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This delicious Korean Beef recipe includes tender beef and a sweet and savory sauce. No need to marinate, just stir fry the beef right in the sauce!
Featured with this recipe
Once only available in your favorite Korean BBQ place, now available whenever you want, Korean Beef is a sweet, savory, slightly spicy dish that is versatile and delicious. Create bowls, wraps, rolls, and more with this precious and tender meat. Our version saves you marinating time, but doesn’t budge on flavor, leaving you with juicy and flavorful beef. This is a great recipe for beginners, it isn’t hard to make something that tastes amazing.
Ingredients in Korean Beef Recipe
- Ground Beef
- Brown Sugar
- Soy Sauce
- Sesame Oil
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Canola Oil
- Fresh Ginger
- Garlic
- Green Onions
- Sesame Seeds
Serving Suggestions
Serve Korean Beef a multitude of ways. Here is some inspiration:
- Korean Beef bowl- serve it with rice and other items such as thin slices of cucumber and a fried egg for a delicious and healthy meal.
- Lettuce wraps- use large, green leafy lettuce as your base and fill them with the Korean beef and any stir fried vegetables you like.
- Fresh spring roll- make your own by getting rice paper wrappers, soaking them, and filling the wrappers with fresh ingredients and your Korean beef. These are great because you don’t have to fry them!
Add spice
- Sriracha sauce
- Gochujang paste
Using Ground Beef
Typically, Korean beef is made with a sliced ribeye, a NY strip, or flank steak. These steaks are cut thinly and then they marinate for a long time to give them their signature flavor. We use ground beef because you don’t have to marinate it, it’s easier to cook, and the meal comes together faster. Not to mention, using ground beef saves money, too!
Recipe Tip
Make sure to keep cooking the meat and sauce until the sauce is reduced and clinging to the meat.
Frequently Asked Questions about Korean Beef
Rice is the classic, number one answer. Another delicious thing would be a spicy cucumber salad. Something to try that would go well is kimchi, which is salted and fermented vegetables. Other ideas are mac and cheese or coleslaw. Enjoy!
Typically, Korean beef is made with a sliced rib eye, a NY strip, or flank steak.
Something special Koreans have traditional done is add grated Asian pear to their marinades. This really tenderizes the meat. Something to try!
Read Next: 35+ Easy Family Dinner Ideas
More Ground Beef Recipes
How to Make Korean Beef
Korean Beef
Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger
- 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 3 green onions sliced
- sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic and cook until golden brown and fragrant.
- Add ground beef and cook until browned. Drain excess grease.
- Add sauce and green onions and cook until the sauce has reduced a little and is clinging to the beef.
- Serve with rice, green onions, and sesame seeds.
Notes
- Add Sriracha or Gochujang paste to the sauce for extra spice.
- If you don’t have fresh ginger, you can replace it with ¼ teaspoon ground ginger.
- You can use thinly sliced sirloin steak instead of ground beef. Just marinate the beef in the sauce overnight before cooking to ensure tenderness.
