This Korean Beef and Kimchi Bowl is a must-try for anyone looking to explore Korean flavors in a simple, accessible way. If you’re looking for a quick, delicious, and satisfying meal, look no further! This dish is the perfect meal prep option with its balance of savory ground beef, spicy kimchi, and aromatic sesame oil, all atop a bed of warm rice. Whether you’re a fan of Korean cuisine or just craving something hearty and flavorful, this bowl is sure to hit the spot.
Easily customisable
The versatility of this dish is one of its best features. Here are a few ways to make it your own:
- Extra Veggies: In this recipe, I use beansprouts and cucumber, but go ahead and add your favourite vegetables such as sautéed spinach, carrots, or mushrooms for more texture and nutrition.
- Protein Swap: Use ground chicken, pork, or even tofu for a vegetarian version.
- Rice Variations: If you’re watching carbs, swap the white rice for brown rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa.
- Sauce: I like pairing some mayonnaise with this, but you can make a delicious gochujang sauce, similar to what they serve with bimbimbap.
Tips for Perfecting the Bowl:
- Let the beef pan-fry and get a crispy bottom by ensuring your heat is high, leave it undisturbed and don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Adjust the amount of gochujang to your heat preference.
- Top with toasted sesame seeds and extra green onions for added crunch and flavor.
- Add water when seasoning with gochujang and soy sauce if you want it more saucy!
- Rich in umami flavour
- Versatile seasoning for asian dishes as well as all kinds of everyday dishes, try in marinades, dressings, dips and sauces
- Use in place of salt for a deeper, balanced taste
What makes this Korean beef and kimchi bowl special?
The beauty of the Korean Beef and Kimchi Rice Bowl lies in its simplicity and bold flavors. Ground beef is seasoned with ingredients like soy sauce, ginger, and gochujang (Korean chili paste), giving it a savory-sweet base with a touch of heat. Kimchi adds a tangy, fermented punch, great for gut-health! while the fried egg on top creates a rich, creamy texture when broken. It’s the ultimate comfort food that comes together in under 30 minutes and it’s perfect as a lunch or meal prep option. I only add the egg if i’m having the meal right there and then, so the runny yolk and mix in with the rice bowl.
Korean beef and kimchi rice bowl
Ingredients
Beef
- 750g Beef mince, lean, 5% steak mince
- Oil, any neutral oil
- 2-3 tbsp Gochujang, adjust according to spicy level
- 2 tbsp Honey, white sugar if you don't have any
- 3 tbsp Soy sauce, light
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Ginger, minced
- 2 tbsp Rice wine vinegar
Garnish and side dishes
- Beansprouts, blanched, dressed with salt and sesame oil
- Cucumber
- Kimchi
- Rice
- Light mayonnaise (optional)
- Spring onion
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
Prepare the Korean beef
- In a large skillet or frying pan, heat a bit of oil over medium-high heat. Break the mince up with your hands or spatula before adding, ensure the pan isn't crowded. Do this batches if you need to. Leave it undisturbed so it can brown and get crispy (5-7 minutes). Drain excess fat if necessary, then lower the heat to medium.
- Stir in soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, gochujang and rice vinegar.
- Let the beef simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally to combine the flavors.Taste and adjust seasoning if needed (add more gochujang for heat or sugar for sweetness). Once the beef is coated in a glossy sauce and has absorbed the flavors, remove from heat and set aside.
Assembling the rice bowl
- Add rice into a bowl as the base. Spoon the Korean beef mixture on top of the rice. If desired, fry an egg to your liking (sunny side up or scrambled) and place it on top of the beef. Garnish with chopped green onions, sesame seeds and any extra toppings like cucumber, beansprouts, kimchi.
