Sweet and Spicy Korean Style Beef Bowl with Brown Rice

This bowl is deceptively easy – delicious sauteed veggies and ground beef with a sweet and spicy Korean style sauce all ready in less than 30 minutes! Start your rice first (nutty brown adds a boost of nutrients and fiber to the meal) to make sure everything is done quickly. I often times steer clear of added sugars in my dinner recipes, but if I know I have a craving for this bowl I watch my intake the rest of the day (everything in moderation). 🙂

Cooking Terms

Ingredients

  • 1 cup long grain brown rice
  • 1 each bell pepper (red, orange, yellow, or green all work)
  • 1 each medium onion
  • 1 each small to medium carrot
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
  • 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger (or 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger)
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 3 each garlic cloves
  • 2 each green onions
  • 1/4 tsp sesame seeds

From Your Home

What You Need

Small pot with lid
Large saute pan

Per Serving

Tips

We like to play with our toppings for this bowl – kimchee (a Korean staple made from fermented cabbage and other vegetables much like sauerkraut or pickles!), chopped fresh herbs, nuts, or other veggies like radish as all yummy!

Share your meal photos! #eastsidetable #localcrate

Steps

Mise en Place

Read through entire recipe before getting started. Wash and dry all produce. Mince garlic, grate ginger, shred carrot, dice onion and pepper, and thinly slice green onions. In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes.

Cook rice

Place rice, 1 1/2 cups water, and a pinch of salt and pepper in your pot with lid. Bring to a bowl, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook 20-25 minutes until tender. Fluff with a fork. While rice is cooking, begin sauteing beef.

Note: if rice has absorbed the water and is not fully cooked after 20-25 minutes, add 1/4 cup more water and cook for another 5-10 minutes.

Saute vegetables and beef

Heat oil in large saute pan over medium – high heat. Add carrot, bell pepper, and onion and cook, stirring frequently until very tender and starting to caramelize (about 8-10 minutes). Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 more minute. Add ground beef and cook until totally brown, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks.

Finish beef dish

Stir in the soy sauce mixture until well combined, allowing to simmer until thickened and heated through, about 2 minutes.

Enjoy!

Scoop rice into bowls, top with vegetable beef mixture. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!