This flavorful Korean ground beef is ready in 20 minutes. Served over rice or cauliflower rice, it makes a delicious and complete meal.
Ground beef is cheap and versatile. I always have a few packages in the fridge or freezer. I mostly use them for basic recipes like grilled burgers or baked meatballs. But when I want to make something extra flavorful, I make Korean ground beef. It's a quick recipe with a deeply developed flavor, and the leftovers are just as good as the freshly made dish.
Ingredients and Substitutions
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Soy sauce: You can use a gluten-free alternative if needed.
- Honey: Just a tablespoon to balance out the tang of the soy sauce.
- Cornstarch: One teaspoon to slightly thicken the sauce.
- Red pepper flakes: They don't make the dish very spicy. They merely add a hint of spice. Not a fan of spicy food? Use just ¼ teaspoon or omit them altogether.
- Ground beef: I use a lean mixture - 85% lean and 15% fat.
- Garlic and ginger: These aromatics add great flavor to the dish. It's best to use freshly minced garlic and grated ginger, although the jarred versions are OK, too.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
First, prepare the sauce: Whisk together the soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes in a bowl.
Cook the beef in avocado oil until it's no longer raw, breaking it into crumbles as you cook. Drain, return to the skillet, and add the garlic and ginger, then stir in the sauce. Cook until the dish is heated through and the sauce thickens.
Off heat, drizzle the dish with sesame oil, sprinkle it with sliced green onions, and serve.
This is hands down the best thing you can do with ground beef. I could've eaten 4 servings in one go! Incredibly easy to make. I added in some broccoli while frying the beef and that worked really well. Cannot recommend enough!
Pearl
Read more comments
Recipe Tips
- I highly recommend using lean ground beef (85% lean and 15% fat) in this recipe. Don't go any leaner than that, or the dish will be too dry and not as flavorful.
- Sesame oil is a must. It greatly enhances the dish, so please don't skip it. Don't use refined sesame oil - it's nearly flavorless. Toasted sesame oil is best.
- I don't recommend using garlic and ginger powders. They are not as flavorful.
Recipe FAQs
I don't recommend that. The honey balances out the intensely savory flavors of this dish and greatly enhances it. You can use a sugar-free honey alternative if you wish.
I recommend using it. We use a tiny amount, and it helps thicken the sauce.
You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power. This is one of those recipes where the leftovers taste just as good as the freshly made dish.
Yes. You can cool the leftovers completely and freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this dish on a bed of cauliflower rice. Rice would be a natural choice if you don't mind the carbs. Sometimes, I channel my Generation Z daughters and make it into a trendy bowl by adding a fried egg and kimchi (shown in the photo below).
Recipe Card
Korean Ground Beef Recipe
Video
Ingredients
Sauce:
- ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce - or a gluten-free alternative
- 1 tablespoon honey - or a liquid sugar-free sweetener
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Stir-fry:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 pound lean ground beef - 85/15
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic - minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root - minced
To finish the dish:
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup green onions - green parts only, thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, prepare the sauce by whisking together the soy sauce, honey, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the beef and cook, stirring, until no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles as you cook, about 5 minutes.
- Drain the beef and return it to the skillet. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
- Stir the sauce into the beef. Cook for 2 more minutes, until heated through and the sauce thickens.
- Off heat, drizzle the dish with sesame oil, sprinkle it with sliced green onions, and serve.
Notes
- I highly recommend using lean ground beef (85% lean and 15% fat) in this recipe. Don't go any leaner than that, or it will be too dry and not as flavorful.
- Sesame oil is a must. It greatly enhances the dish, so please don't skip it. Don't use refined sesame oil - it's nearly flavorless. Toasted sesame oil is best.
- If using a sugar-free honey substitute, each serving of this recipe contains 3 grams of carbs.
- You can keep the leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them covered in the microwave at 50% power. You can also cool the leftovers completely and freeze them in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition per Serving
Save this Recipe!
We'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
We will also add you to our weekly newsletter. Unsubscribe anytime. See healthyrecipesblogs.com/privacy/ to learn how we use your email.
Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Tamara says
Fantastic. Making again for lettuce wraps. Added a bit more garlic and chili flakes and think I may add some julienned carrots next time. The flavour is great and it's super simple.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful, Tamara! Thanks for sharing your delicious tweaks.
Stephanie says
Great
Ann says
Love this recipe! It’s so simple, but so tasty! You won’t regret making it!! Yum!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Thank you, Ann! Glad you liked it.
karen says
Very good easy, tasty thought there would be a sauce but the sesame oil helped, I mistakenly put the sesame oil in with the soya mixture but still good. my husband liked it. I did baked cauliflower flowerlets on the side . ver good would definitely make again add more spice if you like.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm glad you and your husband enjoyed this recipe, karen! Thank you for the comment.
Blanca Phelps says
So good! I needed a quick and healthy recipe for ground beef we had at home. So easy after a long work day. Definitely a keeper.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad this was a success, Blanca! Thank you for taking the time to write a comment.
jamie says
Made this for the first time it was very easy and quick. I had most things on hand for it. My family loved it. I added cilantro to the meat at the very end, but that’s just a personal preference five stars.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Jamie! Cilantro sounds like a fantastic addition.
Angi says
bomb recipe..I make this at least 3 times a month and I add broccoli and more garlic and i add onion to beef also..delicious
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you like this recipe so much, Angi! Thank you for sharing your delicious additions.
Theresa says
Delicious and quick. Thanks!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Theresa! Thanks for the comment.
Kaye Schmidt says
A super easy and tasteful alternative to korean meatballs. I had leftover broccolli florets that I tossed in while browning the beef. We served it over cabbage since that is what I had on hand. Will make this again.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kaye! Thank you for sharing your yummy additions.
Noreen says
This recipe is sooo good, easy to follow too. Paired it with quinoa
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Noreen! Thanks for sharing how you served it. Yum!