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Sweet, savory, and just a touch of spice, these Korean Ground Beef Bowls are one of my favorite weeknight meals and a total game-changer for meal prep. Inspired by classic Korean bulgogi flavors, this version is ready in under 20 minutes, simple to make, and totally satisfying and delicious. Bonus: it’s dairy-free, gluten-free, low-carb, and paleo-friendly, so it checks all the boxes for clean eating!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
When it comes to eating healthy and fueling your body, one strategy seems to work above all else: plan ahead! Whether you’re prepping lunches for the week or need a quick dinner idea, this dish delivers on flavor and simplicity:
- Ridiculously easy to make: One skillet, minimal ingredients.
- Meal-prep friendly: Keeps well in the fridge for 4-3 days.
- Customizable serving options: Pair with cauliflower rice, white rice, or extra veggies.
- Sweet, savory, slightly spicy: It’s a crowd pleaser even for picky eaters.
Making these ground beef bowls is as easy as ever. Simply cook ground beef with Korean-inspired flavors, then pair it with quickly sautéed cauliflower rice and chopped fresh veggies. And to make it complete, top with some gochujang or another spicy sauce for an extra kick, along with sesame seeds.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
*Scroll down to the recipe card for a complete list of ingredients and cooking directions.
- Avocado Oil: A clean-eating favorite with a high smoke point, avocado oil provides a neutral base for browning beef without burning.
- Ground Beef: Choose 85%+ lean ground beef for juicy, flavorful results with minimal grease. Grass-fed beef adds extra nutrients and a richer flavor profile. We buy ours from ButcherBox.
- Garlic (minced): Fresh garlic adds savory depth and aromatic richness, a must in this sweet-savory sauce blend.
- Fresh Ginger (grated): Bright and slightly spicy, fresh ginger cuts through the richness of the beef and enhances the Asian-inspired flavor.
- Scallions (green onions): Some go into the sauce, and the rest are reserved as a fresh, crunchy finish.
- Coconut Aminos: This naturally sweet, soy-free sauce is our clean swap for traditional soy sauce. It provides a salty, umami backbone without gluten.
- Coconut Sugar: A touch of sweetness rounds out the savory sauce, giving you that classic bulgogi-style balance.
- Sesame Oil: Just a little adds a big nutty aroma and flavor.
- Red Pepper Flakes: For gentle heat that builds as you eat.
- Cucumber & Carrot (optional for serving): These fresh, crisp veggies are optional but highly recommended! They balance the savory beef with refreshing crunch and color.
- Sesame Seeds: A simple garnish that brings texture and visual appeal (plus tiny bursts of toasty flavor).
- Rice or Cauliflower Rice (for serving): Cauliflower rice keeps it low-carb and paleo-friendly, while white or brown rice makes this feel extra comforting and bowl-worthy.
Lexi’s Approved Ingredient Tip
Make it milder or bolder: If you’re sensitive to spice, reduce the red pepper flakes or skip them entirely. If you live for heat, feel free to add a dash of sriracha or extra gochujang on top!
Soy-Free & Clean: Coconut aminos keeps this recipe free of soy and gluten while still delivering that savory, satisfying sauce.
Balance the bowl: Pairing this savory beef with fresh cucumbers and carrots adds natural sweetness and texture — a little crunch goes a long way!
How to Make this Quick & Easy Recipe
This Korean Beef Bowl recipe is truly one of our go-tos for meal prep and an easy weeknight dinner option. We hope you find it as easy and ready to go as we do!
- Heat your skillet: Warm the avocado oil over medium heat.
- Brown the beef: Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink. Drain off excess fat, leaving about a tablespoon in the pan.
- Add aromatics: Stir in minced garlic, grated ginger, and half the scallions — let them get fragrant (about 1 minute).
- Sauce time: Pour in the coconut aminos, coconut sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the sauce thickens and coats the beef beautifully.
- Finish: Stir in the remaining scallions, adjust seasoning to your taste, and remove from heat.
- Serve: Spoon over cauliflower rice or rice, top with shaved cucumbers, carrots, and sesame seeds for texture.
Meal Prep Tips
This bowl stores like a dream! The seasoned beef keeps well in the fridge, whether prepped or as leftovers, for about 3–4 days, making it ideal for lunches or quick dinners. If you love extra-fresh veggies, prep the beef ahead of time and add crunchy cucumbers and carrots just before eating.
If you like this meal prep recipe, check out these others:
- Paleo Asian Beef and “Rice”
- Meal Prep: 8 Budget Friendly Lunches
- Pizza Meatloaf Muffins (Gluten-Free)
- Breakfast Prep Baked Egg Cups
- Easy Taco Soup
- Gluten Free Turkey Meatballs with Spinach
- Our Favorite Baked Oatmeal Recipes
*This post was originally made in partnership with my friends at Ello Products.
KOREAN GROUND BEEF BOWLS
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ” piece fresh ginger peeled and grated
- 3 scallions sliced thin, divided
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 small cucumber cut into fine matchsticks or slices
- 1 carrot shredded or cut into fine matchsticks
- Sesame seeds for garnish
- 4 cups cauliflower rice or white rice, cooked, for serving
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, cook beef until no pink remains, about 8 minutes. Drain any excess oil, except 1 tablespoon.
- Add garlic, ginger and half of the sliced scallions to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add in coconut aminos, coconut sugar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the sauce starts to thicken, about 2 minutes
- Stir in remaining scallions, taste and adjust seasoning.
- Serve over cauliflower rice, with cucumbers and carrots and sesame seeds for garnish.
I’ve made this recipe a few times as it is one of my favorite meal prep recipes (I use ground turkey sometimes) but last night I had my toddler help with cutting the cucumbers and carrots (which he never eats) and he ate 3 servings by himself including the veggies! Definitely making this more often now.
This is one of my favorites for healthy meal prepping. I work from home, which often gives me the luxury of being able to cook a nice lunch, but some weeks are too busy for that and I need a fridge full of something I can pop in the microwave. This meals is so delicious that I look forward to it on those busy days. It’s also visually beautiful, which feels rewarding on a busy day – don’t skip the shredded carrots and slices of crisp cucumber!
This is one of my favorite meals to make because it is so tasty and is so quick and easy to make, plus it is toddler approved in my house. A lot of recipes on this site call for coconut aminos and I often substitute low sodium soy sauce because aminos are so expensive, but I found that this is one recipe where the coconut aminos really do make a difference and are worth the splurge.
Has anyone tried freezing the beef in the sauce? Then adding carrots and cucumbers after thawing. Thinking of making for a friend after her baby. Thank you!!
So easy to make and so flavorful. This has become one of my favorite recipes. I added a side of steamed Broccoli too.
So easy and delicious!
This is so easy and delicious! It’s one of our go-to staple meals. Great for meal prep too!
First time trying beef bulgogi and we leaved it – my 6yo included! So so
Good, I just wished I’d made a bit more sauce because it was so good.
Easiest meal prep ever and SUCH great flavor! Love that the veggies only require slicing and then they’re ready to go. And the meat is so easy to make. Amazing, simple and clean flavors – love it!
So quick and easy, so yummy, and my husband absolutely gobbled it up. We also added some cabbage.