How can I make this less spicy?

Reduce the amount of gochujang and increase the amount of white miso paste to reduce the spiciness of the broth․ The recipe creator's other recipe includes two tablespoons of gochujang and one tablespoon of white miso, along with a similar amount of cottage cheese․ The broth won't be as spicy but will have other flavors․ Blend the ingredients thoroughly before cooking to mix in the gochujang and white miso․

Can I replace the cottage cheese?

Reduced-fat coconut milk is an alternative to cottage cheese mentioned in the article․ Substituting reduced-fat coconut milk for cottage cheese will change the flavor of the soup and result in a broth made with coconut milk instead of cottage cheese․ Other aspects of the flavor and qualities of dishes containing gochujang are retained by including gochujang in the soup․ The cottage cheese soup should be well blended to create a smooth broth like that of the coconut milk soup․

Can I use soy sauce instead?

Yes, you can replace coconut aminos with low-sodium soy sauce․ The low-sodium soy sauce should taste similar to coconut aminos in the maple, vinegar, sesame oil, and miso beef sauce․ Cook the beef and sauce briefly after adding the sauce․ Also, add the white parts of the green onions to the beef and sauce mixture․ Set aside the green parts of the green onions to serve in the bowls․

Can I make these bowls ahead?

Yes, beef and broth can be prepared ahead of time and stored together․ Rice is best served separately․ One article suggests that all foods can be prepared ahead of time and combined, but fresh rice is ideal․ All foods prepared together and stored may result in rice absorbing too much broth and altering the taste of the dish․ Reheat the beef and broth before serving and mixing with rice․

Can I use a different protein?

Yes, Korean-style chicken breast and garlic pepper chicken are suggested as substitutes for beef․ These can be used in place of meat in the bowl recipe․ Other meats can be used in the bowl recipe along with the same rice and gochujang broth base․ The maple and sesame sauce recipe is designed for beef and might not work well with other meats․ Plan serving sizes of rice, broth, and meat for four servings in the bowl․

Creamy Gochujang Broth Bowls with Crispy Sesame Beef

By Isabella QuinnOct 3, 2026

Prep

15 min

Cook

15 min

Total

30 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

To prepare four servings of food, serve steamed rice, caramelized ground beef, and hot gochujang broth with a creamy texture․ Low-fat cottage cheese puree is used to thicken the broth․ Ground beef provides a spicy, sweet, sesame flavor and caramelized texture․

Creamy Gochujang Broth Bowls with Crispy Sesame Beef

Combine cottage cheese, low-sodium chicken broth, and gochujang to make a puree and warm gently in a pan․ Ingredients for the beef topping include green onions, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, optional white miso, and maple syrup․ Add the beef topping ingredients to cooked beef; topping ingredients will caramelize on the bottom of the pan instead of forming a gravy over the beef․

Simmer the broth, stirring frequently․ There is no need to boil the broth․ To cook the beef, brown one side for two to three minutes, then break it up․ Let the beef in the sauce sit for a while undisturbed․ You want to achieve a browned, crunchy layer at the bottom of the pan․ The main downside of stirring the beef too soon is loss of the crunchy layer․

Serving size: one cup of rice and one cup of soup broth with one-quarter of the beef․ Top servings with sliced cucumber and green onions and sesame seeds․ Store leftover beef and broth together and prepare fresh rice at a later time to keep rice from becoming soggy with soup broth․

Why you'll love this recipe

It makes four bowls in 30 minutes, Rice and beef are cooked separately along with broth for a simple main dish option on weeknights that doesn't require additional side dishes․
Spice eaters eat a soup with gochujang and cottage cheese and other ingredients, including beef and chicken broth with sweet and savory flavors, rather than a plain spicy soup․
Families can provide cucumber, green onions, and sesame seeds as optional side dishes for customers to add to their bowls without changing the flavor of the dish․
The beef has partially browned pieces because some of the sauce will cook without other ingredients, adding texture and other flavors to the dish compared with the cooked rice and broth․
Leftovers will taste more like the original meal when cooked beef and broth are stored together and served with new rice․
Flexible substitutions are‌ noted in the ingredient list, including coconut aminos as a substitute for soy sauce and honey or brown sugar as substitutes for maple syrup․

Instructions

Blend the cottage cheese, chicken broth, and gochujang together.

Add the blended broth to a saucepan over low heat and stir occasionally until warmed.

Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat with cooking spray or 1 teaspoon olive oil.

Add the ground beef and brown one side for 2 to 3 minutes before breaking it apart and fully cooking it.

While the beef cooks, mix the maple syrup, rice vinegar, coconut aminos, sesame oil, miso paste, and white parts of the green onions.

Add the sauce to the cooked beef and stir together.

Cook the sauced beef untouched for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce begins to caramelize on the bottom and the beef is nicely browned and crispy.

Microwave the frozen steamed rice or prepare steamed rice of your choice.

For 4 bowls, fill each with 1 cup rice, 1 cup broth, and one-quarter of the ground beef.

Garnish with diced cucumber, the green parts of the green onions, and toasted sesame seeds.

FAQ

Serve the‌ bowls with chopped cucumber‌ and green onion tops and toasted sesame seeds as directed in the recipe․ Fresh toppings complement the warm‌ flavors‌ of rice, broth, and meat in the bowls․ Other toppings mentioned in the‌ article for the bowls‌ include sliced radishes with chili oil and rice vinegar․ Offer fresh toppings on the‌ side in small dishes‌ for your guests to add to their bowls as desired․

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Dinner Beef Asian Korean High Protein Quick Meals

Creamy Gochujang Broth Bowls with Crispy Sesame Beef

Name: Creamy Gochujang Broth Bowls with Crispy Sesame Beef
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 bowls
Ingredients: 1/4 cup gochujang (84 g); 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese (226 g); 3 cups chicken broth; 1 lb ground beef (96/4); 2 Tbsp maple syrup; 2 Tbsp coconut aminos (or low-sodium soy sauce); 2 Tbsp rice vinegar; 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil; 1 Tbsp white miso paste (18 g, optional); 4 green onions (thinly sliced, white and green parts separated); cooking spray (or 1 teaspoon olive oil); 2 bags frozen jasmine rice (10 oz each, or 4 cups steamed rice); cucumbers (sliced, for serving); toasted sesame seeds (for serving); chili onion crunch (for serving)

By Isabella QuinnOct 3, 2026

Prep

15 min

Cook

15 min

Total

30 min

Servings

Level

Easy

Jump to recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

It makes four bowls in 30 minutes, Rice and beef are cooked separately along with broth for a simple main dish option on weeknights that doesn't require additional side dishes․
Spice eaters eat a soup with gochujang and cottage cheese and other ingredients, including beef and chicken broth with sweet and savory flavors, rather than a plain spicy soup․
Families can provide cucumber, green onions, and sesame seeds as optional side dishes for customers to add to their bowls without changing the flavor of the dish․
The beef has partially browned pieces because some of the sauce will cook without other ingredients, adding texture and other flavors to the dish compared with the cooked rice and broth․
Leftovers will taste more like the original meal when cooked beef and broth are stored together and served with new rice․
Flexible substitutions are‌ noted in the ingredient list, including coconut aminos as a substitute for soy sauce and honey or brown sugar as substitutes for maple syrup․

Ingredients

Servings4

•¼ cup gochujang (84 g)
•1 cup low-fat cottage cheese (226 g)
•3 cups chicken broth
•1 lb ground beef (96/4)
•2 Tbsp maple syrup
•2 Tbsp coconut aminos (or low-sodium soy sauce)
•2 Tbsp rice vinegar
•1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
•1 Tbsp white miso paste (18 g, optional)
•4 green onions (thinly sliced, white and green parts separated)
•cooking spray (or 1 teaspoon olive oil)
•2 bags frozen jasmine rice (10 oz each, or 4 cups steamed rice)
•cucumbers (sliced, for serving)
•toasted sesame seeds (for serving)
•chili onion crunch (for serving)

Instructions

1
Blend the cottage cheese, chicken broth, and gochujang together.
2
Add the blended broth to a saucepan over low heat and stir occasionally until warmed.
3
Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat with cooking spray or 1 teaspoon olive oil.
4
Add the ground beef and brown one side for 2 to 3 minutes before breaking it apart and fully cooking it.
5
While the beef cooks, mix the maple syrup, rice vinegar, coconut aminos, sesame oil, miso paste, and white parts of the green onions.
6
Add the sauce to the cooked beef and stir together.
7
Cook the sauced beef untouched for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce begins to caramelize on the bottom and the beef is nicely browned and crispy.
8
Microwave the frozen steamed rice or prepare steamed rice of your choice.
9
For 4 bowls, fill each with 1 cup rice, 1 cup broth, and one-quarter of the ground beef.
10
Garnish with diced cucumber, the green parts of the green onions, and toasted sesame seeds.