This super easy Korean Ground Beef Recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes and is bursting with a sweet and spicy flavor.
If you’re looking for an easy ground beef recipe to serve your family that uses that last bit of beef in your fridge or freezer, than this is it!
Easy Korean Ground Beef Recipe
This easy dinner is one of my go-to recipes, because it uses a handful of ingredients I keep in my fridge and comes together in under 15 minutes. This dinner has a lot of similar flavors to Korean Beef Bulgogi, but it’s way quicker to make!
Ingredients Needed –
*you can find exact measurements in the printable recipe below
- Lean Ground Beef – you could also use ground turkey for a leaner option!
- Garlic
- Ginger – I like to use the fresh ginger in the tubes
- Sesame Oil – I use light sesame oil, but dark would work too
- Brown Sugar – gives the dish it’s signature sweetness
- Soy Sauce – use low sodium soy sauce if desired
- Chili Garlic Sauce – like Huy Fong
- Green Onions
How To Make Korean Ground Beef
- Start by browning your lean ground beef in a skillet with garlic and ginger.
- Drain any excess fat and then return to the stove top.
- Season with a little sesame oil, brown sugar, soy sauce and chili garlic sauce (or Sriracha if desired).
We love to serve this deliciously seasoned ground beef right on top of a bed of hot rice.
To make it a full meal – I’ll add sliced cucumbers and matchstick carrots alongside the ground beef and rice.
How Can I Make this Ground Beef Recipe Low Carb?
Believe it or not, this Korean Ground Beef Recipe can easily be converted to a low carb meal!
- Swap out the brown sugar for a low carb brown sugar sweetener.
- Serve the ground beef over a bed of hot cauliflower rice instead of regular rice.
- Try serving the Korean Ground Beef mixture in a lettuce wrap for a fun taco-inspired dish!
This super easy ground beef recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes with ingredients that you probably already have on hand.
PRO TIP: start cooking the rice before I even start browning the beef because it cooks that fast! If you’re using minute rice, you’ll be sitting down to eat dinner even quicker!
What To Serve With Korean Ground Beef?
Try pairing this easy dish with a side of Egg Drop Soup or these Crispy Chicken Egg Rolls.
My kids went nuts for this super quick dinner recipe. It was perfect for our busy weeknight when I had to run two kids to gymnastics, one to mountain bike practice and help the other with a school project.
More Ground Beef Recipes To Try –
Looking for more ground beef recipe inspiration? I’ve got you covered with these quick and tasty meal ideas…
- Kung Pao Ground Beef
- Italian Beef and Pasta Skillet
- Philly Cheesesteak Pasta Skillet
- Easy Mongolian Ground Beef
- Ground Beef Enchiladas
I’m sure you’re going to love how quickly and easily this dinner comes together for you as well!
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Easy Korean Ground Beef Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp ginger, minced
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tsp chili garlic sauce, or Sriracha hot sauce
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions, divided
- 2 cups hot cooked rice
- 1 medium cucumber, sliced
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 1 tsp sesame seeds for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Brown the ground beef, garlic and ginger in a skillet over medium heat, breaking the ground beef into small pieces until no longer pink. Drain any excess fat and return skillet to stove top.
- Add in the sesame oil, brown sugar, soy sauce and chili garlic sauce and bring to a simmer, stirring until the meat is moistened and the glossy. Add in half of the green onions and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Serve the ground beef mixture on top of the hot rice along side the cucumbers and carrots. Garnish with additional green onions and sesame seeds if desired. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PIN THIS IMAGE TO SAVE THE RECIPE:
Cheesy Spinach Herb Stuffed Chicken Breast
Audrey Magnuson
Can you please make some recipes like this one for a KETO diet plan?
This has way too many carbs for me. Looks delicious though!
Amanda
This is delicious, and actually as quick and easy as you claim. (Rare!) It’s been heavy in our dinner rotation for the last year or more, so I wanted to say how much we love it. I throw half a bag of shredded carrots and half a bag of frozen peas in when the sauce goes in, and I have to double everything but the beef to make up for the bulk with the veggies added in, but we like the added textures and flavors all in one bowl vs veggies on the side. And my husband always looks forward to lunch from the leftovers the next day!
Kim Herrin
This recipe is so easy and amazing thank you for sharing !! Reminds me of a place we would eat at when we were in high school then took our kids to eat there until they closed the doors 🙁 I make sushi rice with it and extra sauce to have on the side I also sauté broccoli and carrot strips in the sauce to put on top of the meat and rice !
Lana
I needed something quick to make and had limited ingredients since I’m overdue for a grocery run- this turned out so yummy I can’t believe I whipped it together with staple items! I didn’t have fresh cucumber or green onion so I subbed for some steamed broccoli and made a little extra sauce. I definitely plan to make it again and try as lettuce wraps! Thank you
Shawn
I’m so glad you liked it and were able to use what you had on hand!
Bobbie
This recipe was so easy and yummy! It tastes amazing!
Lisa
Wonderful weeknight dish! I’ve made this several times now and my family loves it! Steamed rice from my Instant Pot makes this a great dinner. I like to add fresh green beans to the meat so we get a veggie in. Thanks so much for posting this!
Shawn
So great to hear! I love that you add in green beans too!
Jean
This is easy and delicious as advertised. I used siraccha and added extra because we like more heat. Yumm!!!
Shawn
Love it! Thanks for the comment Jean!
Maria
So easy and delicious! Perfect for a mid-week quick meal. We usually triple the sauce to make it a little juicier and because the sauce is so delicious. Instead of matchsticks I use my mandoline and cut the cukes and carrots into coins, we find it easier to eat this way. I also add sesame seeds for a little crunch. So yummy!
Sharon Demski
This was delicious! I added the broccoli and crushed peanuts as suggested by another reviewer. I love your recipes because they are easy and don’t have complicated ingredients you buy and only use once. Thanks!
Shawn
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Jodi Payne
We LOVE this recipe! Is the nutritional info per serving?
Shawn
Yes, the nutritional info is per serving. So glad you’re enjoying it!
Peggy
This is delicious!!! Better than restaurant
quality. Thank you for a great recipe. I used a steam bag of Jasmine rice which made it super easy. I also drizzled some spicy mayo over it ( made with siracha, lite mayo, sesame oil and sweet Thai chili sauce).
Shawn
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it!
Kathryn Hicks
Really easy with interesting flavors. A keeper!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed the recipe Kathryn!
Linda Corley
This is a delicious and easy recipe! I have now made it over 5 times and it’s been included in our meal rotation. I serve it over rice with the carrots and cucumbers. Yummy!
Shawn
That’s fantastic! I’m so glad you’re enjoying it Linda!
Laura
This recipe was so delicious! All 4 of us loved it! I used Sambal Oelek for the chili garlic sauce, which as far as I know may be the same thing? This will be a regular meal at our house. Thank you!
Shawn
Woohoo! Yes, the Sambal Oelek is what I use too. So glad you enjoyed it!
Sierra
I have made this once and loved it!
QUESTION: Is there a yummy sauce that we can add to this? I actually did something different and made lettuce wraps out of it. Like at P.F. Changs, it was incredible! However, I felt that it needed some sauce.
Shawn
You could double the sauce ingredients if you want it saucier. Otherwise, I love putting Sriracha over the top of mine. 🙂
Diana
Super easy, and super yummy! This will be a “regular” in our house.
I made a “slaw’ out of the cucumber and carrots (added olive oil, lime juice, S&P, and a little sugar”. Also topped with a mayo/siracha dressing and a few salted peanuts.
Great flavor and reheats awesome for leftovers. THANK YOU!!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed it Diana!
Nancy
Can I substitute something for the chili garlic sauce or leave it out?
Shawn
You can leave it out if you can’t find it, or try substituting with Sriracha sauce!
Sarah
I made this on April 22, 2020. I doubled the sauce because I had more beef that what the recipe called for. I only added 1 tsp. Of the sriracha powder, because I know from experience it’s hot. Well, my son said it was delicious and I thought it was too. I ate mine topped with sour cream. It cut down on the spicy flavor. I would never make this without the sesame oil. It makes the whole dish perfect.
Shawn
That’s great to hear Nancy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Britania
Hi! I don’t have sesame oil or fresh ginger. Have you ever substituted with a different oil and with ginger powder? Thanks!
Shawn
You can use a different oil like olive oil or vegetable oil in place of sesame oil. The sesame oil has a nice flavor to it, so the recipe will be missing that, but it’s not crucial to the finished product. Ginger powder is definitely ok in place of fresh ginger. I would start with just 1/4 tsp of ground ginger and see how you like the flavor. Enjoy!
Josh
I live in deer country so we do not use ground beef very often. I have made this recipe using ground venison a few times though and it’s delicious!!
Shawn
Love it! We use elk instead of ground beef a lot as well. It works great either way!
Eric Williams
Added my mom’s pickled cabbage and came out great.
Shawn
That sounds amazing! Glad you enjoyed it!
Heather
We had this for dinner and it was delicious! Great flavor.
Shawn
Fantastic! So glad you enjoyed it!
Kathryn
So is the nutritional value listed just the meat mixture or does it include rice? Just wanting to make sure. I am loving it over riced cauliflower and used organic maple syrup instead of brown sugar. So good.
Shawn
The nutrition info is just for the meat part. I’m glad you’re enjoying it!
Meghan Kaput
Quick, easy and delicious!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed it!
Doreen Trombley
This recipe was SO DELICIOUS! My family devoured it and I wish I had doubled the recipe.
Corey
This recipe hit all my taste buds! I absolutely love it. So much flavor and so easy to make. This definitely will be a regular in my household. Thanks so much for sharing!
Shawn
So glad you enjoyed it Corey!
JLS
The family loved it. I added julienned celery, too, and put them and the carrots in with the green onions. This recipe is a keeper!
Shawn
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
valerie stewart
We loved it. I was a little short on brown sugar so I substituted white sugar and molasses! It worked.
Shawn
Awesome! So glad you were able to make it work!
Tracy
I made this tonight, my family loved it. I added water chestnuts and cooked the carrots in with the onions at the end. It was a hit.
Shawn
Love the additions you made! Glad you enjoyed it!
Hai
Thank you! The recipe is very tasty 🙂
Shawn
You’re welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!
Jessica
This is an amazing recipe! It’s been so long where I can find a recipe with everyday ingredients and have something delicious. Very easy, just need to keep an eye on the meat. Thank YOU so much for the recipe!
Shawn
So glad you’re enjoyed it Jessica!
Rachael
This was SOOO delicious! Perfect for a quick and tasty dinner. The kids loved it. I think next time I’ll double the sauce to drizzle over the rice. I also added steamed broccoli to the bowl. So so good. Thank you!!
Shawn
Double the sauce is a great idea! Glad you guys enjoyed it Rachael!
Kalen Royal
Holly Crap I was not expecting this to taste so good
Shawn
Ha! Well I’m glad you were pleasantly surprised!
Ila M. Press
Awesome recipe. Definitely a keeper. We’re loved it.
Shawn
Awesome! So glad you’re enjoying it!
Meryl
I am on a sodium restriction, so I substituted the regular soy sauce for low-sodium soy sauce and only used 1/8 cup instead of 1/4. I also used 3 tablespoons of brown sugar instead of 1/3 cup. I had it over white Jasmine rice with a side of cucumber and carrots. Even with the reductions, this was a very tasty dish. I will definitely be making it again.
Shawn
Nice! So glad you were able to make the adjustments to fit your diet!
Em
Could you use chicken instead of the ground beef?
I have made this with the ground beef and its delicious!!
Shawn
You could definitely use ground chicken, but if you used chicken breast you would want to dice it up first. Not sure how the flavor would be using chicken. Let me know how it turns out if you try it.
Christine S Peasley
My whole family loved this recipe. Quick and easy. Wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you!
Shawn
Fantastic! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Lisa
This was super easy! I’ve been wanting to try my hand at more Asian recipes and this was a great and easy one to start with! Excited to make again!
Commodore Allen
Yummy! Super easy to make.
Patty M
Oh I forgot to mention I keep cooked white rice in freezer so even faster. 🙂
Patty M
OK! Shawn! This was so easy, quick and amazing! Definitly a go to fast meal on short time and taste like alot of work. I did bump up the chili-garlic sauce, cause liked more heat, and added lots of cilantro and a splash of fish sauce as previously suggested. Great job!!
Jane
Can I make ahead and freeze if i just brown meat with garlic and ginger and finish later or should i cook the whole recipe. Thanks
Sarah c
I put a little fish oil in mine! Not too much just a little! Makes it so good!
Shawn
Oh that sounds great! I’ll have to try that next time too!
Kathy
We love this! One of a very few things everyone will happily eat.
Shawn
Awesome!! So glad you are enjoying the recipe!
Rhoda Pelliccia
Notify me.
Rhoda Pelliccia
There are so many different sesame oils. Which one do you use? Clear or toasted or Plain?
Shawn
I have used plain sesame oil and toasted sesame oil for this recipe, both work great!
Mary Perona
Great flavor! Added a drop of fish sauce and pickled some Napa cabbage. Really good.
Shawn
Awesome additions! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!