Korean beef bowls have become one of the hottest recipe trends in recent years, and for good reason. These flavor packed bowls are quick and easy to make infinitely customizable and incredibly craveworthy. The sesame soy beef bowl recipe from popular food blogger Jessica Merchant of How Sweet Eats is a prime example of why this meal has achieved viral fame within the home cooking scene. In this article, we’ll break down everything that makes Merchant’s Korean beef bowl so irresistible and teach you how to recreate it at home.
An Overview of Jessica Merchant’s Korean Beef Bowl Recipe
The Korean beef bowl recipe published on HowSweetEatscom streamlines the classic bibimbap formula into a fast weeknight dinner It calls for just 10 ingredients you likely have on hand
- Jasmine rice
- Ground beef
- Brown sugar
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Chili garlic sauce
- Ginger
- Green onions
- Carrots
- Zucchini
The cooking process is simple
- Cook the rice.
- Brown the ground beef with seasonings and green onions.
- Quickly stir in spiralized zucchini noodles.
- Serve the beef and zoodles over the cooked rice.
- Garnish with grated carrot and sesame seeds.
Total hands on time is only about 30 minutes. The aromatic spices infuse the beef with layers of flavor that punch way above the minimal effort required.
Customizing Your Korean Beef Bowl
One of the best aspects of this recipe is how adaptable it is to personal preferences. The basic formula accepts almost endless mix-ins allowing you to customize your bowl. Some easy ideas for variations include:
- Substituting chicken, pork, shrimp, tofu or more veggies for the beef.
- Using cauliflower rice or quinoa instead of jasmine.
- Mixing in kimchi, snap peas, mushrooms, eggs and more.
- Drizzling with creamy ginger dressing, sriracha mayo or chili crisp.
- Topping with avocado, peanuts, cilantro or scallions.
- Serving in lettuce wraps rather than a bowl.
The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. You can also tweak the flavors by adjusting levels of garlic, ginger, sesame and chili paste to suit your tastes.
Why This Recipe Got So Popular
Several key factors explain why Merchant’s Korean ground beef bowl has become such a hit online:
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Quick prep: With just 30 minutes stove-top cooking, it’s easy to pull together any night of the week.
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Endless adaptability: As discussed above, it’s incredibly customizable to your preferences.
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Satisfying protein: The beef provides filling protein to keep you full.
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Veggie focus: Zucchini noodles add nutrients without heavy carbs.
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Craveworthy flavor: Sweet, salty, spicy and umami notes make it insanely delicious.
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Textural contrast: The mix of tender beef, crisp-tender zoodles and fluffy rice gives pleasing variety.
This winning combo of advantages makes the How Sweet Eats Korean beef bowl recipe an ideal choice for your weekly rotation.
Tips for Perfecting Your Korean Beef Bowls
Here are some extra pointers for achieving the best possible results when you make Korean beef bowls:
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Use 80/20 ground beef for ideal moisture and beefy flavor.
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Brown the beef thoroughly to develop complex, nutty umami notes.
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Cook zucchini noodles briefly, just until slightly softened, to maintain crisp texture.
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Toast sesame seeds in a dry pan for enhanced nuttiness and crunch.
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Top with a runny fried egg for extra protein and luscious creaminess.
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Add kimchi for a spicy kick and gut-healthy probiotic benefits.
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Drizzle with store-bought or homemade chili crunch oil for textural contrast and heat.
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Meal prep components separately to prevent sogginess and combine when ready to eat.
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Store leftovers in individual containers and gently reheat to preserve textures.
Meal Prep Ideas with Korean Beef Bowls
The components of Korean beef bowls hold up well, making them a great make-ahead meal. Here are two sample meal preps featuring this recipe:
Meal Prep #1
- Korean Beef Bowl
- Side salad with ginger dressing
- Fruit
Double the beef and zoodles to use half for meal prep. Portion into containers with rice and greens. Pack dressing and fruit separately.
Meal Prep #2
- Korean Beef Bowl
- Coconut Curry Soup
- Veggies and hummus
Use half the beef for bowls and half for curry. Make soup with coconut milk, curry paste, chicken stock, vegetables and cilantro. Enjoy with raw veggies and hummus.
Freeze extra portions of rice, zoodles or beef to pull from later. Reheat gently before eating.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of soy sauce should I use?
Low sodium soy sauce enhances flavor without overpowering. Tamari works great too.
Can I use steak instead of ground beef?
Absolutely. Slice flank steak very thin against the grain. Stir-fry briefly just until no longer pink.
Can I use pre-riced cauliflower instead of zoodles?
Yes, riced cauliflower makes a healthy, low-carb substitute for the zucchini noodles.
How long does it keep refrigerated?
The beef and veggies will last 3-4 days. Eat rice within 3 days for best quality.
Can I use frozen vegetables?
You sure can. Thaw first or stir fry still frozen for quick cooking.
What are good side dishes?
Some tasty sides are kimchi, cucumber salad, miso soup, garlic broccoli or veggie fried rice.
Can I make it with brown rice?
Yes, just adjust the cook time and water amount as needed for brown rice.
Enjoy Restaurant Worthy Korean Bowls at Home
Jessica Merchant’s Korean beef bowl recipe simplifies preparing this takeout favorite at home any night of the week. With its craveable flavor profile, customizable ingredients, and meal prep potential, it’s easy to understand why it has become such a hit. For delicious beef bowls bursting with sweet, salty, spicy and savory flavor, be sure to try the famous How Sweet Eats recipe. Adjust and tweak it to make the Korean bowl of your dreams!
And it tastes so good!
Coconut rice is another go-to that I love, so I made some brown jasmine rice (Trader Joe’s has the best!) and white jasmine rice using my coconut rice recipe. I could eat that alone sprinkled with a little soy sauce. Fantastic.
Once the bowl all comes together, the chicken warms up the cabbage and the carrots and it’s super good. Just like the bowls in The Pretty Dish, I like to serve it with a sprinkling of sesame seeds, some lime spritzes and cilantro. And lots of avocado. I can’t help it! Love it ALL.
Since it’s one of my life goals to create non-boring chicken recipes – and to make chicken that I actually want to eat, I am all over this. Like I could not WAIT to tell you about these!
The other great thing about the chicken is that before I even tested it for the blog, Eddie was prepping it for his lunches for an entire WEEK. So you can obviously do that too. Once I started testing this recipe with the bowls, he added some cabbage for a slaw. As well as some other veggies. Seriously, the chicken might taste better the next day. It’s incredible.
You can also just prep the chicken and then make other delicious things like pizzas and tacos and salads this week. Oh my!
How to Make Sesame Soy Chicken with Coconut Rice
