Description
Korean Beef Bulgogi Rice Bowls combine savory, sweet, and umami flavors from a homemade bulgogi sauce with tender ground beef, served over fluffy white rice and topped with fresh vegetables like wilted spinach, julienned carrot, and creamy mashed avocado. This easy, quick recipe captures the essence of traditional Korean bulgogi in a convenient rice bowl format perfect for weeknight dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Oil
- 500g / 1 lb beef mince (ground beef), any fat % you like
- 1 tbsp canola oil, or any other plain flavored oil
- 2 tsp canola oil (to wilt baby spinach)
Bulgogi Sauce
- 1 tbsp onion, finely grated (~1/4 onion)
- 3 tbsp red apple, finely grated (skin on is fine, ~1/2 apple)
- 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 tsp ginger, finely grated
- 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce – all-purpose or light
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp mirin (omit for no alcohol)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Rice Bowl Drizzle Sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce – all-purpose or light
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
Rice Bowl Components
- White rice (medium or short grain, if you can)
- 4 large handfuls baby spinach (or similar chopped leafy greens – cabbage, kale)
- 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned or grated
- 1 avocado, mashed
- 1/4 cup pickled ginger (preferably pink for color)
- 1 1/2 cups baby cos / romaine lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
- 1 tsp white sesame seeds
- 1 green onion, finely sliced
Instructions
- Prepare Sauces: In one bowl, combine all ingredients for the Bulgogi sauce (grated onion, grated apple, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, brown sugar, and black pepper). In a separate bowl, mix the rice bowl drizzle sauce (soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, and rice vinegar). Set both aside.
- Wilt Spinach: Heat 2 teaspoons of canola oil in a large non-stick pan over high heat. Add half of the baby spinach and toss with tongs until semi-wilted, about 30 seconds. Add the remaining spinach and continue tossing until fully wilted, about 1 minute. Remove the spinach to a bowl and set aside.
- Cook Bulgogi Beef: Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pan and keep it on high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it apart continuously until it is no longer pink. Pour in the prepared Bulgogi sauce and simmer rapidly, stirring occasionally, until most of the sauce has evaporated. Continue stirring regularly so the beef caramelizes slightly while remaining moist and flavorful.
- Assemble Rice Bowls: Spoon cooked white rice into bowls. Arrange the cooked beef on top, then add the wilted spinach and julienned carrot. Add a dollop of mashed avocado and place pickled ginger alongside. Tuck torn lettuce down the side. Sprinkle with white sesame seeds and sliced green onion. Serve the rice bowl drizzle sauce separately for adding before eating.
Notes
- Grate onion and apple finely for maximum flavor impact; grated apple adds natural sweetness and tenderizes the beef.
- You can substitute tamari for soy sauce if gluten free, but avoid dark soy or sweetened soy sauces as they overpower the dish.
- Mirin can be substituted with Chinese cooking wine or sake plus 1/2 tsp brown sugar, or omitted for no alcohol.
- Leftover cooked beef keeps up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months frozen; add a splash of water when reheating if needed.
- Use medium or short grain rice for the best texture in rice bowls.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximate)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 760mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
