Description
Korean Beef Bulgogi Rice Bowls are a quick and flavorful option perfect for an easy dinner or a weeknight meal. This recipe combines a savory bulgogi marinade with tender ground beef for a family dinner everyone will enjoy. Try these quick Korean beef bowls for a comforting meal that’s simple to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
- 500g or 1 lb beef mince ground beef any fat % you like
- 1 tbsp canola oil or any other plain flavoured oil plus 2 tsp to wilt baby spinach
- 1 tbsp onion finely grated ~1/4 onion Note 1
- 3 tbsp red apple finely grated skin on is fine ~1/2 apple Note 1
- 3 garlic cloves finely grated
- 1 tsp ginger finely grated
- 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce all-purpose or light Note 2
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp mirin omit for no alcohol Note 3
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp soy sauce all-purpose or light Note 2
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- white rice medium or short grain if you can
- 4 large handfuls baby spinach or similar chopped leafy greens – cabbage kale
- 1 large carrot peeled and julienned or grated using box grater I use a julienne shredding tool
- 1 avocado mashed
- 1/4 cup pickled ginger I like pink for colour
- 1 1/2 cups baby cos or romaine lettuce torn into bite size pieces
- 1 tsp white sesame seeds
- 1 green onion finely sliced
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for the Bulgogi sauce in one bowl and mix the rice bowl drizzle sauce in another separate bowl.
- Warm 2 teaspoons of oil over high heat in a large non-stick pan then add half of the spinach and toss until it begins to soften about 30 seconds; add the rest of the spinach and continue tossing for around 1 minute until fully wilted before removing it to a bowl.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pan on high heat then add the ground beef, breaking it apart as it cooks until no raw color remains. Pour in the Bulgogi sauce and let it simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, until the sauce mostly evaporates. Continue stirring regularly until the beef develops a nice caramelized surface while remaining moist from the sauce.
- To assemble, spoon the cooked beef over rice, arrange the spinach and julienned carrot on the side, add a dollop of mashed avocado and place pickled ginger on top. Fill the side with lettuce pieces then sprinkle with white sesame seeds and sliced green onion. Serve with the drizzle sauce to pour over everything before mixing together and enjoying.
Notes
- Grate apple and onion finely for best flavor using a microplane or similar grater to enhance natural sweetness and aroma
- Substitute tamari for gluten free soy sauce but avoid dark soy or kecap manis which are too strong
- Mirin can be replaced with Chinese cooking wine or sake plus 1/2 tsp brown sugar or omitted entirely for no alcohol
- Leftover cooked beef keeps in the fridge up to 3 days or 3 months frozen
- add water when reheating if needed
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dinner Main
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian Korean fusion
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 543cal
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 1032mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g + 10g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 59g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 65mg