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Easy • Beef

Korean-Style Sesame Beef Bowls

Savory, sweet, and lightly crisped ground beef piled high over warm jasmine rice with fresh cucumbers.

Prep
10 min
Cook
15 min
Servings
4
Level
Easy
Korean-Style Sesame Beef Bowls

When you want big, takeout-level flavor in under twenty minutes, this quick ground beef skillet delivers every single time. A rich sauce of soy, brown sugar, garlic, and toasted sesame oil coats caramelized ground beef for the ultimate weeknight staple. Serve it over fluffy rice with plenty of scallions and crunchy sliced cucumbers.

Ingredients

Yield: 4 servings

Sauce

  • 1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Beef and Serving

  • 1 pound lean ground beef (90/10)
  • 1 tablespoon neutral cooking oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • 3 cups cooked jasmine rice, warm
  • 1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and crushed red pepper flakes until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Push the meat to one side of the skillet. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the empty space and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then toss to combine with the beef.

  4. Step 4

    Pour in the prepared sauce. Simmer vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce reduces and forms a glossy glaze around the beef.

  5. Step 5

    Divide warm jasmine rice among four bowls. Spoon the glazed beef over the rice, then top with sliced cucumbers, scallions, and toasted sesame seeds.

Tips

  • Let the beef sit undisturbed in the skillet for the first 2 minutes to encourage deep browning and crispy edges.
  • Swap ground turkey or pork for the ground beef if you prefer; the sweet-savory sauce works beautifully with both.

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