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This easy Korean ground beef recipe is one of our favorite ground beef recipes for busy nights. It’s sweet and savory, packed with flavor and on the table in just 20 minutes. Best of all, it uses simple pantry ingredients, is easy on the budget and freezes beautifully.
Have you seen the viral broth bowl trend? We turned this Korean beef into an incredible Korean Beef Broth Bowl!
There comes a point when you’re staring at that package of ground beef thinking, please, not another casserole or taco. This is the recipe I make when I want to turn ground beef into something completely different without making dinner complicated.
I grew up on the same plate every night—meat, veggie, carb—and now, as a mom, I do the exact same thing with a few upgrades to the classics my mom made. But just because it isn’t 1999 anymore doesn’t mean we’ve stopped needing quick, budget-friendly meals. This Korean ground beef is our fast, cheap recipe idea for nights when dinner just needs to happen.
Why You’ll Love This Ground Beef Recipe
- 20-minute dinner: Ground beef cooks quickly, making this perfect for busy nights.
- Simple ingredients: The sauce is made with ingredients we almost always have on hand.
- Big flavor, little effort: Sweet, savory and just a little tangy with hardly any prep.
- Easy to customize: Make it less sweet, turn up the heat or load your bowl with veggies.
- Great for leftovers: The beef reheats and freezes incredibly well.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe keeps things simple, affordable, and full of flavor – exactly how we like our weeknight dinners. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Ground Beef: Ground chuck works too; use your favorite lean-to-fat ratio.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic gives the beef tons of flavor.
- Soy Sauce: The salty, savory base of the sauce. Low sodium works too.
- Orange Juice: Adds sweetness, acidity and bright citrus flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Creates the sweet-savory sauce. Use ¼ cup for a less-sweet version.
- Sweet Chili Sauce: Adds sweetness with a mild kick of heat.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: A little goes a long way for deep, nutty flavor.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the sauce so it clings to the beef.
- Green Onions: A fresh finish that cuts through the rich sauce.
How to Make Korean Ground Beef
This 20-minute ground beef recipe comes together in just four easy steps:
- Brown the beef: Cook the ground beef and garlic until browned; drain the grease.
- Whisk the sauce: Combine the soy sauce, orange juice, brown sugar, sweet chili sauce, sesame oil and cornstarch.
- Simmer: Pour the sauce over the beef and cook until slightly thickened.
- Serve: Spoon over rice and finish with green onions and sesame seeds.
Make It Your Way: Less Sweet or Spicier
One of the best things about this recipe is how easy it is to adjust the sauce to your family’s tastes. The original recipe is on the sweeter side, which is exactly how my family loves it, but the sauce is easy to adjust.
How to Make It Less Sweet
For a more savory Korean ground beef, reduce the brown sugar from ½ cup to ¼ cup. You’ll still get sweetness from the orange juice and sweet chili sauce, but the savory soy and nutty sesame flavors will stand out more.
If you’re unsure, start with ¼ cup brown sugar, taste the sauce after it has simmered with the beef and add a little more if needed.
How to Make It Spicier
Want some heat? Add red pepper flakes, sriracha or gochujang to the sauce.
- Mild heat: Add ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes.
- Turn up the heat: Add sriracha or gochujang to taste.
For families with different spice preferences, keep the beef mild and put the hot sauce or red pepper flakes on the table so everyone can customize their own bowl.
What to Serve with Korean Ground Beef
Our favorite is steamed white rice, but there are plenty of ways to turn this into dinner:
- Rice: White rice, brown rice or cauliflower rice
- Noodles: Ramen, udon or rice noodles
- Vegetables: Steamed broccoli, snap peas, asparagus or our Asian cucumber salad
- Lettuce wraps: Spoon the beef into crisp lettuce leaves
- Bowl: Add a fried egg, cucumber, edamame or other favorite toppings
Storage Tips
Refrigerator: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container for 4–5 days.
Freezer: Freeze cooked Korean ground beef in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
Meal prep: You can also whisk together the sauce and freeze it separately. Thaw, brown the beef and add the prepared sauce.
Reheating: Microwave until hot or warm gently in a skillet. Add a splash of broth or water if the beef seems dry.
This is one of those ground beef recipes I come back to again and again because it saves dinner when I have absolutely no plan. Twenty minutes, one skillet and ingredients I usually already have in the kitchen—then everyone can build their own bowl exactly how they like it. Keep this one in your back pocket for those nights when dinner needs to be easy and everyone needs to actually eat it.
Bonus! It freezes amazingly well, so 9/10 when I make it, I double the recipe and freeze half for another day!
More Easy Ground Beef Recipes
- Quick and Easy Dinner Ground Beef Casserole
- The Best Sloppy Joes
- Family Ground Beef Stew
- Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Beef Burrito Bowls
- One Skillet Ground Beef Enchiladas
- Meatloaf
- All our Ground Beef Recipes
Watch How This Recipe is Made…
Easy Korean Ground Beef Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Canola or Vegetable Oil
- 2 Pounds Ground Beef, or ground chuck
- 4 Cloves Garlic, minced
- ½ Cup Soy Sauce
- ½ Cup Orange Juice
- ½ Cup Brown Sugar, *reduce to ¼ cup for a less sweet sauce
- ¼ Cup Sweet Chili Sauce
- 2 teaspoons Toasted Sesame Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- 2 Green Onions, sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a cast iron pan over medium high heat.1 Tablespoon Canola or Vegetable Oil
- Add the ground beef and garlic. Using a meat chopper to break it up, cook until browned all the way through, about 3-5 minutes, then drain the grease.2 Pounds Ground Beef, 4 Cloves Garlic
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the ingredients for the sauce and whisk together until combined.½ Cup Soy Sauce, ½ Cup Orange Juice, ½ Cup Brown Sugar, ¼ Cup Sweet Chili Sauce , 2 teaspoons Toasted Sesame Oil, 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- Pour the sauce over the beef and simmer until thickened slightly.
- Serve over rice with steamed veggies and garnish with green onions.2 Green Onions
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Not really very good at all. Surprised at all the high ratings.
Thanks for the feedback Anne!
Super yummy and so easy! Cut recipe in half (except for the garlic) and it worked perfectly for two!
Love to hear this! Thanks Rena!
I didn’t have on so I used broth instead. I’m certain the oj would have been better, but the broth worked. Delicious & easy!
Hey Karen! Thank you so much for the feedback! That’s a great tip for our readers!
Came across this while I was searching for a ground beef recipe that wasn’t chili or a sauce of some kind. It was so good! I must admit I didn’t have orange juice, but I was thinking well, Cointreau has orange and sugar. I could use a splash of that instead of orange juice and brown sugar. I promise I’ll make it the proper way next time but the Cointreau worked! Served it with plain short-grain rice and steamed greens. The meat has enough flavor that you don’t need seasoning on the greens and rice other than a bit of salt when cooking the rice. Also added a bit of Gochujang for some zip. Like the idea of serving it in lettuce wraps and will do that next time. Thanks for the inspiration!
Yay! Love to hear this and excellent job improvising with the ingredients you already had! Thank you so much for taking time to leave us some feedback!
Thank you!! My son & I liked this very much!! I sautéed purple onions before browning the meat — just because we love onions with everything. Incredibly simple & delicious. Adding this to our dinners moving forward.
Yay! Love to hear this Brisena! Thank you for taking time to give us some feedback!
Used 1/2 the amount brown sugar and it was really, really good! We had it with jasmine rice and a snap pea stir fry mix. Will make again.
Hi Lorraine! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!
I added 3tbsp of fresh grated ginger.
Love it!
Yum! I love ginger! Thanks for the feedback Stuart!
I make this recipe several times a month. Absolutely love it.
Thank you so much!! So glad you enjoy it!
This was so easy and tasted amazing. I served it over rice but when the meal was done I tried using it in a lettuce wrap and added a drop of siracha and it was even better. I think this would be a great appetizer for future parties. Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Kristina! Making it a lettuce wrap is a great idea! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I happened to have all the ingredients to this recipe and served it over jasmine rice. Didn’t change a thing. We loved the interesting flavors and the ease of preperation.
It goes into my all time favorite recipe file.
Yay! Thank you so much!