Gochujang Beef Bowls with Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad

5 from 13 votes

Gochujang Beef Bowls with Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad

A weeknight-friendly recipe for Gochujang Beef Bowls with Spicy Cucumber Salad. This Korean-inspired recipe is slightly sweet, spicy, savory, and so delicious! We love serving it over a bowl of rice with a simple crunchy cucumber salad.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Total Time30

Course: Beef, Bowls

Servings:

Calories: 234kcal

Author: Marzia

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground beef 93-95% lean
6 green onions thinly sliced (whites and greens separated)
6 garlic cloves minced or pressed
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1-2 tablespoon Gochujang paste
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons ginger paste
½ teaspoon gochugaru or red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon white pepper
Prepared jasmine rice for serving
Prepared cucumber salad for serving (see notes)

Instructions

COMBINE: In a glass measuring cup, combine the brown sugar, soy sauce, gochujang, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, ginger, crushed red pepper flakes, and white pepper. Whisk with a fork and set aside for now.
SAUTE: Heat a 12-inch wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, cook and crumble the meat for 4-5 minutes or until the meat is no longer visibly raw. Add the white parts of the scallions and garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until the scallions start to soften.
SIMMER: Lower the heat to low, pour the sauce over the ground beef, stir to combine. Let the mixture simmer for 4-6 minutes or until the sauce thickens and clings to the ground beef. Remove from heat. Top with the green portion of the scallions or sesame seeds.
SERVE: Serve in bowls over prepared jasmine rice with the cucumber salad (see notes.)

Notes

Spicy Cucumber Salad: Toss 5 sliced Persian cucumbers with ¼ thinly sliced white onion and 1 carrot cut into matchsticks in a sieve over a bowl with ½ teaspoon salt. Let sit 5 minutes. Drain liquid from the bowl and transfer the veggies to the bowl. Add 1 clove minced garlic, 2 thinly sliced scallions, 2 tsp of gochugaru, 1 tbsp sugar, 2 teaspoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon gochujang, 2 tsp of toasted sesame oil, and 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds. Taste and adjust with a big pinch of salt or sugar or other ingredients as desired.

Nutrition