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Weeknight stir-fried 20 Minute Korean Gochujang Beef Bowls. Quick-cooking ground beef tossed in a sweet and spicy Korean chile sauce with caramelized shallots and bell peppers. Serve with a quick, pickled, spicy cucumber salad. Every bite is filled with deliciously flavored beef and just the right amount of spice – flavorful and easy.
The perfect Monday recipe for you all! When I was brainstorming new recipes for this month, I knew I wanted to focus on high-protein, quick, simple dinners. Dinners that would be exciting yet healthy and easy to cook.
When it comes to cooking a new recipe, what can often turn us off is when it feels scary or has an overwhelming amount of steps. I totally get that. I say no immediately if I look at anything with a mile-long ingredient list and even more steps.
So this month, to encourage everyone to be home, cooking more. I knew simple, healthy, and delicious dinners were the trick.
As I mentioned last week, my brothers have been home a lot recently. They love any kind of dish that’s stir-fried and spicy.
Gochujang (fermented Korean Chili paste) is an ingredient I know they love when I use it in recipes, so I just loved the sound of a Gochujang Beef Bowl. I knew I could make it quick and delicious.
Here are the details
Step 1: cook the beef
For this recipe to be quick, I used lean ground beef. You could also use ground pork or even ground chicken if you prefer.
Once you’ve browned the meat, add a slice of butter, lots of bell peppers or other veggies you enjoy, pickled ginger, and garlic. Allow this to cook until super fragrant.
Step 2: Add the flavor
Now, add the low sodium soy sauce. I use tamari, which is a gluten-free soy sauce. Then, add the Gochujang (fermented Korean Chili paste) and ginger juice, which I get from the pickled ginger jar. Or you can now buy ginger juice as well. I just found some at Whole Foods!
Let the sauce simmer and cook down until it coats the beef.
Step 3: caramelize the meat
The final step is to add the maple, or use honey, and let the meat caramelize, plus get crispy in the spicy chile sauce.
Pull it off the stove, then toss it with sesame seeds. YUM!
Step 4: the cucumber salad
I wanted to add a refreshing crunch, so I made a quick pickled cucumber salad using cucumbers, salt, Gochujang chile flakes (or regular chile flakes), and vinegar/ginger juice. Just mix in a small bowl and let it sit for a few minutes.
Simple Simple.
Step 5: serve with rice
Now spoon the beef over cooked rice, you could even use cauliflower rice, add the salad, lots of green onions, and the roasted peanuts. It’s best to serve this right off the stove while still steamy. But if you need to rewarm it, it’s still great. Perfect for our busiest times.
Hoping you guys love this Korean beef bowl as much as we’ve loved it. I’m already excited to make it again later this week!
Looking for other quick weeknight dinners? Here are some favorites:
Chili Crisp Chicken Mango Cucumber Rice Bowl
30 Minute Caramelized Shallot Beef Ramen Noodles
Healthier Homemade One Pot Hamburger Helper
Coconut Popcorn Chicken with Sweet Thai Chili Lime Sauce
30 Minute Sticky Thai Meatballs with Sesame Noodles
Better Than Takeout Sweet Thai Basil Chicken
Spicy Chipotle Honey Salmon Bowls
Lastly, if you make this 20 Minute Korean Gochujang Beef Bowls, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
20 Minute Korean Gochujang Beef Bowls
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 430 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (or chicken or pork)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 bell peppers, sliced
- 3 shallots, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup pickled ginger (or 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger)
- 1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 2-3 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 tablespoons ginger juice
- 2 tablespoons maple or honey
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
- 1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts
Cucumber Salad
- 4 Persian cucumbers, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion/ Thai basil
- 2 tablespoons ginger juice or rice vinegar
Instructions
- 1. In a large skillet, combine the beef and a pinch of black pepper. Cook over medium heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, peppers, garlic, shallots, and ginger. Cook 2 minutes.2. Pour over the tamari, add the Gochujang, ginger juice, and 1/3 cup water. Cook until the sauce coats the beef, 2-3 minutes. Mix in the maple/honey and cook another 1-2 minutes until the beef is caramelized. Remove from the heat. Toss with sesame seeds. 3. Meanwhile, In a bowl, mix the cucumbers with 1 teaspoon salt, the chile flakes, ginger juice, and green onions. Let sit 5 minutes.4. Serve the beef and peppers over bowls of rice. Serve with the cucumber salad and top with peanuts. Add spicy mayo if desired. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on January 22, 2024
Delicious flavors. Given all the chopping it certainly took muck longer than 20 minutes but I would make it again.
Thanks so much, Christy! So glad to hear this recipe was enjoyed, I appreciate you making it! Sorry it took longer than expected! xx
Really delicious! Thank you for the great recipe 🙂
Hi Natalie, Fantastic! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Happy Sunday! xx
This recipe looks delicious! It calls for ginger juice and the hyperlink shows pickled ginger. Could you please clarify if this is pure ginger juice or the liquid from the jar of pickled ginger? Thank you!
Hey Jessica,
I used the liquid from a jar of pickled ginger:) Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it!
Delicious!! Will definitely be making this again!
Thanks a lot, Terri! I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment, love to hear it turned out well!🌼
Adults and kids both liked this recipe. Hubs said he might pick this over salmon which is high praise for any recipe.
Hi Danielle,
Awesome! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks a bunch for giving it a try! xx
Hey there! This is the third Korean recipe I’ve made from your website since discovering it last week (plus sticky orange chicken, teriyaki salmon)— all delicious, but the same problem in every case: the protein doesn’t carmelize and the sauce doesn’t get as dark, thick, and delicious-looking as your photos. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks!
Hi Elaine,
Thanks for trying so many recipes!! I would say it depends on the cook method for each. For skillet recipes, I find I get the best caramelization using a cast iron. You could also add a cornstarch slurry to the sauces to help thicken them. I hope this helps!
This recipe was fantastic! Will definitely put this in my recipe collection. Thanks again!
Hey Tom,
Happy Sunday!! Love to hear you enjoyed this recipe, thanks for making it and your comment! XxT
I’ve made this several times and it is oh so yummy! Kids love it. The recipe doesn’t seem to match ingredients though. For the cucumber salad, is it Gochujang chili flakes or Gochujang paste? Directions say flakes, ingredients list says paste.
Hey Stephanie,
Awesome! Thank you so much for making this recipe, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! Sorry about that, I like to use the flakes:) xx
Another Grand Slam, Tieghan! Followed the recipe exactly and it was 👩🍳 so delicious!!! I’ve never tried a bad recipe from you. This was so easy, so quick, and so yummy. I’m gluten free and this was such a great ‘Asian flavor’ meal that pleased all that could be made with no gluten. You continue to be my ‘go to’ for recipes and you haven’t let me down yet!!!!! Go make this and if don’t have a store with the pickled ginger and ginger juice, take the time to order it, it adds a depth of flavor that is unreal!!!
Hey Casey,
Awesome! So glad to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for giving it a try! xxT
I have already commented once, but I just had to tell you that hands down this is my husband’s most favorite meal. I make it every week with chicken. There is always some in the fridge… he just heats it up for lunch!!! There are so many negative people out there that I just wanted to say how much we all love you!!! Have a great week!!! And keep the recipes coming. xo
Aww, thanks so much Holly! Love to hear this is always enjoyed:) I appreciate you making it so often! Happy Wednesday! xT
Made this for dinner and it was so good! Even my kids liked it!
Hey Holly,
Fantastic! Love to hear this recipe turned out well for you, thanks for making it! Have the best week:) xxT
Used soy sauce and it was way too salty
Hi Jays,
So very sorry to hear this! Next time, I would try low sodium soy sauce or tamari. I hope this helps! xT
This is my family’s #1 most requested meal. I cook it at least 1x week. Despite the fact that there’s a lot of ingredients, it’s actually super quick to make.
Hey Leah,
Love to hear this!! Thanks for making this dish so often and your comment! Happy Sunday! xT
Really tasty! I substituted cherry tomatoes for the cucumbers in the salad (simply because I don’t love cucumbers) and it was delicious. There is a typo in the cucumber salad ingredient list though – I think it should say chili flakes instead of gochujang.
Hey Janelle,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe and your comment, so glad it turned out nicely for you! Happy Sunday! XxT
Hi Tieghan,
What would you suggest mixing with gochujang sauce if we can’t get our hands on ginger juice? Can’t find it anywhere local!
Hi Izabella,
Rice vinegar will also work nicely for you:) I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xx