Quick Korean Beef Bowls - A simple, easy weeknight dinner option that's bursting with flavor and that comes together in 15 minutes.
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This Post is a part of Simply Sissom’s Real Food For Real Life: Easy Dinner Recipes for Busy Families series. To get all the recipes + quick no prep side ideas .. download the free Recipe Ebook HERE.
When Cruz and I came home from the hospital 3 months ago it was, well.. rough. Life was a literal blur. Meal prepping, grab-n-go breakfasts and dinners that included actual sides were not happening. I'd made some back up dinners for the freezer, and while they were wonderful, we blew through them in no time flat.
Most nights I was able to pull it together enough to get something on the table. It was always a super simple recipe, you know the kind that you feel a little guilty about even calling a recipe. You guys, I'm going to level with you, I made the same ones OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER.
Want to hear something shocking (and possibly revolutionary)??? Nobody cared. Seriously, I don't think that they even noticed. Joe was just grateful to not have to make his own and the boys, well.. the boys just view dinner as an interruption in their day that they have to get through.
I've gradually found my creativity in kitchen in the last few weeks (because I enjoy it), but more than ever I realize that there is an important place for recipes that can be made from simple pantry ingredients, whip together in no time and make the least amount of dirty dishes possible.
Today starts the beginning of a series here on Simply Sissom called "Real Food For Real Life". I'm going to be sharing 5 of my favorite recipes that I went back to again and again right after Cruz came home. You can follow along with the series here on the blog or you can get all 5 recipes at once in my FREE Recipe Ebook: Real Food For Real Life. I hope that you can find these useful on nights when you honestly don't have the time or energy to make diner happen, but you know you have to do it anyway.
Up first.. these Quick Korean Beef Bowls.
You guys, when I say quick, I mean quick! Sweet + Umami flavors meld together to create a yummy Asian inspired sauce that's bursting with flavor. Mix it up with some ground beef, frozen veggies, plop it on top of some rice and you've got a 1-skillet wonder ready to serve up in 15 minutes flat.
This recipe has one of my favorite things going for it: NO CHOPPING REQUIRED. Now, don't get me wrong.. if you want to dice up fresh veggies than by all means, you do you. But, if you want to stay true to the whole "I don't feel like cooking situation" then you've got to bust out the frozen veggie medleys. I used a pea and carrot mix and trust me when I say nobody even knew the difference.
A Few Other Shortcut Options:
- Frozen Brown Rice. Sure, you can make your own. And yes, it might taste a little bit better. That said.. I really doubt that your family is going to notice.
- Chunky Minced Garlic Paste instead of chopping garlic. Again.. you could chop your own. Again.. it might have a little extra flavor. Again.. your family won't notice or appreciate.
Time Saving Tips and Tricks:
Prep: I used frozen/pre-chopped carrots for this recipe so prepping wasn't necessary. If you wanted to use fresh carrots they could be chopped in advanced. You could also pre-chop garlic or prepare the brown rice. Full disclosure.. I used frozen brown rice as well!
Make Ahead: These bowls are a perfect make ahead situation. I like to double the recipe, serve half for dinner and save the other half for my own lunches throughout the week.
Freezer: I used frozen brown rice and a frozen carrot/pea combination. You could freeze the ground beef mixture once cooked if you wanted to, but I find that this recipe is so easy it really isn't necessary. It's more trouble to thaw it out than to cook it fresh.
Recipe
Quick Korean Beef Bowls
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Quick Korean Beef Bowls - A simple, easy weeknight dinner option that's bursting with flavor and that comes together in 15 minutes.
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ cups frozen carrots and peas (if you use fresh, dice them small and add them with the meat and garlic)
¼ cup coconut sugar (you can sub brown sugar)
¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
¼ tsp black pepper
2 cups prepared brown rice
sliced green onions and sesame seeds for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet, add the beef and garlic. Brown over medium heat while using a wooden spoon to break up the meat. Once meat is broken up, add the frozen carrots and peas.
- While meat is browning and veggies are cooking, combine coconut sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes and black pepper in a small bowl. Whisk to Combine.
- Once meat is no longer pink and the veggies are tender, pour the sauce over the mixture. Allow it simmer for 1-2 minutes so the flavors can combine.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately over prepared brown rice. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- Using pre-chopped garlic or the chunky garlic that can be purchased in tubes eliminates all chopping from this recipe.
- If you don't have frozen carrots/peas or if it will prevent your kids from eating, skip it!
- This recipe makes 4 servings, but they are small (2 adults, 2 small children). If you are feeding a hunger crowd, double the recipe.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Quick and Easy
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 423
- Sugar: 12.9 g
- Sodium: 546.6 mg
- Fat: 7.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 57.3 g
- Protein: 31.6 g
- Cholesterol: 67.8 mg
Let's Connect:
- You can find Simply Sissom on Instagram where I share even more recipes (some that aren't on the blog), behind the scenes pics and videos AND tips and tricks to make healthy eating realistic for your busy family.
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