Healthy Korean Beef Bowls

Healthy Korean Beef Bowls are a nutritious low calorie and nutrient dense meal. Even better, this is one healthy dish the whole family will enjoy for dinner! Made with minimal ingredients, full of flavor, and easy to make - these bowls are the perfect option when you need something easy and healthy.

What I Love About Korean Beef Rice Bowls

• Lower Calorie and Fat: These ground beef and rice bowls are just 313 calories with 3 grams of saturated fat. The remaining fat is healthy fat and that healthy fat will keep you fuller longer along with the protein.
• Higher Protein: You're going to get 28 grams of protein in each serving of Korean beef bowls. This amount of protein will keep you fuller longer.
• Simple Ingredients: There's nothing complicated here! The ingredient list is short and many are pantry staples you may already have.
• Versatile: You can take this recipe and do a lot with it like adding broccoli for more veggies!

Ingredients

Here's what you need to make this healthy Korean beef stir fry!

• Lean Ground Beef: Choose a lean variety of ground beef for the healthiest alternative. I buy grass-fed, grass-finished ground beef from ButcherBox. This dish also works great with ground turkey and ground chicken.
• Seasonings: We use a combination of fresh garlic, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes to season the Korean ground beef.
• Coconut Sugar: I prefer coconut sugar because it's generally less processed and is less likely to cause a blood sugar spike. Feel free to use any sugar you like and even honey works great. The dish also works great if you leave it out completely.
• Soy Sauce: Low sodium soy sauce is what I recommend. If you are gluten-free, use coconut aminos or tamari sauce.
• Brown Rice: You can use white rice too!
• Green Onions: Add flavor and a bit of color for serving.
• Sesame Seeds: These add a nutty finish to the dish. Feel free to leave them out if you want.

For the full ingredient list with measurements and nutritional data, scroll to the bottom of this post to the recipe card.

Variations

• Swap the Beef: Shrimp and salmon work great! I like to toss them in the sauce before cooking. If you have the time let them marinate for 10-15 minutes.
• Lower Carb and Paleo: Swap the brown rice for zucchini noodles or cauliflower rice.
• Gluten-Free: The only change you need to make for these bowls to be gluten-free is to replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos or tamari sauce.
• Korean Beef and Broccoli: Add some blanched broccoli to the dish to cook with the beef right at the end.
• Noodles Instead of Rice: This ground beef Korean bowl works great over lo mein, udon noodles, soba noodles, or rice noodles.

How To Make Korean Bowls With Ground Beef

Here's how to make these Asian-inspired bowls with ground beef and rice! From start to finish this dish takes less than 30 minutes to make!

Step 1: Cook the beef. Cook the beef and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink. Drain the meat then place back in the skillet.

Step 2: Mix and add the seasonings. Whisk together the sugar, soy sauce, olive oil, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl and then pour the sauce over the meat.

Step 3: Assemble the bowls. Serve the beef mixture over cooked rice and sprinkle the top with the green onions and sesame seeds.

Expert Tips

• Serving Ideas: I love serving this low-calorie Korean beef bowl with roasted broccoli, roasted cauliflower, cooked asparagus, green beans or even a small side salad.
• Storage Tips: Store your leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days or in the freezer for up to three months. Reheat them in the microwave or a skillet until heated through.
• Make Sure to Drain: Be sure you drain the excess grease from your ground beef so the bowls are greasy.

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