Anyone can add as much (or as little) sauce as they like.

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Produce: 4 Servings
Serving Size: One bowl
In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, 2 tablespoons water, brown sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper powder.
Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over high heat, drizzle with oil and add the ground beef. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.
Pour the sauce over the beef, cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
To assemble the bowls, place 3/4 cup rice in each bowl and top with 2/3 cup beef, cucumber, pepper bells, sesame seeds, and chives.
Final step:
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*Check the gluten-free label.
clothing material: One bowl, calorie: 394 calorie, carbohydrate: 47 g, protein: 30 g, province: 9 g, Saturated Fat: three g, cholesterol: 70 mg, salt: 807 mg, fiber: 4 g, sugar: 7 g












