Description
Korean Beef Bulgogi Rice Bowls made easy with flavorful ground beef cooked in a sweet and savory bulgogi sauce, served over steamed rice with wilted spinach, fresh vegetables, mashed avocado, and pickled ginger. A quick and satisfying meal bursting with authentic Korean flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Cooking 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 with skin on (~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)
For Rice Bowl Assembly
- White rice (medium or short grain preferred)
- 4 large handfuls baby spinach (or similar chopped leafy greens like cabbage, kale)
- 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned or grated
- 1 avocado, mashed
- 1/4 cup pickled ginger (preferably pink)
- 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 two separate bowls, mix together all ingredients for the Bulgogi sauce in one and the rice bowl drizzle sauce in the other. Set aside.
- Wilt Spinach: Heat 2 teaspoons of canola oil in a large non-stick pan over high heat. Add half the baby spinach and toss with tongs for about 30 seconds until semi-wilted. Add the remaining spinach and continue tossing for about 1 minute until fully wilted. Remove spinach to a bowl and set aside.
- Cook Bulgogi Beef: Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the same pan and keep on high heat. Add the ground beef and cook while breaking it apart until no pink raw meat remains. Pour in the Bulgogi sauce, allowing it to simmer rapidly. Stir occasionally until most of the sauce has evaporated and the beef develops a slightly caramelized texture but remains moist from the sauce.
- Assemble Rice Bowls: Spoon cooked rice into serving bowls. Top with the bulgogi beef, wilted spinach, and julienned carrot. Add a dollop of mashed avocado and place pickled ginger on top. Arrange torn lettuce on the side. Sprinkle with white sesame seeds and sliced green onion. Serve the rice bowl drizzle sauce on the side for drizzling over before mixing and enjoying.
Notes
- Apple and onion should be finely grated (using a microplane if possible) to maximize flavor impact. The apple adds natural sweetness and tenderizes the beef subtly.
- Soy sauce can be substituted with tamari for gluten-free option. Avoid dark soy sauce or kecap manis as they are too strong and overpower the dish.
- Mirin can be substituted with Chinese cooking wine or cooking sake plus 1/2 tsp brown sugar, or omitted entirely for no alcohol.
- Leftover cooked beef keeps well in the fridge for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. When reheating, add a splash of water to keep it moist.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (including 1 cup cooked rice and toppings)
- Calories: 520 kcal
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 780 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg
