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Sticky Korean Beef Bowls with Cucumber and Rice served in a bowl with vibrant vegetables.

Sticky Korean Beef Bowls

A cozy and exciting dinner option featuring sweet and salty beef, crunchy cucumbers, and warm rice, perfect for busy nights.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Korean
Calories: 550
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 1 lb Ground beef Lean is nice, but any ground beef works
  • 4 cups Cooked rice Jasmine, basmati, or whatever you have
  • 2 cloves Garlic Fresh is best, jar works too
  • 1 inch Ginger Fresh is best
  • 1/2 cup Soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp Brown sugar Can substitute honey
  • 1 tbsp Sesame oil A little goes a long way
  • 2 tbsp Rice vinegar Or apple cider vinegar in a pinch
  • 1 large Cucumber Thinly sliced
Optional Toppings
  • 2 stalks Green onion Chopped
  • 1 tbsp Sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp Chili flakes For spice, optional
  • 1 ea Fried egg Optional on top

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Start your rice first if you are cooking it fresh, preferably in a rice cooker.
  2. Slice your cucumber into thin half moons, toss with a pinch of salt and a splash of vinegar, then set aside to chill and get crisp.
Cooking
  1. In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until browned, breaking it up as it cooks. If there is too much fat, spoon some off but leave a little for flavor.
  2. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for about 30 seconds.
  3. Pour in soy sauce, brown sugar, and a small drizzle of sesame oil. Cook until it bubbles and turns glossy and sticky.
Assembly
  1. Assemble your bowl by placing rice in the bottom, then topping with the sticky beef, with cucumber on the side or mixed in as preferred. Finish with green onion and sesame seeds.

Notes

Let the sauce simmer for a couple of minutes to achieve the desired sticky texture. Taste before serving and adjust soy sauce and sugar as necessary. Store components separately to keep cucumbers crisp.