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GET IT NOWLooking for a new addition to your fast and healthy dinner lineup? Say hello to my Korean beef bowl recipe! It ticks all the boxes for me. Quick and easy? Check. Full of flavor? Check (thanks, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil!). Not too many ingredients? Yep, that too. Affordable? Definitely. It’s all the things I love about bowl meals, rolled into one. I like to serve my Korean ground beef over cauliflower rice to keep it light, but you can opt for regular rice if you like!
Why You’ll Love My Korean Beef Bowl Recipe
- Perfect balance of flavors – It’s savory. It’s (a little) sweet. It’s nutty. It’s umami. This dish has many of my go-to Asian-inspired cooking vibes, and you’re going to love them.
- Variety of textures – My favorite part is how the tender, juicy, ground beef gets a little crispy from the stir fry sauce. But you’ve also got cool, fresh cucumbers and soft cauli rice to tie it all together.
- Made in one pan – Say goodbye to piles of dishes! You can make my Korean beef bowl in one pan for easy cleanup.
- Fresh, light meal – My recipe is naturally gluten-free, has no refined sugar, and it’s packed with protein and veggies. It will leave you feeling… just good.
- Ready in just 20 minutes – Just like my burger bowl and egg roll bowl, using ground beef helps this one come together fast. It takes me only 20 minutes from start to finish. Your busy weeknights will thank you!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my Korean beef bowl, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Korean Ground Beef:
The beef is the heart of my recipe. You can build your bowls however you want, but it’s the meat that makes it shine! You’ll need:
- Ground Beef – You can really use any type of ground meat you’ve got (like ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork), but this is a Korean beef bowl, so I recommend using beef! Thinly sliced flank steak or skirt steak would also work nicely, though.
- Olive Oil – For your pan. Any heat-safe oil will work.
- Garlic – I used fresh garlic for the best flavor, but you can swap in 2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder for convenience.
- Coconut Aminos & Beef Broth – Together, these make up the base of the sauce and give my Korean ground beef those savory, sweet, and umami flavors. I prefer coconut aminos as a healthier soy sauce substitute, but feel free to use conventional low-sodium soy sauce or tamari instead. You can also swap in bone broth instead of regular, for an even richer sauce.
- Sesame Oil – Adds a nutty taste and aroma. I prefer toasted sesame oil here, but regular also works.
- Seasonings – I add ground ginger for fruity sharpness, crushed red pepper flakes for heat, and sea salt because… always. You can substitute a tablespoon of fresh grated ginger instead of ground (saute it together with the garlic), or omit the red pepper flakes if you don’t want it spicy.
VARIATION: Make the sauce sweeter!
The coconut aminos already contributes very mild sweetness, but if you like it more sweet, adding 1-2 tablespoons of honey (or my natural sugar-free honey) pairs nicely with the other flavors here.
The Base:
I use cauliflower rice for my base. I love that it’s light and cooks quickly in the same pan as the beef, with just a little olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. You can also use leftover cooked cauliflower rice or frozen cauliflower rice.
If you prefer your Korean beef bowls with regular white or brown rice, just cook it using your favorite method and use that as the base instead. They are amazing with my easy fried rice for something more hearty.
Toppings:
Feel free to customize these bowls however you’d like! I top mine with a fanned out cucumber, and a sprinkle of sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
You can mix it up and throw in shredded carrots, thinly sliced radishes, leftover stir fry vegetables or sauteed broccoli, or a fried egg on top to make it more filling. Once, I even added sauteed shiitake mushrooms.
How To Make Korean Beef Bowls
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Cook the cauliflower rice. In a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat, cook the cauliflower rice in olive oil until tender. (Or just cook your favorite rice instead.) Transfer to bowls and cover to keep warm.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, beef broth, sesame oil, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes. Set aside, but make sure it’s nearby and ready to go!
- Brown the beef. Add the ground beef to the pan and cook over medium-high heat, until browned.
- Saute the garlic. Push the beef to the sides of the pan, and add the minced garlic. Saute until fragrant, then mix into the beef.
- Add the sauce. Pour the sauce over the beef, bring to a boil, then simmer until most of it absorbs into the meat.
- Assemble your Korean ground beef bowls. Top each bowl with the ground beef and fan out the sliced cucumbers. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
My Recipe Tips
- Drain the beef if needed. I always get 85/15 ground beef and don’t usually need to drain it, but you may need to if you use 80/20 that’s higher in fat.
- Crank up the heat. The crispy browned edges are one of the best parts of this Korean beef bowl, so I highly recommend medium-high heat for browning the meat. And wait for it to actually darken, not just turn light brown. I use medium-high for the cauliflower rice as well, as browning is delicious there, too!
- It’s normal for the sauce to be thin, but it will reduce. Just let it simmer for a bit, and the meat will absorb all that flavor.
- Want it extra saucy? The meat soaks up most of the sauce in my Korean ground beef recipe, but if you want enough sauce to coat some of your rice, double or triple the amount of sauce. It’ll take a bit longer to reduce. I also once drizzled on extra sauce I had left from gochujang cauliflower and that was so flavorful.
Storage & Meal Prep
- Store: You can store your Korean ground beef on its own in the fridge for up to 5 days, but if you’ve already assembled the bowls, they are best within 2-3 days. So far, my fave way to repurpose leftovers was when I stuffed the meat into lettuce wraps with taco slaw and spicy mayo. Seriously amazing!
- Meal prep: Korean beef bowls make great meal prep lunches! I portion them into these glass meal prep containers, which are the perfect size for them. Add the cucumbers and green onions fresh if you can.
- Reheat: I prefer to reheat in the microwave if I’ve got the bowl in a meal prep container (just don’t heat the cucumbers, ha), but for the beef by itself, it tastes better heated in a skillet with a little extra oil.
- Freeze: You can freeze the cauliflower rice and ground beef separately for up to 3-4 months.
More Healthy Asian-Inspired Bowls
If you love a good bowl meal like I do, try one of my other easy ones next time:
My Tools For This Recipe
- Large Skillet – This wok is great for lots of surface area, but I just used my basic ceramic skillet this time.
- Stainless Chopsticks – Not required, of course, but I love these for all my Asian meals. They are shown in my pictures above.
Korean Beef Bowl (Easy In 20 Minutes)
Make this Korean beef bowl recipe with ground beef, flavorful sauce, cauliflower rice, and cucumbers. An easy 20-minute weeknight meal!
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Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Cauliflower Rice:
Korean Ground Beef:
Toppings:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the coconut aminos, beef broth, sesame oil, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes. Set the sauce aside.
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Turn the heat back on to medium-high. Add another tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil to the pan. Add the ground beef and season with sea salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes, breaking up with a spatula and stirring occasionally, until browned.
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Push the beef to the sides of the pan, and add the minced garlic in the middle. Saute for about 1 minute, until fragrant, then mix into the beef.
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Pour the sauce over the beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and mostly absorbs into the meat. There won't be much liquid left.
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To assemble your Korean beef bowls, top each bowl of cauliflower rice with ground beef. Fan out the cucumber slices, and sprinkle with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 bowl, or 1/4 of the entire recipe
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I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Korean Beef Bowl
193 Comments
Melissa S
0This was fantastic! I made it for the first time exactly as the recipe stated and hubby was an instant fan and went back for seconds. The only thing I would do differently is to double the recipe or triple! I can see freezing the meat for future meals and it would be great in a pinch!
Tammy
0This has become a favorite at our house! My husband likes it heavy on the garlic and ginger (I try to keep fresh on hand and he’s chopping my veggies so he always almost over does it)! I also stir fry the rice with some veggies and the eggs, and always make extra sauce so I can add a bit of it to the rice before it is done. Made it tonight with diced chicken and substituted chicken broth instead of beef. It was marvelous! After we were done eating.
Gregg
0Hi, did you strain the beef before adding in the sauce?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Gregg, I use 85/15 ground beef and cooking it at a high enough heat, don’t find it necessary to drain, but you can if you like.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Gregg, No, I don’t, but you can if you want to.
Kary Gomez
0This is delicious! I am trying to get back in the low-carb groove and this recipe just went into my food rotation. Thank you so much!
Elizabeth Fitch
0I made this tonight. It was easy to make, fast, and delicious.
Mary
0This was a quick and easy meal, which will make it a staple in my kitchen! My only comment would be that it’s not as savory as I would prefer – will be trying this again with keto friendly teriyaki.
Iris Davidson
0We love this simple, quick, delicious recipe.
Felicia
0This has become a staple in our house. . . absolutely love this recipe and so do guests that I serve it to.
Shannon
0One of our favorite recipes! Easy to make, and everyone always wants more!
Ariel Baker
0How lean of a ground beef do you use? I’m debating between using either a 93/7 or 80/20.
Thanks!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Ariel, I usually use 85/15.
Elizabeth
0So easy, and so tasty! I subbed fresh grated ginger for the powdered and *highly* recommend doing so. (If you keep fresh ginger root in your freezer, it grates up quick and easy.) Also used Tabasco instead of red pepper flakes, and added mushrooms with the beef. Served with steamed broccoli. It was a hit with the whole family!
Colleen
0I made this today and YUM! I also stir fried the cauliflower rice and that turned out delicious! I added a little chili garlic sauce to give it a little kick. This is definitely going in the “to be made again” recipe file. Thank you for sharing!
Mary Penza
0Mmm…mmmm…mmm! So good! And quick and easy! I made a few changes cuz just I always do…. first of all I used ground venison instead of beef plus coconut oil cuz the venison is so lean, I also used fresh ginger, lots of fresh chopped garlic, and jalapeños in my Saute of the cauliflower and the meat. Deglazed meat with dry sherry, used chicken stock (I didn’t have beef), served with a topping of very finely julienned radish & carrot & some cilantro & gochugaru. Added a big dollop of homemade kimchee. Would definitely make it again. Thanks! Hubby loved it too! Keeper!
Tammy
0Made this tonight. Super easy and very good. We did add some veggies in the mix. We will be making this again!
Rae Ann Woodrow
0I’ve made this dish twice, exactly to recipe specifications, and both times it has turned out excellent. My husband and I both love it. I did drain the ground beef before adding the sauce, and I also added 3 T Lakanto powdered monkfruit to the sauce. I decided to run the numbers on my own cooking of the recipe and came up with a lower carb count of 4.6 per serving, not 9, as stated in your calculations. Not sure why, other than perhaps we used different brands of cauli rice and condiments. I figured every single ingredient into the tally. Thanks so much for a winner recipe. I use your site regularly for no-fail yummy dishes and desserts!
Jan
0Lovely, lovely meal ? quick and easy to make and so much flavour. Thank you ?
Sarah
0Was a lovely quick dinner! I doubled everything, used minced ginger because I had it, and we’ll eat what’s left tomorrow with roasted broccoli. Oh and I added a generous pat of butter with the cauliflower rice, I love how it tastes with butter.
Mrs Hoadley
0This is SO good! I have made it a few times and it’s definitely part of my regular rotation. I don’t make any substitutions, it’s delicious as it’s written. Thank you for sharing Maya!!
Mel K
0Can you make the sauce in larger quantities and keep in the fridge like store bought sauces?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Mel, You could make the sauce ahead of time but it would only last a few days in the refrigerator.
Vicky
0Very delicious recipe. I doubled the recipe and I don’t see anywhere where it says to drain the beef? I had a ton of liquid from the beef. So I drained the beef added in my doubled sauce and let it simmer down for much longer than the time you stated but it was very delicious. I also used low sodium soy sauce – I love that stuff.
Carri
0Just made this for my hubs. He absolutely loves it!! Great recipe! Saved to my keto folder. Will definitely make it again. Thank You for sharing this recipe
Nicole
0Absolutely delicious! I will definitely be making this again. I didn’t have beef broth so I used some vegetable stock instead, otherwise, that is the only change I made and it turned out fantastic! I served the meal with cauliflower rice, garlicky collard greens, and red cabbage coleslaw. My partner said I nailed the meal right on the head! Yummy!
Irene
0Delish!!! And easy!!
Janet
0We found this recipe too sweet and too bland. The second time I made it, I subbed 2 T low sodium soy and 1 T gochujang (3 gr carb per T for the container in my fridge) for the coconut amino, and 2 T grated fresh ginger for the 1/4 tsp dried. For the broth, I used jarred lower-sodium beef broth concentrate–1/4th tsp for 1/4 c water. Because my husband dislikes cauliflower, I served over shirataki noodles, in rice form for 0 carbs. I found both gochujang and shirataki noodles in my small town NC supermarket, although both are less expensive at Asian markets. I also added 1 T chopped cilantro to the garnish. The substitutions made a huge difference to hubs, and we will be making this frequently. While not on strict Keto diets, I use Keto recipes to help him maintain a low carb diet for Type 2 diabetes management–and as long as I watch the fat, they help me keep weight down, too. Thank you so much for making my life easier!!!
Charli Prather-Levinson
0Easy and delicious
Rach
0So good! Had to make little adjustments for the ingredients that I have. Frozen cauli rice from costco, salted butter instead of olive oil, half a beef bullion dissolved in 1/4c hot water, added 2 tsp monkfruit, added way more chili flakes. Yum!
Az
0This is SO GOOD! I used Organic Soy sauce instead of Coconut Aminos (it’s all I had) and I also seasoned the cauliflower rice with Organic Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, garlic and ginger…letting it marinade for an hour or so before sauteeing it as my coconut Rice. My goodness. SO MUCH FLAVOUR! Will definitely make this again.
Lisa Davisson
0Absolutely delicious!! We all love this and it’s definitely going into rotation!! I am curious where the 9 net carbs are from? The cauliflower? Well anyway, I think this is my new favorite dish!
Also loved the tip about frying the cauliflower! Made such a difference!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Lisa, Yes, most of the carbs from the cauliflower in this dish. Enjoy!
Claudine
0This recipe is awesome! I had a real craving for Korean beef, and this really hit the spot!
Alisa
0I want to make this but we have a sesame allergy. I figure I can skip the seeds but do you know of an oil I can sub for the sesame oil? Thanks! I love your recipes!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Alisa, Avocado oil will work great here. Enjoy!
D
0We loved this! Making it again this week. What do you serve as side dishes? I’ve got hungry teenagers over here. (Gluten free please)
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi D, So glad you enjoyed it! Please check out the ‘Side Dishes’ section under the ‘Recipes’ heading at the top of the page. All recipes on this site are gluten-free, so you are good to go!
Helen Hoke
0Good. My non Keto husband loved it.
anita
0I 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.
C
0Wow! This was sooooo good! I followed the recipe exactly and it was incredible. My wife was very happy. 5 stars!
JudytheBaker
0Maya, 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.
Sarah Hendler
0I can’t find this recipe on the page any longer. I loved it! Can you repost it?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi 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
0Could this recipe be cook in the IP (sauteing it first) ? About the option with sweetener, I personally find in this recipe it just ruins the heart of the recipe 🙁 but it could be good for someone else, no criticism 🙂
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi 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
0We love this satisfying delicious easy recipe. I make it with top round also.
Alison
0The whole family loved this recipe. Delicious and quick to make.
Carri
0I 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
0This was really quick and I loved it!!!
Jackie Rawlins
0I’ve just made this. It is completely delicious and very easy to make. Thank you.
Keichrese Thomas
0I 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
0This 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
0I loved it! I didn’t have the garnishes, but it was good alone!
Melissa
0I tried it tonight and it’s delicious!! Thank you for another great recipe!
Elizabeth
0SOOO 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
0This 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
0I 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
0Great 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.