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This easy Korean beef recipe turns a pound of ground beef and a handful of pantry staples into a sweet, savory, garlicky dinner in about 25 minutes. It has all the flavor of Korean bulgogi with none of the slicing, marinating, or fuss. You just need a skillet, a bowl, and some rice.
My Favorite Weeknight Korean Ground Beef Recipe
This Korean beef is one of those dishes I go back to on autopilot when I don’t have the bandwidth to think too hard about dinner. It’s made with ground beef, so there’s no marinating and no fancy cuts of meat to track down, and the whole thing is done in the time it takes my rice to cook. If you’ve made my Korean bulgogi, think of this as its faster, more weeknight-friendly cousin. It’s not traditional, but it’s certainly delicious.
Toasted vs. Regular Sesame Oil
Toasted sesame oil is more flavorful than regular sesame oil, and it’s what I always reach for in this recipe. Look for it near the other Asian condiments at your grocery store. It’s usually in a small bottle, and it’s a bit darker in color. If you can’t find it, regular sesame oil will still give a great flavor.
How to Make Korean Beef
Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Brown the beef in a sesame-oiled skillet set over medium-high heat, breaking it up as it cooks. Pour the sauce over the cooked beef, stir to combine, and let everything simmer for a few minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and coats the beef. Spoon over white rice and dig in!
Can I Make it In a Crockpot?
Yes. Brown the ground beef first in a pan—don’t skip this step; it adds tons of flavor! Transfer it to your slow cooker with the sauce ingredients, and cook on low for 2–3 hours. This is a great option if you want dinner ready and waiting when you walk in the door.
Swaps and Substitutions
Here are a few common ways to change up this dish:
- Protein: Ground pork or turkey both work well in place of beef. Sliced flank steak or sirloin will also work here—slice against the grain, sear, and serve.
- Veggies: Add sliced cremini or shiitake mushrooms alongside the beef for earthy depth.
- Aromatics: I prefer fresh ginger and garlic for the punchiest flavor, but ¼ teaspoon of dried ginger and ½ teaspoon of dried garlic will work in a pinch.
- Spice: Stir in a spoonful of gochujang or a squeeze of sriracha along with the sauce for a little extra kick.
- Make it vegan: Swap the ground beef for crumbled tofu or your favorite plant-based ground “meat.” Press the tofu well first so it browns.
Serving Suggestions
This Korean beef recipe is endlessly versatile. Here’s how I like to serve it:
- Spooned over a bowl of white or brown rice, optionally with a fried egg on top for a quick and easy version of my fav Korean Galbi Bowls
- Wrapped in butter lettuce cups for a lighter, low-carb dinner
- Tossed with cooked rice noodles and a little extra sauce for a quick noodle bowl
- On buns topped with kimchi and extra sauce for a Korean-style sloppy joe
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Store leftover Korean ground beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a skillet set over medium heat until warmed through, or microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between. This is a fantastic recipe for meal prep!
Korean Beef
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (59 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons (24 g) packed dark brown sugar
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- ½ teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 pound (454 g) lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, onion, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes together.¼ cup (59 ml) low-sodium soy sauce, 2 tablespoons (24 g) packed dark brown sugar, 1/2 yellow onion, 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- In a skillet, on medium high, cook your ground beef with the sesame oil until well done.1 pound (454 g) lean ground beef, 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Pour in the soy sauce mixture over the meat and combine together. Let it simmer for a few minutes.
- Serve over white rice.
Nutrition
Photographs by Eat Love Eat
Exceptionnel! Thank you 🙏
This was super easy and so so good! i added a red pepper and it turned out great! Everyone liked it and requested for me to make again. Will definitely keep this in rotation! Thanks for a great recipe
Easiest, fastest, and delicious dinner I’ve ever made. Thank you!
Family favorite!!! I have been added broccoli in it. I double the sauce so I can make sure every thing is good and covered. Kids love it and great for a lazy dinner night.
My family loves this. Easy and delicious!
will def make again. Whole family loved it and i made the 2x recipe. The sauce is not too sweat or salty, just make sure to use low sodium soy sauce OR I like to cut down regular soy sauce by doing a mix of soy and water. I also added in a tablespoon of corn startch to the sauce.
So good and fast to make which is a bonus. I was short 1/2 cup of soy sauce (I made the 3x recipe). I dont feel like I was missing anything without it but I’m going to make sure I have enough next time. I also used gochujang instead of red pepper flakes. Mmmm. This will be a staple in my home for nights where I am short on time.
Do you not drain the grease off the ground beef?
if you’re using 80/20 or 85/15 then i can see it being somewhat greasy and you would want to drain the grease off. however, if using lean ground beef like 90/10 or leaner, you won’t need to. it’s all up to preference, honestly. i feel a little bit of grease can give a dish exceptional flavor.
@Julie Chiou, would you add the sesame oil after you drain the grease? I was wondering if it would affect the flavor of the sauce.
yeah, i would add the sesame oil after draining the grease so you don’t lose it!
This is one of my family’s favorite recipes. I make it with Impossible ground burger and toss in some spinach. It’s a hit every time. Thanks so much!
YUMMY! My family, toddler included, can be so picky and we all LOVED this. So fast and easy. Incredible flavor. Awesome recipe thank you. Think it would be great in a lettuce wrap to freshen up and balance. We loved the sauce so much so can’t wait to try with double the sauce and thicken it up, may try with steak and purple onion. Paired with roasted broccoli and it was great. New staple! Thank you!!!