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If you need a new recipe for your fast dinner rotation files… here it is! My keto Korean beef bowl checks all of the dinner check boxes. Let me tell you a little more about this Korean ground beef recipe. It’s super flavorful, thanks to coconut aminos, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil, plus delicious and satisfying ground beef that gets a little crispy from the stir fry sauce. Then it’s served over a bed of cauliflower rice for a full meal. Told you this easy Korean beef recipe would become a new favorite!
Many traditional Korean beef recipes are made with sugars and rice, but you’ll love this version that utilizes simple low carb swaps.
How To Make Korean Beef Bowls
This paleo Korean beef bowl is easy and ready in just 30 minutes! Here are the simple steps:
- Make the cauliflower rice. You can use frozen riced cauliflower or make your own riced cauliflower. Either turn out great. Some frozen cauliflower rice takes a few minutes longer to cook, so you can always follow the instructions on the package.
TIP: Stir fry cauliflower rice over medium-high heat. This ensures that it fries instead of steaming, reduces any cauliflower smell, and makes for a better flavor.
- Mix up the sauce. Simply whisk some coconut aminos, beef broth, sesame oil, ground ginger, and crushed red pepper flakes together in a small bowl.
TIP: If you like it sweet, you can add 2-3 tbsp sweetener to the sauce – I recommend powdered monk fruit allulose blend. If you use a sugar-free sweetener, it’s best to use powdered to avoid a gritty texture. See my low carb sweeteners guide here for other powdered options. Otherwise if you are just making this as a healthier dish but don’t need it to be low carb, a natural liquid sweetener such as honey would also work fine.
- Cook spicy ground beef. First you’ll brown the beef, then add more minced garlic and saute that for a minute.
- Add the sauce and simmer. After you add the Korean beef stir fry sauce to the pan, it will be liquid, but will thicken up and absorb into the meat if you simmer it for just a bit.
Korean Ground Beef Recipe Variations
If you want to mix up this recipe a bit, try using another meat or protein. You can really use any type of ground meat that you have or that is your favorite.
Try ground turkey or chicken for a bit of a lighter meal, or try ground pork for a similar version.
Is Korean Food Keto Friendly?
Korean food can be keto! But not all of it is.
Rice is standard in Korean food, so obviously that is out. But it’s easy to swap out for cauliflower rice.
And I’ve found some ways to infuse Korean flavors into keto-friendly dishes… like this keto Korean beef recipe!
Is Korean Beef Keto?
Traditional Korean beef recipes would not be keto. The marinade usually contains a sugar of some kind and then there’s the rice that’s usually served alongside it.
Which is precisely why I created this version! There’s no reason we should skip out on this flavorful Korean ground beef recipe.
Can You Make Easy Korean Beef Ahead?
Yes, you can definitely make this spicy Korean beef ahead of time. Keto ground beef recipes like this one are great because you can make the cauliflower rice and the ground beef stir fry in advance.
Then, just portion out the cauliflower rice and beef into four different containers and you have Korean beef bowl meal prep ready-to-go for the week.
How To Freeze Korean Beef
If you want to freeze this easy Korean beef, simply store the cauliflower rice and ground beef in airtight containers in the freezer once it has cooled down.
When you’re ready to eat, you can reheat it in the microwave or a hot skillet until hot. If you have leftovers, I highly recommend using these glass meal prep containers. You can store leftovers, freeze them, and then re-heat all in the same container.
More Low Carb Asian Recipes
I love making low carb versions of my favorite keto recipes! Here are more ideas to try:
- Low Carb Hunan Beef
- Keto Beef & Broccoli
- Oriental Asian Cabbage Salad
- Cauliflower Rice Sushi Rolls
- Ground Turkey & Rice – Just use a low carb sweetener and cauliflower rice to keep it keto friendly.
- Orange Chicken & Kung Pao Beef – Both found exclusively in The Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Cookbook!
Tools To Make Korean Beef Bowls:
Click the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Nonstick Wok – This wok is great for cooking my Korean beef recipe and there’s lots of surface area to easily and quickly brown the meat.
- Stainless Chopsticks – Not required, of course, but I love these for all my low carb Asian meals. They are shown in the pictures.
- Glass Meal Prep Containers – These glass containers have two compartments are perfect way to meal prep Korean beef bowls for the week. (And see note about freezing, above!)
Reader Favorite Recipes
The recipe card is below! Readers also made these similar recipes after making this one.
RECIPE CARD
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Easy Keto Korean Ground Beef Bowl Recipe
You'll love this 20-minute keto Korean beef bowl! See how to make an easy Korean ground beef recipe that's healthy, gluten-free, and full of flavor.
Recipe Video
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PrintIngredients
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Cauliflower Rice:
Beef:
Garnish:
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Instructions
Get RECIPE TIPS in the post above, nutrition info + recipe notes below!
Click on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
Heat 1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower rice. Season with sea salt and black pepper, if desired. Saute for 3-5 minutes, until cooked through.
Remove the cauliflower rice from heat, set aside, and cover to keep warm.
In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, beef broth, sesame oil, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes. Set the sauce aside.
Turn heat back to medium-high. Add another tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil to the wok. Add the ground beef and season with sea salt. Cook for about 8-10 minutes, breaking up with a spatula and stirring occasionally, until browned.
Make a well in the beef and add the minced garlic. Saute for about a minute, until fragrant, then mix into the beef.
Pour the sauce over the beef. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and thickened. There won't be much liquid left.
Divide the cauliflower rice among plates.Top with ground beef. Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and cucumber slices.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: ~1/3 cup ground beef + 1 cup cauliflower rice
This low carb recipe was featured in the May 2020 Wholesome Yum Challenge! Learn more and join the challenge to enter this month's giveaway.
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Nutrition Information Per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database. You can find individual ingredient carb counts we use in the Low Carb & Keto Food List. Net carb count excludes fiber, erythritol, and allulose, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. (Learn about net carbs here.) We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.
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84 Comments
Helen Hoke
Good. My non Keto husband loved it.
anita
I tried this recipe tonight and thought it was delicious. I made it exactly like the recipe called for but I did add a little soy sauce once everything was done, (I like salt) I didn’t think that the stated portion size would be enough but it was the perfect amount. Thank you for sharing this recipe for a KETO nubee to have.
Happy Ketoing,
Anita
C
Wow! This was sooooo good! I followed the recipe exactly and it was insane. My wife was very happy. 5 stars!
JudytheBaker
Maya, this is excellent!
I was concerned that it would be too much like your 15 Minute Egg Roll in a Bowl in the cookbook. It’s totally different. It came together really fast, and I really appreciate that.
For us, it makes three servings. I had to use up some mushrooms and GM green beans, and we had to with that instead of cauliflower.
Thank you so very much,
Judy,
Sarah Hendler
I can’t find this recipe on the page any longer. I loved it! Can you repost it?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Sarah, The recipe is still there! Are you viewing the website with a new browser? Make sure you aren’t viewing the website in a Reader Mode or RSS feed, which could prevent parts of the recipe card from showing.
Roberta
Could this recipe be cook in the IP (sauteing it first) ? About the option with sweetener, I personally find in this recipe it just kills the heart of the recipe 🙁 but it could be good for someone else, no criticism 🙂
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Roberta, I think this could definitely be done in the Instant Pot. The sweetener is not required here, so feel free to omit it from the recipe!
Kitten48
We love this satisfying delicious easy recipe. I make it with top round also.
Alison
The whole family loved this recipe. Delicious and quick to make.
Carri
I made this dish last night. I’ve made Bulgogi before and like it and thought maybe it would be similar. But this recipe was just too bland for us. It lacked any distinct flavor. It wasn’t terrible, but I won’t repeat it. I did NOT make cauliflower rice, as we had it the week before and I am not much of a fan of cauliflower in so many low carb pasta substitute dishes. But I did make a shirataki noodle lo mein side dish.
Ruth Martinson
This was really quick and I loved it!!!
Jackie Rawlins
I’ve just made this. It is completely delicious and very easy to make. Thank you.
Keichrese Thomas
I really like the recipe. It was very healthy and easy to make. The ingredient added was very good added flavor. This was my first time trying Colliflower. Great combination for a healthy meal.
Thanks
Corina
This was delish! I left out the red pepper flakes because I’ve got little ones who don’t appreciate the spice. But it was still so good and easy too. thanks for a quick and yummy recipe.
Ruth A
I loved it! I didn’t have the garnishes, but it was good alone!
Melissa
I tried it tonight and it’s delicious!! Thank you for another great recipe!
Elizabeth
SOOO good! I added two tbsp of monk sweetener and 1.5 tbsp of sriracha to the sauce. For the beef, I sautéed a jalapeño and bell pepper with the garlic. So so so tasty. Thank you!
Megan
This recipe will be on repeat! My kids loved it and so did the parents! Definitely easy 30 min dinner (less really!) I have a ton of ground pork frozen and will try it with that next.
Kelli
I guess I’ve had too much real Korean food in my life—like the author pointed out, Korean food is a lot sweeter and I really missed that in this dish. It was pretty bland. I’d be willing to try it again but I’d definitely need to add something else.
JM
Great recipe. I like it a bit more colorful so I add red or yellow pepper strips, pea pods, broccoli, or whatever I have on hand. It’s become a staple.
Kim
This could have been much better but holy moly sodium overload! Next time I will not add the sea salt and use a reduced sodium broth. I did add some chili paste for a bit more flavor.
ASIA Love
I do not think I was much of a fan. It Could have been better. It was a bit too bland for me and did not have a spice that I was looking for
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Asia Love, Sorry this didn’t suit your tastes. Spices can be adjusted to meet your preferences if need be.
Stacy
Made the Korean Beef bowl and was great! Going to be a go to meal for dinner. My husband said where did you get this recipe this is so good, please make again!
Amanda
Hi, I would like to make this for someone who doesn’t like spicy foods. How spicy is this with the red chili flakes? Should I omit them or halve the amount?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Amanda, This dish is not especially spicy, but you can half the amount just to be on the safe side for your friend.
Tracy M
I used a TB fresh ginger and I think that made a big difference. Also used a TB of monkfruit sweetener. You could easily adjust the spices to your liking. Thanks for the recipe!
Angela Mogharehabed
This easy recipe came together beautifully, in under 30 minutes, with minimum fuss. For a pleasant change, I had all the ingredients on hand. I added 2 tsp Besti Monkfruit Allulose blend for a bit of sweetness, and it was deeelicious. It got the husband’s approval so this one’s a keeper for sure! Thank you for sharing this gem.
Cindy Lieberman
This is fast and super flavorful! I made it with meatless grind/beyond beef for a hearty and filling vegetarian entree. I served the dish alongside broccoli florets and cubed roasted eggplant over rice. Delish! We will definitely make this again. Thanks, Maya, for another great recipe!
Patricia Fitzpatrick
I’ve made this twice. Love it.
Lori
Can I use Liquid aminos instead of coconut aminos and if so how do I change the recipe to accommodate?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Lori, These are the same. Use the amount listed in the recipe.
Mich
We LOVED this! Hubby and I ate the beef recipe over string beans. Son put it in a taco. All went back for more :0) I halved the aminos and subbed water since I don’t like salty taste. Versatile recipe! Thanks so much!
Lisa
Super yummy-quick and easy too! Added a little more coconut amino and really browned up the meat-so delish! Even the hubs liked it! This will be a new recipe in the rotation – thank you!
maria
This was awesome! As a diabetic and a person who loved her Teriyaki bowls… I was so glad to find this Keto Korean bowl recipe! I even liked the cauliflower rice ( I was worried because I loved rice) but cauliflower rice actually GOES WELL with this recipe! I even added some STEAMED CABBAGE PIECES on the side— omg! Thank you over and over- family put panko crumbs— I used a little pinch of pork rinds… and I had all ingredients so it was really divine.
Heidi
Thank you! This is delicious – easy to make, flavorful and ingredients I usually have stocked. This will be a great go-to weekday meal.
Michelle
This was really really good. Sauteed cauliflower with a little sesame oil and splash of coconut aminos. Key was really browning the beef well. Next time I’m going to add lots garlic and onions. Thank you. So tasty so easy. A new go to for me!
Sonja
Quick fresh and wonderful
Chelsea Santos
I tried this last week, and it was fantastic and super easy! I made sweet pickled cucumbers (rice vinegar and granular sweetener), and used them as a topping for the bowls. It was heavenly. Thank you!
Lori
So good and easy – THANK YOU. Used chicken bone broth because I did not have beef and no sesame oil but that will likely make it even better. I doubled the recipe and we ate the entire thing. I did add siracha to mine but no one else did. I also like the lettuce wrap idea. Super YUM!!
Linda
What are coconut aminos and where can I buy them? I read that I can substitute soy sauce but would like to make it as written.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Linda, Coconut Aminos is made from the sap of coconut blossoms and salt. It creates a flavor similar to soy sauce. You can pick up a bottle of Coconut Aminos here.
Alyssa
Finally got around to trying this, delish and so quick and easy to make!
I didn’t have sesame oil, but did have sesame seeds to top it, will be even better next time! Also agree the cucumber is essential!
Susan Blissett
We are both vegan so I easily substituted Beyond Meat and veg stock. This dish was outstanding. It will be a regular addition to our weekly meals from now on. Thank you so much. So simple and so tasty.
Rick
This was really good. It will definitely be added to our regular “quick meal” rotation.
I had to make a few minor modifications, but it didn’t change much. The first one was that I don’t own a wok, so I just used a skillet. Second, I didn’t have sesame oil, so I substituted with peanut oil, and really couldn’t tell the difference (I will try for sesame oil next time). I also added a tablespoon of Sambal Oelek chili paste right at the end of the reduction for some extra heat and “gooeyness”. Finally, I added some Siracha to my bowl because I love it. I felt like it accented the dish perfectly.
I was nervous serving such a simple dish to my wife. She’s normally a pretty tough customer, but she absolutely loved it. She even asked for seconds and mentioned several times that she wants to have it again.
**I will say that I still feel like it’s missing something. Next time, I’m going to try quick pickling the cucumber with some carrots and add cilantro for some more texture and freshness (similar to Bahn Mi vegetables).
carrie
It seemed a little bland, but I added a bit of chili garlic sauce to spice it up and it was YUM!
Rick
Carrie, thanks for this tip. I did just that and feel like it made a huge difference for us.
Trish
We made this tonight and it is SOOO good. I’m on Keto OMAD but my kiddos and husband are not and they loved this too. Thanks for always having the best recipes!
Gina
I made this tonight, for the week. Not what I expected. But I just saw the part about liking it sweeter. Too late. But it will do what I need it to for lunches.
Trying the Mongolian Beef next.
Rebecca
Made this just now for lunch and it’s delicious. I didn’t have cauliflower so I sautéed in some coleslaw mix, yum!
Holly
This was so flavorful. It is definitely a new favorite and so easy to make.
Stephanie
This was a big hit with my entire family – even the 3 and 5 year olds! Just enough spice to make it zippy, without burning any tastebuds off. And the sesame oil was a nice touch!
I’m planning to make a double batch to freeze next month before our next little one comes along. Thanks for another great recipe!
Rebecca
Sounds delicious!
I don’t have any coconut aminos.
Can I use soy sauce instead? If so, how much.
I do have extra virgin coconut oil (unrefined) & coconut cooking oil. Would either of those sub. For the coconut aminos?
Also my cauliflower rice is frozen in a bag.
Do I prepare it in the microwave per the instructions & then stir fry it or just skip the microwave & stir fry it from frozen?
Thanks
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Rebecca, Soy sauce is really the only replacement for the coconut aminos, coconut oils will not provide the flavor that this recipe calls for. You can just stir fry the cauliflower rice, no need to microwave first.
Holly
You are brilliant! I made this recipe exactly as written and it was utterly amazing! I will definitely be making this over and over again!
Thank you SO much for sharing this!
Denise Payne
Really enjoyed this. I used cauliflower that I processed a year ago and froze, so my hubby could taste the it. He OD on cauliflower when we started KETO. Maybe if I used fresh cauliflower it would not taste like it. I did sweetened it with monk fruit.
Kristi
We really enjoyed this recipe! The cucumbers were a great pair with it also!!
Karine Hilton
I realized I didn’t have ginger, I replaced by horseradish and a little bit of real maple syrup. Oh my! It was sooooooo good!!
T Bennett
I opted to add the sweetener- I lived in South Korea for a year and fell in love with their food! So adding the sweetener really made this taste so close to what I used to eat. Thanks so much for this inventive interpretation .
K Jimenez
This is a very flavorful recipe. I doubled the recipe and added monk fruit sweetener. Thank for the recipe that will be used many more times in my house.
Sunshine
I was wanting to double this…did you double all the ingredients including the liquids?
Christine Phillips
Absolutely delicious… . Nothing left to say.
Lisa Schroeder
do i drain the fat from the beef?
Wholesome Yum A
Hi Lisa, I don’t, but if you’re using a particularly fatty ground beef blend you can. Draining can help make it more crisp and improve texture.
Lorraine
Hi can I use liquid aminos instead of coconut aminos?
Wholesome Yum A
Absolutely, Lorraine!
Cara
This is my husband’s new ‘favorite thing I make’ – I can’t believe how simple it is to get that yummy Korean BBQ taste. I added habañeros & serano Chile with the garlic to kick up the heat when I made this today and it worked out amazing! The cucumbers in my opinion are necessary for texture and freshness. We’ve also only eaten the beef on lettuce wraps as we’re a little burned out on cauliflower rice, but SO GOOD!
Trish
This recipe was absolutely delicious. My husband and I both loved it. We will definitely make this again and again.
Suzanne
This looks fabulous! I can’t wait to try it! What would the net carbs be without the “rice”?
By the way, I ordered your new book already on Amazon, I’m excited for the release! Love your site!
Wholesome Yum L
Hi Susanne, thank you for ordering the cookbook! I don’t have the measurements for the dish without the cauliflower but you could use an online calculator to figure it out.
Gennesa
Could this be good on zoodles? How do you fry cauliflower instead of steaming it? I need some pointers please.
Wholesome Yum
This would taste great on zoodles, Gennesa. For cauliflower that has been riced (not florets), you can simply pan fry it and stir often until soft.
Amy
This was so good! One of the best things I’ve ever made!
Lynda
Can I leave out the sesame oil?
Wholesome Yum
Hi Lynda, you can do that but you might miss out on some flavor. You’ll also want to substitute with a different fat, like avocado oil.
Fifi
Very delicious recipe l made it exactly as written. It’s a keeper. Thank you
Rachel
This was good! I only had the coconut aminos and sesame oil in the house, but I added garlic powder and it was tasty. I liked the cauliflower option and I had a bag of frozen which heated up nicely in a large frying pan.
Courtney
I love all the flavours in here, and although I’m not keto I don’t eat sugar often and my husband limits his carbs so I appreciate that this recipe is sugar-free!
Shanika
This Korean Bowl was so amazing! I love that it’s Keto and so flavorful!
Beth Neels
I love that you used cauliflower rice in these bowls! The spicy hint made these beef bowls right up my alley too!
Krissy Allori
This looks so good! I have been loving bowls lately. Looking forward to trying it.
lisa
What a delish and easy dinner!! Making this again next week for sure!
Tanya Schroeder
I loved everything about this recipe!