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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.
I used less brown sugar, add more fresh pressed orange juice, more garlic, plus 1/2 tsp of fresh ginger.
Steamed rice with it.
Plus some homemade kimchi
Sounds delicious! Thanks Silvana!
absolutely delicious. We used fresh squeezes orange juice and added rice vinegar to counteract it sweet and sour. LOVED it, and will make again.
Love to hear this, Jo! Thank you so much for feedback!!
Hi, this sounds easy and delicious. However, I don’t like anything spicy. (My forehead has broken out in a sweat just from eating pepperoni pizza.) I can now tolerate a tiny sprinkle of chili powder, but usually black pepper is my upper limit.
Can I just leave out the heat entirely, and just skip the chili oil? Will it taste weird, do you think? I’d really like to try this dish! I am looking for easy ground beef recipes and this sounds tasty.
Hi Alice! I also don’t do spicy, so I totally understand! Sweet chili sauce is very mild, but if you want to omit it completely, you definitely can. You could substitute it with honey if you want to keep the text similar. I think you’ll love this recipe!
OMG!!! This was absolutely delicious, easy to make and fast!! I already had most of the ingredients. This was so good that my husband thought I purchased it, my picky daughter ate 2 servings and they BOTH didn’t believe it was hamburger meat, neither of them like hamburger (lol). My family DEMANDED I save this recipe and to make it once a week!
Brenda!! You’ve made my day!! Thank you so much for leaving a comment! So glad you enjoyed it!
Could you use anything in place of the sweet chili sauce?
Hi Breezy! The best substitute for the 1/4 cup of sweet chili sauce would be 4 Tablespoons of honey and 2 teaspoons of sriracha. And you could increase or decrease the sriracha depending on how much heat you want.
Delicious! I would lessen the brown sugar next time. So good!
Hi Kelly! Yes, you can definitely lessen the sugar if you prefer a less sweet sauce. I’ve actually starting doing half the sugar myself!
Delicious! Sweet and savoury. The only adjustment I would make is add a chilli pepper for some heat. Kids loved it. Very quick and easy.
Thank you Karen! Yes, definitely some chili pepper can be added if you want some heat!
So delicious! Last weekend I sent my uncle a bowl and he loved it so much I sent more over. Thanks for sharing this reciepe, I’m making the sauce with a different meat tonight!
I made this recipe for my son and I last night as my wife was out of town for business. She gets home tonight and I will be surprising her with dinner. Last night was over rice. Tonight will be lettuce wraps. It’s safe to say I loved it. Two nights in a row. 😂
My partner and I have attempted many ground beef dishes, but I find that the flavors often don’t complement the beef or aren’t enhanced properly. Tonight, we decided to try this recipe, and it will now be our go to recipe!
You’ve made my day Stephanie! Thank you!! So glad you enjoyed it!