With healthy ground beef, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, a touch of honey, and plenty of green onions, this Korean Beef Bowl recipe is perfect for serving over rice with vegetables for an easy, wholesome meal. You will find grass-fed ground beef, fresh garlic, and carrots at the market this week!
FOR THE BEEF:
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce plus additional to taste, divided
- 1 1/4 cups minced scallions both green and white parts (from about 1 small bundle), divided
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons minced or finely grated fresh ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes plus additional to taste
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil plus additional to tase
FOR SERVING:
- Cooked brown rice quinoa, or cauliflower rice
- 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots (see recipe notes to pickle them for an upgrade)
- Thinly sliced seedless cucumbers Persian-style or English/hot house
- Toasted sesame seeds
Pickle the carrots and/or cucumbers if desired (see below).
In a large skillet, brown the beef over medium-high heat, breaking it into small pieces, until it is browned and cooked through, about 5 or so minutes. When the beef is about halfway finished cooking, add 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and 2/3 of the scallions. Once the beef is completely browned, stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
While the beef cooks, in a small bowl, stir together the rice vinegar, honey, ginger, red pepper flakes, and remaining soy sauce.
Pour over the browned beef. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, then stir in the sesame oil. Sprinkle the remaining green onion over the top. Taste and add extra soy sauce or red pepper flakes as desired.
Serve the beef hot, over rice, topped generously with the carrots, cucumber, and sesame seeds.
TO PICKLE THE CARROTS AND CUCUMBERS: Place the vegetables in a medium bowl. Top with 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons water, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to coat the strands. Let marinate/gently pickle while you prepare the rest of the recipe. Drain then use to top the bowls.
