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Korean Beef Bowl Recipe (Gluten-free, Dairy-free)

Not only is this Korean Beef Bowl Recipe easy, fast, and healthy…it’s absolutely scrumptious! Our family and friends eagerly devour their beef bowls every time. Bonus: This Korean beef bowl recipe happens to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined-sugar-free!

korean beef bowl ground beef recipe asian beef recipe

Korean Beef Bowl Recipe (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)

We’ve long been crazy about Korean beef; I’ve been making our own Kalbi and Bulgogi Korean beef dishes for over almost two decades now. It’s a mystery why I haven’t posted those recipes yet, but they’ll be coming your way soon. Since I make my Kalbi over the grill, I may have to wait until the icy landscape around here melts away. All the grills in the Bold North are currently in hibernation because nobody wants to get swept away by snowy blizzards while heroically attempting to manage a grill in their down parkas.

In the meantime, can we give a delicious shout out to this mouthwatering Korean Beef Bowl recipe here, loaded with all the amazing flavors of classic Korean BBQ meats?! This Korean beef bowl is a dinner superstar, with its unbeatable ease and speed. We’re talking irresistibly simple and fast. As in 20 minutes tops.

When a meal is as delicious [and healthy] as this and comes together in 20 minutes, it immediately goes into regular dinner rotation. It’s more than okay to jump for joy when you realize there is zero marinade time, just one skillet needed, and the ingredients are easy to find.

I’m pretty sure I mentioned how jaw-dropping delicious this whole situation is and how everyone will put away their beef bowls like it’s going out of style. Except it won’t…

korean beef bowl ground beef recipe asian beef recipe

How to make the best Korean Beef Bowl

This is seriously so easy, my fellow cooks. You only need a handful of ingredients: ground beef, soy sauce, honey, Asian sesame oil, red pepper flakes, ginger, garlic, onions, and some olive oil for cooking.

I routinely use extra virgin olive oil for all my cooking, as its flavor is light and doesn’t clash, and it’s healthier in general for your peeps. Plus, it does well on the skillet and is perfect for sautéing anything. I even use it in this lemon cake, and nobody can ever tell.

I almost always opt for 90% extra lean ground beef, which obliterates the need to drain the fat. A tiny bit of fat from the extra lean ground beef is good, providing flavor in the finished dish.

Other notable tips: I use Tamari soy sauce (my all-time seasoning addiction) which is naturally gluten-free and lower in sodium. It tastes so much better than soy sauces that contain wheat. Be sure to grab dark, toasted Asian sesame oil in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores. It’s entirely different from regular sesame oil. Asian sesame oil is highly aromatic and basically tastes awesome in all the stir fry and beyond. {Pssst: here’s a side tip for those of you who are actually reading this text — next time you want a crazy easy and delish dip for your potstickers, just stir together some Tamari soy sauce and Asian sesame oil to taste. It’s SO easy and YUM!}

In the recipe, you’ll see that I opted for pure honey instead of refined sugar. It’s my general preference to use raw honey whenever possible, in lieu of highly processed sugar. I know my brain [probably] doesn’t know the difference because sugar is sugar, but using raw unfiltered honey makes me feel So. Much. Better. So I just go with it. Plus, I have beekeeper friends.

You’ll simply whisk together the simple sauce ingredients, cook the aromatics and beef together, and spoon it all over some fluffy Jasmine rice. By the way, in real life we mostly use brown rice. But brown rice doesn’t photograph nearly as beautifully as Jasmine rice does when paired with browned beef. Plus, no rice is as deliciously aromatic as Jasmine. Just keepin’ it real.

korean beef bowl ground beef recipe asian beef recipe

Why we think this is the best korean beef bowl 

Here’s our humble little lineup of reasons we 200% adore this Korean Beef Bowl:

  • It’s way healthier than any takeout and healthier than most versions of Korean beef bowl recipes
  • It’s gluten-free and dairy-free and even refined-sugar-free, meaning almost all our non vegetarian friends can grab a bowl
  • It comes together in 20 minutes, give or take. If you’re a fast chopper, you’ll close this dinner deal even faster. If you scroll social media in between measuring spoons, it may take a tad longer. I’ve been on both sides of the equation.
  • This Korean beef bowl tastes awesomely delicious. It’s reminiscent of having Kalbi beef for dinner, in a fraction of the time.
  • This is your budget friendly meal. Ground beef is cheaper than many other proteins.
  • Korean Beef Bowl = Affordable and Healthy and Delicious. The ultimate triple threat. The end.
korean beef bowl ground beef recipe asian beef recipe

What to serve with your Korean Beef Bowl

This Korean beef bowl recipe goes hand in hand with Jasmine rice. Or brown rice, if you’re full on healthifying the meal. The beef mixture alone, served over your favorite rice and some veggies, makes an amazing weeknight meal that you can pull off within minutes after work.

We also suggest the following simple recipes to pair with your Korean beef bowl, should you be so inclined:

If you come up with other drool worthy ideas, I’d love to hear them! If you love this beef recipe I think you might also enjoy this lomo saltado recipe or these Korean BBQ ribs.

If you make this recipe or any recipes from Chew Out Loud, tag me on Instagram @chewoutloud so we can all see your awesomeness!

Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!

Korean Rice Beef Bowl

Korean Beef Bowl Recipe (Gluten-free, Dairy-free)

4.86 from 42 ratings
Not only is this Korean Beef Bowl Recipe easy, fast, and healthy…it’s absolutely scrumptious! Our family and friends eagerly devour their beef bowls every time. Bonus: This Korean beef bowl recipe happens to be gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined-sugar-free!
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Servings: 6
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

For Sauce Mixture:

For Beef Stir Fry:

  • 3 TB olive oil
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 lb extra lean ground beef, I use 90% lean
  • Optional Garnishes: thinly sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, more red pepper flakes
  • Other: Cooked Jasmine rice or other favorite grain for serving

Instructions

  • In a bowl, combine all sauce ingredients and stir to combine well. Set aside.
  • In a wok or large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat until slightly smoking. Add onion and garlic, stirring 2-3 minutes or until aromatic and translucent. Add ground beef and stir while breaking the beef up into small bits, about 1-2 min. when beef is about halfway cooked, add your sauce mixture and stir to combine thoroughly with beef. Continue to cook until beef is browned and cooked through.
  • Serve immediately over bowls of warm rice, gently mixing the beef into the rice a bit. Garnish as desired.

Notes

*Korean beef bowl tastes best when beef is mixed into the rice so no plain rice is sitting by itself at the bottom 🙂

Nutrition (per serving)

Serving: 1g | Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 600mg | Potassium: 303mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 99IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Korean
Diet: Gluten Free
Method: Skillet, Stovetop

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Recipe Rating




52 comments

    • LB
    • 5 stars

    Always a favorite! Do you have nutritional information available?
    Thanks!

      • Amy Dong

      Yes, added. So glad you like it! 🙂

    • Barbara
    • 5 stars

    Absolutely yummy! Used a few drops of Sriracha Sauce, instead of the red pepper flakes. Now I am going to try the Taiwanese Beef Noodle Bowl recipe.

      • Amy Dong

      Yay, Barbara! 🙂

    • MamaStace
    • 5 stars

    I’m kind of afraid of spicy food so I only used half of crushed red pepper flakes, I have never cooked with them before… but this scored high with my teens and myself (I am the one who needs gluten free). This is going into the rotation!

      • Amy Dong

      That’s awesome!

    • Julia
    • 5 stars

    Tasty and easy dinner. It was a hit that will be incorporated into our regular repertoire. Thank you!

      • chewoutloud

      YAY, Julia! 🙂

    • Kaytlin
    • 5 stars

    Super flavorful, easy dish! I followed recipe as is with the exception of substituting the beef for ground turkey as a healthier alternative. Turned out wonderful!

      • chewoutloud

      So happy to hear that, Kaytlin!

    • Tina
    • 5 stars

    Great dish! I will cut down on the red pepper flakes next time and add veggies. Hubby loved it! Thanks for an easy dish!

      • chewoutloud

      Wonderful, Tina! I’m with you on the extra veggies as well 🙂 So glad you guys loved this dish!

    • Jamie
    • 5 stars

    Made this recipe for me and my partner and we ate all of it between the two of us it was so good! Loved how easy it is but not sacrificing on flavor. I added some chopped broccoli to the recipe and it was delicious. Thank you for the recipe!

      • chewoutloud

      Oh, you’re so welcome, Jamie!! So happy you guys loved this dish, and thanks for coming back to let us know! 🙂 🙂

    • Evvi
    • 5 stars

    Made this to take to work and it’s great! I did make a few adjustments to the recipe; for the sauce, I cut the red pepper flakes down to 0.5 tsp and then added 1 tsp of garlic chili paste cuz I had it in my fridge from another recipe and love how it tastes. I also added bok choy for extra veggies! Just added it after the onion had a bit to cook on its own. I think the sauce turned out a bit thin because of the water from the bok choy but it was still delicious!

    Thanks for the recipe!

      • chewoutloud

      You’re so welcome, Evvi! Extra veggies are always good 🙂 Thanks for coming over to let us know you liked the dish! 🙂 🙂

    • Lindsey

    where does the ginger go?? I Read you use ginger but its not in the recipe… did anyone else notice that?

      • chewoutloud

      Thank you, Lindsey. Updated the instructions. Hope you love it!

        • t
        • 5 stars

        Do I use freshly chopped ginger or the powder ground ginger?

          • chewoutloud

          Fresh is always good, but either will work

    • Abbey
    • 5 stars

    I just want to say, your recipes make me feel like a cook! You won me over with your chicken shawarma (so good!) and these Korean beef bowls are now a regular in my house! Thank you!

      • chewoutloud

      Yay, so glad you enjoy this dish! We love it too 🙂

    • Joanne Weber
    • 5 stars

    I’ve made Korean beef before but not with honey. I will try that next time. Plus, I do add chopped asparagus or green beans for color and extra flavor. It always comes out delicious, thank you for sharing your version!

    • Angela

    Has anyone who reviewed this recipe actually made it?? I lean toward recipes with positive reviews, but it appears every review here is only addressing how good it sounds, can’t wait to try it, etc. I actually made it and can say it’s good (not fabulous) for an easy weeknight meal. It seemed to be missing something I can’t quite put my finger on, but I’ll play around with it and try it again. Thanks for sharing and I look forward to trying out the other recipes on the site.

      • chewoutloud

      Thanks for trying the recipe and coming over today, Angela!

      • Abbey
      • 5 stars

      This recipe is now a regular in my house! It’s PERFECT! You won me over with your chicken shawarma recipe, and you make me feel like a real cook! Thank you! Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!

        • chewoutloud

        Awesome!! So glad you’re loving the recipes 🙂 Happy continued cooking!!

      • t
      • 4 stars

      I made it too! My family and I love it, easy to make, simple ingredients, tastes great. I agree that it might be missing something – my family voted maybe add in a vegetable like corn possibly?

        • chewoutloud

        Corn or any other veggies you like can be added. Recipe is super flexible. Happy continued cooking

    • ChelseaMamma

    I have never tried Korean food but it looks and sounds delicious

    • Mrs. D

    Oh, my goodness! That looks super tasty. I’ve never made korean beef before. I should try this recipe. Thanks for sharing!

    • lovenatalyn

    Yummy Yum Yum! I can’t believe it’s gluten free! I’m saving this recipe, so I can give it a try. Thanks for sharing!

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