Korean Beef

Ingredients (~6 servings)

• 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 3/4 tsp fish sauce (optional)
• 3/4 tsp grated fresh ginger (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp brown sugar, packed
• 3-4 green onions, chopped (for garnish)
• Cooked rice or noodles for serving

Brown the Ground Beef

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat.

Add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks. You want to get some good browning on the meat – this takes ~6-8 minutes.

The beef should be completely cooked through with no pink remaining.

Drain Fat and Add Aromatics

Drain off any excess grease from the pan, then add the sesame oil and toss to coat the beef.

Add the minced garlic and sauté for ~30-60 seconds until fragrant.

Don’t let the garlic burn or it’ll taste bitter.

Build the Sauce

Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, fish sauce (if using), ginger, and crushed red pepper.

Stir everything together until the brown sugar dissolves completely.

The mixture will look a bit saucy at first but will thicken as it simmers.

Simmer Until Glossy

Let everything simmer for ~3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The sauce will reduce and coat the beef with a glossy finish. You’ll know it’s ready when the liquid has thickened enough that it clings to the meat rather than pooling in the bottom of the pan.

Remove from heat and garnish with chopped green onions.

Serve over rice, noodles, or in lettuce wraps.

Korean Beef

This is one of those meals that tastes way more complex than the effort you put in – sweet, savory, and ready in under 20 minutes. Perfect for when you want something that feels like takeout but don’t want to leave the house.

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 17 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Ingredients (~6 servings)

• 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 3/4 tsp fish sauce optional
• 3/4 tsp grated fresh ginger or 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper optional
• 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp brown sugar packed
• 3-4 green onions for garnish, chopped
• Cooked rice or noodles for serving

Instructions

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add ground beef, breaking it up as it cooks for 6-8 minutes until browned and no pink remains.
• Drain excess grease, then add sesame oil and toss to coat.
• Add garlic and sauté for 30-60 seconds until fragrant.
• Stir in soy sauce, brown sugar, fish sauce, ginger, and crushed red pepper until sugar dissolves.
• Simmer for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens and coats the beef with a glossy finish.
• Remove from heat and garnish with chopped green onions.
• Serve over rice or noodles.