Korean Beef Recipe – Fast, Flavorful, and Weeknight-Friendly
If you’re craving big flavor with minimal effort, this Korean beef recipe hits the spot. It’s savory, slightly sweet, and full of garlicky, gingery goodness. You can make it with ground beef in under 30 minutes, and it tastes like takeout in the best way.
Serve it over rice with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and green onions, and you’ve got a meal that feels special without a lot of fuss.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
- Fast and simple: The sauce comes together in one bowl, and the beef cooks in one pan. It’s a true weeknight win.
- Bold, balanced flavor: Soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger create that classic Korean-inspired sweet-salty profile.
- Flexible: Works with ground beef, thinly sliced steak, or even ground turkey. Great over rice, noodles, or lettuce wraps.
- Budget-friendly: Uses pantry staples and an affordable protein to feed a crowd without breaking the bank.
- Meal-prep ready: Stores and reheats well, so you can cook once and enjoy it for days.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450 g) ground beef (80–90% lean)
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (canola, avocado, or vegetable), if needed
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced or grated
- 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
- 1–2 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or mirin
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1–2 teaspoons cornstarch (optional, for thicker sauce)
- 2–3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish
- Steamed white or brown rice, for serving
- Optional vegetables: shredded carrots, thinly sliced bell pepper, snap peas, or broccoli
How to Make It
- Whisk the sauce: In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, brown sugar, gochugaru, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.
If you want a thicker glaze, whisk in cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
- Prep aromatics: Mince the garlic and ginger, and slice the green onions. Keep the whites and greens separated for cooking and garnish.
- Cook the beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add oil if your beef is very lean. Add ground beef and break it up with a spatula. Cook until browned with crisp edges, about 5–7 minutes.
Drain excess fat if needed for a cleaner sauce.
- Add aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Stir in garlic, ginger, and the white parts of the green onions. Cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.
Don’t let the garlic burn.
- Sauce it up: Pour in the sauce and toss to coat the beef. Simmer 2–3 minutes until it thickens slightly and clings to the meat. Taste and adjust heat or sweetness as needed.
- Add veggies (optional): If using quick-cook vegetables, stir them in now and cook 1–2 minutes until just tender but still crisp.
For firmer veggies like broccoli, steam or sauté separately and fold in at the end.
- Finish and serve: Remove from heat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and the green onion tops. Serve over hot rice, and spoon extra sauce from the pan over each bowl.
How to Store
- Refrigerator: Store cooled beef in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Keep rice separately for best texture.
- Freezer: Freeze in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Flatten bags for faster thawing.
- Reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium heat with a splash of water to loosen the sauce. Microwave in short bursts, stirring between each, to prevent drying.
- Meal-prep tip: Portion into single-serve containers with rice and steamed veggies for grab-and-go lunches.
Benefits of This Recipe
- Time-saving: From start to finish, you’re looking at about 20–25 minutes.
- Pantry-friendly: Most ingredients are common staples, and you can swap spices easily.
- High-protein: A hearty, satisfying meal that keeps you full.
- Kid-friendly: Sweet-savory flavors win over picky eaters.
Adjust heat to taste.
- Customizable: Add vegetables, change the protein, or serve it different ways all week.
Pitfalls to Watch Out For
- Overcooking garlic: Garlic burns fast and turns bitter. Add it after browning the beef and cook briefly.
- Too much liquid: If you don’t drain excess fat or if your heat is too low, the sauce can feel watery. Simmer longer or add a touch of cornstarch.
- Over-salting: Soy sauce is salty.
Use low-sodium soy sauce and taste before adding more salt or seasoning.
- Dry beef: Extra-lean beef can taste dry. Add a teaspoon of oil or a splash of water as it cooks to keep it juicy.
- Mushy veggies: Quick-cook vegetables need just a minute or two. Add them at the end for bright color and crisp texture.
Alternatives
- Protein swaps: Try ground turkey or chicken for a lighter option.
For a classic bulgogi vibe, use thinly sliced sirloin or ribeye and marinate it in the sauce for 15 minutes before cooking.
- Gluten-free: Use tamari or coconut aminos in place of soy sauce. Check labels on rice vinegar and gochugaru.
- No sugar: Swap brown sugar for honey, maple syrup, or a zero-calorie sweetener. Start with less and adjust to taste.
- Vegetarian: Use crumbled extra-firm tofu, tempeh, or lentils.
Cook until lightly crisp, then add the sauce.
- Heat level: For mild heat, use less gochugaru. For extra spice, add gochujang or a drizzle of chili oil.
- Serving ideas: Spoon over jasmine rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice. Try lettuce wraps, rice bowls with kimchi, or noodles with steamed greens.
FAQ
Can I make this without gochugaru?
Yes.
Use crushed red pepper, chili flakes, or a small amount of sriracha. Start with less and build up to your preferred heat.
What kind of beef is best?
Ground beef between 80% and 90% lean gives the best balance of flavor and texture. If using sliced steak, pick a tender cut like sirloin or ribeye and cook it hot and fast.
How do I thicken the sauce?
Whisk 1–2 teaspoons of cornstarch into the sauce before adding it to the pan.
Simmer for a minute to activate and thicken. You can also simmer longer to reduce naturally.
Is this recipe spicy?
It can be, but it’s adjustable. For mild, use 1/2 to 1 teaspoon gochugaru or skip it.
For spicy, add more gochugaru or a spoon of gochujang.
What vegetables work well here?
Great options include shredded carrots, bell peppers, snap peas, broccoli, zucchini, and spinach. Add quick-cooking veggies at the end to keep them crisp.
Can I meal prep this?
Absolutely. Portion beef and rice into containers, add a green vegetable, and store for 3–4 days.
Reheat with a splash of water to refresh the sauce.
What’s the difference between this and bulgogi?
Bulgogi is typically thinly sliced marinated beef that’s grilled or stir-fried. This recipe uses ground beef for speed and simplicity, but the flavor profile is inspired by bulgogi.
Wrapping Up
This Korean beef recipe delivers big flavor with almost no effort. It’s quick, flexible, and endlessly customizable, whether you’re feeding a family or stocking the fridge for the week.
Keep the ingredients on hand, and you’ve always got a fast, satisfying dinner ready to go. A bowl of rice, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and a few green onions are all you need to finish it off right.
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk the sauce: In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, brown sugar, gochugaru, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. If you want a thicker glaze, whisk in cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
- Prep aromatics: Mince the garlic and ginger, and slice the green onions. Keep the whites and greens separated for cooking and garnish.
- Cook the beef: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil if your beef is very lean. Add ground beef and break it up with a spatula. Cook until browned with crisp edges, about 5–7 minutes. Drain excess fat if needed for a cleaner sauce.
- Add aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. Stir in garlic, ginger, and the white parts of the green onions. Cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant. Don’t let the garlic burn.
- Sauce it up: Pour in the sauce and toss to coat the beef. Simmer 2–3 minutes until it thickens slightly and clings to the meat. Taste and adjust heat or sweetness as needed.
- Add veggies (optional): If using quick-cook vegetables, stir them in now and cook 1–2 minutes until just tender but still crisp. For firmer veggies like broccoli, steam or sauté separately and fold in at the end.
- Finish and serve: Remove from heat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and the green onion tops. Serve over hot rice, and spoon extra sauce from the pan over each bowl.
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Sumayya is a home cook and recipe creator who shares simple, flavorful recipes made for everyday cooking. She believes good food should be easy, comforting, and enjoyed by everyone.
