20 Minute Korean Gochujang Beef Bowls. (2024)

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Weeknight stir-fried 20 Minute Korean Gochujang Beef Bowls. Quick-cooking ground beef tossed in a sweet and spicy Korean chile sauce with caramelized shallots and bell peppers. Serve with a quick, pickled, spicy cucumber salad. Every bite is filled with deliciously flavored beef and just the right amount of spice – flavorful and easy.

The perfect Monday recipe for you all! When I was brainstorming ideas for this month, I knew I wanted to focus on high-protein, quick, simple dinners. Dinners that would be exciting yet healthy and easy to cook.

When it comes to cooking a new recipe, what can often turn us off is when it feels scary or has an overwhelming amount of steps. I totally get that. I say no immediately if I look at anything with a mile-long ingredient list and even more steps.

So this month, to encourage everyone to be home, cooking more. I knew simple, healthy, and delicious dinners were the trick.

As I mentioned last week, my brothers have been home a lot recently. They love any kind of dish that’s stir-fried and spicy.

Gochujang (fermented Korean Chili paste) is an ingredient I know they love when I use it in recipes, so I just loved the sound of a Gochujang Beef Bowl. I knew I could make it quick and delicious.

Here are the details

Step 1: cook the beef

For this recipe to be quick, I used ground beef. You could also use ground pork or even ground chicken if you prefer.

Once you’ve browned the meat, add a slice of butter, lots of bell peppers, pickled ginger, and garlic. Allow this to cook until super fragrant.

Step 2: Add the flavor

Now, add the soy sauce. I use tamari, which is a gluten-free soy sauce. Then, add the Gochujang (fermented Korean Chili paste) and ginger juice, which I get from the pickled ginger jar. Or you can now buy ginger juice as well. I just found some at Whole Foods!

Let the sauce simmer and cook down until it coats the beef.

Step 3: caramelize the meat

The final step is to add the maple, or use honey, and let the meat caramelize, plus get crispy in the spicy chile sauce.

Pull it off the stove, then toss it with sesame seeds. YUM!

Step 4: the cucumber salad

I wanted to add a refreshing crunch, so I made a quick pickled cucumber salad using cucumbers, salt, Gochujang chile flakes (or regular chile flakes), and vinegar/ginger juice. Just mix and let it sit for a few minutes.

Simple Simple.

Step 5: serve with rice

Now spoon the beef over cooked rice, add the salad, lots of green onions, and the roasted peanuts. It’s best to serve this right off the stove while still steamy. But if you need to rewarm it, it’s still great. Perfect for our busiest times.

Hoping you guys love this one as much as we’ve loved it. I’m already excited to make it again later this week!

Looking for other quick weeknight dinners? Here are some favorites:

Chili Crisp Chicken Mango Cucumber Rice Bowl

30 Minute Caramelized Shallot Beef Ramen Noodles

Healthier Homemade One Pot Hamburger Helper

Coconut Popcorn Chicken with Sweet Thai Chili Lime Sauce

30 Minute Sticky Thai Meatballs with Sesame Noodles

Better Than Takeout Sweet Thai Basil Chicken

Spicy Chipotle Honey Salmon Bowls

Lastly, if you make this 20 Minute Korean Gochujang Beef Bowls, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And, of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!