Korean Beef and Rice Bowls

Korean Beef and Rice Bowls start with lean ground beef and seasonings served over a bed of fluffy rice. These bowls are packed with flavor, and can be ready to eat in 20 minutes!

Do you get sick of the same old chicken and rice? I know I do! It’s important to me to switch things up so we don’t get sick of eating the same meal repeatedly. My Korean Beef and Rice Bowls are such an easy and delicious meal! They’re so simple that you can have everything ready to go in 20 minutes. If you’re looking to spice things up with your meal prep game, then try this recipe!

KOREAN BEEF AND RICE BOWLS

These bowls start by cooking lean ground beef and garlic together. Once the beef is brown, add brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes and pepper. Stir mixture to combine everything. Let it simmer for 5 minutes or until heated through. Serve over hot rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Here at the Lofthouse, we use the Minute Rice bowls that can be heated in the microwave. They are the perfect portion size, and so convenient. They are what help to make this recipe a quick one!

Plate the rice and then top it with the flavorful beef! We like to add sliced green onion and sesame seeds for presentation and extra flavor.

INGREDIENTS

• 1-pound lean ground beef; the lean beef helps to keep this dish light and lean. I use 93% lean beef, but if you’re concerned about flavor, not calories, you can use 80% lean ground beef.

• 3 garlic cloves minced; garlic will bring all the flavors to life. A little kitchen hack here, to make sure the preparation stays under 30 minutes, is to buy a bottle of minced garlic. All the flavors will still be there, and you won’t have to peel a single clove.

• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar; there are a lot of salty and savory components to this recipe. The brown sugar creates a necessary balance to the dish. Don’t worry about your calorie count here, because you’ll want something to cut through the salty profile of the dish.

• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce; I like to use reduced-sodium soy sauce. The soy flavor is still wonderful, but with less sodium count. This will keep the meal healthy for you to eat all week long.

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil; a little goes a long way with sesame oil. Make sure to measure your teaspoons very carefully. Even if you add just the slightest bit more, it can take over the dish and it will be hard to taste much else.

• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger; this is another component that you can find pre-ground in your grocery store. If you use fresh ginger, make sure to peel the root beforehand.

• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; this can be an optional ingredient if you, or someone, in your family doesn’t like spice. If you really like spice, like I do, then you eyeball a little more into the dish to light things up a bit.

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper; this is to taste and give the dish balance. Notice that it’s just pepper here, and not salt. The salty flavor is coming from plenty of other ingredients going into the dish.

• 4 cups hot cooked white or brown rice; this is the chef’s choice. Whichever you prefer with your meals is the way to go here. I use instant rice to make my life easier and to keep this recipe around a 20-minute cook time.

• Sliced green onions and sesame seeds for garnish; this is an optional addition depending on presentation or preference. I like to add both, because it finishes off the dish in a beautiful way and gives it that extra flavor.

HOW TO MAKE KOREAN BEEF AND RICE BOWLS

In a large skillet cook and crumble the ground beef and garlic, over medium heat, until no longer pink. Drain any grease.

Once the beef is brown, add the brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes and pepper. Stir mixture to combine everything. Let it simmer for 5 minutes or until heated through. Serve over hot rice and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

MEAL PREP AND SERVINGS

This is a fantastic meal prep recipe. This recipe creates 4 servings, so you may need to double or triple the recipe, depending on how much you need for meal prepping. Place each portion of beef and rice in small storage containers with lids. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To reheat, place in the microwave and heat in 40 second increments until heated through.

TOPPING IDEAS

If you are looking to have a little bit more bang for your buck, I recommend adding some veggies to each bowl. Some vegetables I like to add are broccoli, carrots, cabbage, water chestnuts, and bean sprouts. The options are endless!

ENJOY THIS RECIPE? HERE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE WAYS TO MEAL PREP!

Taco Salad Meal Prep Bowls – Lean ground beef prepared with seasonings and spices then portioned out with lettuce, tomato, corn, and black beans.

Hawaiian Chicken Meal Prep Bowls – Tender pieces of chicken are topped with BBQ sauce and served with shredded zucchini and fresh pineapple.

Italian Sub Salad – Crisp lettuce with a sub on top, minus the bun! Turkey, pepperoni, provolone cheese, tomatoes, black olives, and banana peppers served with a vinaigrette.

Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Chicken – Tender chicken breast tossed in parmesan cheese and fresh garlic. Prepared in the air fryer to enjoy throughout the week.

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