Maybe Korean Ground Beef is part of your normal recipe rotation. It was not in mine. Korean Ground Beef was first introduced to me about a year ago. It’s ground beef paired with a sticky, sweet sauce. I like to pack it with veggies too and then serve everything over white rice. This meal is a budget friendly crowd pleaser. I hope you enjoy this recipe idea.
WHAT IS KOREAN GROUND BEEF?
I think of Korean Ground Beef as the cousin to Korean Bulgogi. The latter is probably more widely recognized. It’s served in a similar sticky, sweet sauce, but the beef is traditionally thinly sliced steak like ribeye or sirloin. I like that both Korean Ground Beef and Korean Bulgogi lend themselves to a wide range of vegetable choices. The most common are probably carrots, green onions, and mushrooms, but you can also choose to use sweet peppers, broccoli, and/or zucchini.
THE SAUCE
I like to keep the sauce simple. I mix gluten free soy sauce (or another soy sauce alternative) with sesame oil, molasses, and a bit of sriracha sauce. Traditionally, this sauce is made with brown sugar instead of molasses, but that’s not a pantry staple in my mostly paleo kitchen. I use molasses because it’s what I keep around. I find that it provides a deep, rich (but subtle) sweetness. If you want this dish to be super sweet, replace the molasses with brown sugar in equal measure.
HAVE EVERYTHING READY TO GO
Korean Ground Beef cooks quickly. Be sure to have everything ready to go before you begin the beef. For this recipe, I’m suggesting the use of carrots, broccoli, and zucchini, but you can use what you have or what you like. Whatever you choose, have all cleaned and sliced ahead of cooking. I would also prepare some fresh minced ginger and minced garlic. Both of these greatly add to the flavor profile. Lastly, I advise that you also mix the sauce ingredients ahead of time. Once everything is prepped, you’re ready to begin cooking.
A THIRTY-MINUTE, BUDGET MEAL
This is a quick meal. Including the time I spend chopping, I can generally get this done within thirty minutes. This would make a great addition to your weeknight rotation. It’s budget friendly too!
Korean Ground Beef
Ingredients
For the Sauce:
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1/3 c gluten free soy sauce (or other soy sauce alternative)
- 1/4 c stock or water
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2 tbsp molasses
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1 tbsp sesame oil
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2 tsp sriracha sauce
For the Stir-Fry:
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1 lb ground beef
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1/4 tsp white pepper
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3 cloves garlic, minced
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1 inch ginger, minced
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1 carrot, julienned
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1 zucchini, julienned
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1 bunch broccoli, sliced into florets
- 1/2 c purple cabbage, chopped
1. Mix all of the sauce ingredients together in a dish. Set aside.
2. Mince the garlic and ginger, and prepare the vegetables. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, brown the ground beef with the white pepper, minced garlic, and minced ginger.
4. Once the beef is cooked through, add the sauce. Reduce the heat to low. Saute for 2 minutes.
5. Add the carrots, zucchini, and broccoli. Stir to combine. Place a lid over the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes.
6. Add the purple cabbage. Cover for an additional 2-3 minutes or cook until the vegetables reach the texture you prefer.
7. Serve over white rice. Enjoy!
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Here on SpringForestFarm.com, Jennifer Taylor Schmidt writes beef recipes for the busy, natural homemaker. It is possible to seek optimal health with limited time and money. Join Jennifer in future posts as she explores the possibilities found in a 1/4 and a 1/2 beeve. You can also find her thoughts and personal health journey on RealFoodRealHealing.com.
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