One of my favorite ground beef recipes, this flavorful Korean ground beef is served over cauliflower rice and makes a delicious and complete keto meal.
I really like ground beef. It's cheap, readily available, very versatile, and when you buy the vacuum-sealed packages, it lasts for quite a while too.
So I always have ground beef in the fridge. I mostly use it for easy ground beef recipes such as burgers, meatballs, and meatloaf. But when I want to make something really good, I make Korean ground beef.
The ingredients you'll need
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty ground beef recipe. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Soy sauce: I use reduced-sodium soy sauce in most of my recipes. I find that traditional soy sauce is too salty. Obviously, you can also use a gluten-free alternative.
Honey: Just 1 tablespoon to balance out the tang of the soy sauce. You can use a sugar-free syrup if you'd like.
Cornstarch: To thicken the sauce. I only use 1 teaspoon, which adds a very small amount of carbs per serving.
Red pepper flakes: They don't make the dish very spicy. They merely add a hint of spice.
Avocado oil: This oil has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point, making it an ideal cooking oil.
Ground beef: I use lean ground beef (85% lean and 15% fat). Leaner than this is too dry, in my opinion.
Minced garlic and ginger: You can mince them yourself or use the stuff that comes in a jar.
To finish the dish: A drizzle of sesame oil and a sprinkle of sliced green onions.
How to make Korean ground beef
It's easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. Your very first step is to prepare the sauce. Simply whisk together the soy sauce, honey, cornstarch and red pepper flakes.
2. Now cook the ground beef in some oil until no longer pink, breaking it up into crumbles as you cook.
3. Next, drain the beef, return it to the skillet, and add the garlic and the ginger.
4. Stir the sauce into the beef. Cook until heated through and the sauce thickens.
5. Off heat, drizzle the dish with sesame oil, sprinkle it with sliced green onions and serve.
My ground beef is frozen. How do I defrost it?
According to the USDA, the best way to safely thaw ground beef is in the refrigerator. To defrost ground beef quickly, you can defrost in the microwave or in cold water.
If using the microwave, cook the ground beef immediately because some areas may begin to cook during the defrosting. To defrost in cold water, put the meat in a watertight plastic bag and submerge. Change the water every 30 minutes. Cook immediately.
Is this an authentic recipe?
I don't know how authentic this recipe is! It's probably not very authentic. 😳 I've never seen ground beef in a Korean barbecue restaurant.
But this recipe does feature a wonderful combination of Korean inspired flavors and textures. And the sauce mixes really well into ground beef. Which means you don't need to marinate the beef prior to cooking.
I don't want to use soy sauce
Personally, I don't mind small amounts of soy sauce. But if you prefer not to use it, that's fine! Gluten-free and paleo alternatives are also pretty good in this recipe.
Though if you do use alternatives, you might want to increase the salt a little, depending on what you use.
Use the sesame oil as a finishing oil
Remember that you should only drizzle the sesame oil after cooking this dish. It's a fragile oil that burns easily, so it's not suitable for high-heat cooking.
How to serve Korean ground beef?
I like to serve it on a bed of cauliflower rice. If you don't mind the carbs, rice would be a natural choice, obviously.
What about leftovers?
You can keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.
If at all possible, it's best to put leftovers aside before you drizzle sesame oil on the dish, so that you don't end up microwaving sesame oil.
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Korean Ground Beef
INGREDIENTS
Sauce:
- ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (or use a gluten-free alternative and add salt as needed)
- 1 tablespoon honey or a liquid sugar-free alternative
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Stir-fry:
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 lb. lean ground beef (85/15)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
To finish the dish:
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions, green parts only
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a small bowl, prepare the sauce by whisking together the soy sauce, honey, cornstarch and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- Add the beef and cook, stirring, until no longer pink, breaking it up into crumbles as you cook, about 5 minutes.
- Drain the beef. Return to the skillet. Add the garlic and the ginger to the skillet and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
- Stir the sauce into the beef. Cook 2 more minutes, until heated through and the sauce thickens.
- Off heat, drizzle the dish with sesame oil, sprinkle it with green onions and serve.
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NOTES
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living.