Korean Beef Rice Bowls With Creamy Gochujang Mayo and Kimchi
By Ethan Parker
Prep the beef, mayo drizzle, and cut vegetables ahead, then keep the rice and crunchy toppings ready for fast bowl assembly. These Korean Beef Rice Bowls pair saucy minced beef with garlic, ginger, soy, and gochujang, plus tangy kimchi, carrot, and cucumber.
The stir-fry sauce combines freshly grated garlic and ginger with soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, gochujang, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds. It coats browned beef in a sweet, tangy, spicy layer. A separate whole-egg mayonnaise drizzle repeats the gochujang, sesame oil, and rice vinegar, giving each assembled bowl a creamy finish alongside jasmine rice and fresh vegetables.
Cook the beef over medium-high heat, breaking it up until browned before adding the sauce. After a brief simmer, the sauce should look slightly thickened and cling to the crumbles rather than pool thinly in the pan. The common setback is adding more gochujang than suits the table; begin with less if needed, then adjust the beef mixture to taste.
For meal prep, keep the beef, mayo drizzle, rice, and fresh toppings in separate containers so the cucumber and carrot retain their crunch. Assemble bowls when needed, reheating only the beef before adding cold kimchi and vegetables. Extra beef can also fill lettuce wraps, sushi rolls, or a noodle stir-fry.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Separate beef, sauce, rice, and vegetables make prep flexible, so bowls can be assembled quickly without sacrificing the cucumber and carrot crunch.
- The beef mixture holds up well for later meals because the thickened soy and gochujang sauce keeps the crumbles coated during reheating.
- Make the mayo drizzle in advance to shorten dinner assembly, then add it at serving time for a creamy contrast to kimchi.
- Portioning into four bowls is straightforward because each serving starts with rice, then gets beef, kimchi, carrot, cucumber, and garnish.
- Leftover beef has several planned uses, since it can be tucked into lettuce wraps, rolled into sushi, or added to noodle stir-fries.
- A doubled batch suits busy meal plans because the sauce is whisked separately, making it simple to scale before cooking the beef.
Ingredients
- •1 tsp garlic (freshly grated)
- •1 tsp ginger (freshly grated)
- •3 tbsp all-purpose soy sauce
- •2 tbsp brown sugar
- •1 tbsp sesame oil
- •1 tbsp gochujang (adjust for spice preference)
- •1 tsp rice vinegar
- •1 tbsp sesame seeds (plus extra to garnish)
- •2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil or neutral oil
- •500 g minced (ground) beef
- •2 spring onions (scallions) (finely sliced, 1 tbsp reserved for garnish)
- •3 tbsp whole-egg mayonnaise
- •1 tsp gochujang
- •0.5 tsp sesame oil
- •0.5 tsp rice vinegar
- •370 g cooked jasmine rice
- •240 g kimchi
- •1 carrot (julienned)
- •1 Lebanese (short/Persian) cucumber (sliced into half moons)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, gochujang, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds until combined. Set aside.
- 2
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until browned, breaking it up as it cooks.
- 3
Pour in the stir-fry sauce and stir well to coat the beef. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Turn off the heat and stir through the spring onion.
- 4
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, gochujang, sesame oil, and rice vinegar until smooth. Set aside.
- 5
Divide the cooked rice among four bowls. Top with the Korean beef mixture, kimchi, carrot, and cucumber. Drizzle with the gochujang mayo, garnish with extra sesame seeds and spring onion, and serve immediately.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
677
Protein
35g
Fat
39g
Carbs
44g
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