These Ground Beef with Rice Bowls are packed full of flavour and ready in just 15 minutes. They’re a true family favourite that is both quick AND easy aka perfect for those busy weeknights.
I’m SO lucky to live in a big enough place to have a deep freezer. Long ago, I’ve firmly decided that absolutely none of my adult years will be spent living without one. There are several points throughout the year where my freezer is just full to the brim with local seafood and meats ranging anywhere from wild caught halibut and lingcod to duck breasts and venison.
I have a running joke (with myself, ok!!!) that I can go grocery shopping in my own freezer as it’s usually loaded with almost every fish and animal you could think of. Whether you want pork, shrimp, beef, lamb, or chicken… ya gal has got you covered.
And amongst all the fancy, crazy and the wild, one thing I must say that I ALWAYS have on hand is a couple-a pounds of good ol’ ground beef. Versatile. Easy to work with. And one of my favourite ingredients to use in a pinch. Cause I just knnnnnow that whatever I use it for is gonna be gooooood.
So these bowls are THE literal description of what I want to be making/eating for dinner after the busiest work day of my life. They are the exact meal that calls my name when I want something filling and delicious but don’t have it in me to do much more than brown a pound of ground beef.
You know, those days. One of the ones where you begged yourself to get out of bed in the morning only to spend all day dreaming about getting back into it. Or maybe the day was just too busy and all of the sudden you look at the clock and it’s 6 p.m. and you still haven’t thought of what you’re going to have for dinner.
No matter the situation, these ground beef and rice bowls are the answer. They prove that delicious doesn’t have to be difficult or fussy and that you can still eat like a King even after (or during!) long and busy work days where 15 minutes is all ya got to make the magic happen. Let’s do this!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE KOREAN STYLE GROUND BEEF AND RICE BOWLS
Lots of delicious but basic Asian flavours go into these tasty ground beef with rice bowls. As an avid home cook, I always have pretty much every single one of them on hand at any given time. If you don’t, use this recipe for ground beef bowls as a reason to purchase them. I promise, they come in handy in a variety of tasty recipes!
Let’s discuss exactly what you’ll need to make these beef bowls come to life in a little bit more detail down below:
- Ground Beef: Well, duh! You can’t make these ground beef with rice bowls without ground beef, the base and bulk of the dish. Any kind of ground beef you want to use should do fine in this recipe. For your reference, I normally go for a 70% lean, 30% fat and always end up with awesome results. If you don’t have any ground beef on hand (you need a deep freezer, you!), try using ground turkey, chicken, or pork instead.
- Soy Sauce: Adds saltiness, flavour and colour to the beef. Because of the salt content in soy sauce, we don’t have to add any salt to this recipe for ground beef with rice bowls.
- Sesame Oil: A popular ingredient in Asian cooking and one I use very often in my own kitchen. It adds a rich and nutty depth of flavour to the dish.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a bit of sweetness to the dish and balances out the flavours from the rest of the ingredients. Use packed brown sugar for best results. If you’re not already aware, I’ll let you in on a little cooking secret. Meat and sugar, especially brown sugar, make the best combo and go so extremely well together! The sugar caramelizes the meat as it cooks giving you this flavour bomb that is easily addicting and hard to replicate.
- Sriracha: Adds a little bit of spice and kick to the dish. Use more for extra spicy or omit completely for none at all. You can also use sambal oelek, chili flakes, cayenne, thai chilies, or your favourite kind of hot sauce or pepper instead, if you prefer.
- Ginger: Adds an Earthy flavour and a pungent, almost spicy kick to these Korean BBQ beef bowls. Fresh minced ginger works best in this recipe. However, if all you have on hand is ground use 1 1/4 teaspoon instead of the 1-inch fresh knob.
- Garlic: Adds flavour and freshness to the dish. Fresh minced garlic works best in this recipe. However, if all you have on hand is garlic powder use 1 1/2 teaspoons instead of the 3 fresh cloves.
- Green Onions: Adds freshness and a beautiful pop of colour to the final dish. If you don’t have any green onions on hand, try using fresh herbs to garnish your final dish instead. Cilantro or parsley would make great options as their flavours would extend perfectly into this quick and easy ground beef meal.
- Pepper: Adds flavour to the bowls and helps amplify the flavours from the rest of the ingredients.
- Peanuts: Adds crunch, colour, and flavour to the final dish. Try toasting your peanuts in a dry skillet for a few minutes for even more flavour.
- Sesame Seeds: Adds crunch, flavour, and colour to the final dish making it look extra pretty. Toasted sesame seeds work best in this recipe.
- Rice, for serving (not pictured): The base of these ground beef with rice bowls. I used regular white jasmine rice but any rice you have on hand will work just as well. Try my no fail Instant Pot method for cooking the rice. You can also try the Korean BBQ Beef on a bed of quinoa, farro, cauliflower rice, or lettuce instead, if you prefer.
HOW TO MAKE THIS FLAVOURFUL GROUND BEEF WITH RICE (KEY TIPS)
You can find full instructions for how to make this easy ground beef meal in the recipe card down below, but here are a few quick tips to keep in mind:
- Drain any grease from the ground beef after cooking for best results. You don’t want or need to mix in the extra fat with the overall meal.
- Pre-mix the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl before adding it to the ground beef. This will ensure that all of the flavours are well combined and get evenly distributed amongst the beef.
- Let the flavours mingle for a few minutes in the skillet after adding the sauce to the beef. This is where the real caramelization magic happens as the beef will absorb some of the sauce as it cooks. EXTRA TIP: Use a higher heat for this portion of the cooking process. Aka THE way to get those crispy brown and caramelised beef bits!
- For the quickest weeknight meal, cook the ground beef and the rice at the same time. That way, when the beef is ready to go, the hot rice will be ready as well. How you ask? Use my foolproof method for cooking rice in the Instant Pot. So hands off, you can focus on making the ground beef portion of this recipe while the Instant Pot cooks up perfectly fluffy rice. Don’t have an Instant Pot? Leftover rice of any kind also works wonders in this recipe.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
The beauty about ground beef is that you can really tell if it’s ready or not just by looking at it in the skillet! Ground beef is ready when it is brown all over and no pink parts remain. If you really want to be on the safe side, you can always use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. It should register at 160°F when it’s ready.
Depending on your dietary needs or restrictions, ground beef and rice can definitely be part of a healthy diet. Ground beef contains several essential nutrients such as Iron, Zinc, and Vitamins B6 and B12. And of course, it’s an excellent source of protein. Rice is a complex carbohydrate that can provide energy. It also contains essential nutrients such as Magnesium, Manganese, and Potassium.
When prepared with wholesome, simple, and healthy ingredients, ground beef and rice make a delicious combo that can surely fit into a healthy diet or lifestyle.
If stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge, any leftover Korean BBQ Beef Bowls will last for up to 4 days. To reheat, simply do so in a skillet or a microwave adding a splash of water or sesame oil if needed to alleviate the stickiness of the rice.
You can also freeze the flavourful ground beef portion of this meal for up to 3 months so all you have to do is thaw, reheat and add rice when ready to eat!
MORE SATISFYING GROUND BEEF RECIPES
KETO FRIENDLY PHILLY CHEESESTEAK CASSEROLE
LOADED BURGER BOWLS WITH CREAMY SAUCE
LOVE THIS RECIPE? PIN IT FOR LATER!
GROUND BEEF WITH RICE BOWLS
These Ground Beef with Rice Bowls are packed full of flavour and ready in just 15 minutes. They're a true family favourite that is both quick AND easy aka perfect for those busy weeknights.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 1/2 cup Green Onions (divided), chopped
- 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar, packed
- 3 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1-inch Knob Fresh Ginger, minced
- 2 tbsp Sesame Oil, divided
- 1 tsp Sriracha
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- Sesame Seeds, Chopped Peanuts, Extra Green Onions, optional, for garnish
- Cooked Steamed Rice, for serving*
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, 1 tbsp of the sesame oil, sriracha and pepper until combined.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic and half the green onions. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant and soft, about a minute or two.
- Add the ground beef and cook until browned and no pink parts remain, about 5-7 minutes. Crumble the beef as it cooks with the back of a spatula. Drain the excess fat then return the cooked ground beef back to the skillet.
- Add the sauce to beef and turn the heat up to medium high. Allow the flavours to mingle for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, as the beef absorbs some of the sauce and caramelizes in the pan.
- Serve immediately over cooked steamed rice garnished with chopped peanuts, sesame seeds and remaining chopped green onions, if desired.
Notes
Try my Instant Pot method for cooking the rice. It's so hands off and can cook at the exact same time as you're cooking the beef! No instant pot? Leftover rice also works wonders for this easy ground beef meal.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 523Total Fat: 30gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 1021mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 2gSugar: 12gProtein: 35g
Nutrition is only an estimate and calculated using Nutritionix.
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