Learn How to Make Our Super Quick Korean Beef
With this Super Quick Korean Beef dish in your repertoire, dinner will be on the table in no time.
On the Table in 15 Minutes
This dish came about when we had some extra ground beef in the Test Kitchen and it was dinnertime and we all needed to eat. Like now. We often make a big batch of rice and we happened to have some already made, which meant we just needed a flavorful beef dish using pantry items.
That was the challenge.
Fresh or Dry?
Sure, you could make this Super Quick Korean Beef with fresh ginger but we found that the ground ginger from the spice rack works in a pinch.
We call this “Korean” because it combines typically used flavors like salty soy, sweet brown sugar, spicy hot pepper along with the aromatic ginger and toasted sesame oil, which are often used in Korean beef dishes.
Speaking of fresh, the fresh chopped scallion greens are not optional! They really add to the dish.
Multi-task!
Multi-task and steam some green beans while stir-frying the beef and you will have dinner ready in 15 minutes! The sesame seeds are optional, but if you have them around (we store ours in the freezer) they add visual interest and texture to the dish.
This dish was a FODMAP IT!™ recipe based on one that we found at Damned Delicious.
Looking for More Quick Recipes?
Use our Recipe Filter! You can search for Quick recipes, which you can get on the table in 30 minutes or less, and/or search for Easy recipes, too. Those have 15 minutes or less of prep time, with perhaps longer time in the oven or cooking or resting time that can be unattended.
You’ll find meaty Quick and Easy recipes as varied as Lamb Burgers with Feta Tzatziki Sauce, Juicy Pork Chops and Asian Pork Lettuce Wraps (certified by Monash University) to a few pork loin recipes and that’s just for starters! And if you love this recipe you will also love our Low FODMAP Pork & Noodles.
Try our Korean BBQ Short Ribs, too!
For another VERY popular FODMAP IT!™ recipe, check out our Ben Lee’s Butter Chicken.
Super Quick Korean Beef
Tangy, sweet and salty flavors combine in this super easy ground beef dish. If you have rice already made, dinner will be on the table in no time.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup (54 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon ground dry ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon Garlic-Infused Oil, made with vegetable oil or purchased equivalent
- 1 pound (455 g) lean ground beef
- 1/4 cup (16 g) chopped scallions, green parts only
- 1/4 teaspoon white sesame seeds optional
Preparation:
-
Whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, ginger and hot pepper flakes in a small bowl.
-
Heat your wok or a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and heat until shimmering. Break meat with hands and add to hot wok or pan. Stir-fry the beef, breaking up with a spatula as you go. After about 1 to 2 minutes or when the beef is about halfway cooked through add the sauce and continue to stir-fry until beef is cooked all the way through. Add scallions and sesame seeds if using and give the beef one last toss.
-
Serve immediately with hot rice, white or brown. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheated in the microwave or on the stovetop. (This makes a great lunch to take to the office, by the way).
Dédé’s Quick Recipe Tips Video
Notes:
If You Can Tolerate
- Fructans: If you have passed the garlic fructan Challenge you can use 1 tablespoon regular vegetable oil and add 1 minced garlic clove along with the meat.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
Good idea and easy to make but in my opinion the sauce was way too sweet and lacked depth. I had to add some extra heat and soy sauce to balance it out and still felt like it was missing something… thanks for the inspiration though!
Sounds like some great tweaks for you. FYI I find that the flavor varies huge depending on the soy sauce used. I am partial to San J products, FYI.
Five star! We all loved it. I had to leave out the spice for the wee one. He loved it. Everyone did. I used turkey cuz that’s what I had and I added grated carrot, zucchini and spinach. Can’t wait to try w beef. It’s a great recipe for anyone looking for a home run. And it’s a great base recipe for home cooks who like to free style. Thanks!!
Miranda, Thank you for the lovely note! So happy to hear that it was suitable for the whole family. Just one note – for everyone – when altering a recipe you must be aware that the FODMAP load will most likely change. Carrots contain no FODMAPs. Zucchini and spinach have very specific low FODMAP serving sizes, so as long as you all have the Monash app (YOU ALL DO, RIGHT?) and you teach yourself how to understand STACKING, then you can tweak to your heart’s content! Of course, in the end, if you tolerate the finished dish, then you have your answer as to whether it was “OK” for you! And that is what counts.
I make this on a regular basis, it’s so fast and easy. The flavor is rather strong – so I use it mostly in onigiri or spring rolls. Like a furikake or something.
We love when folks make recipes their own! Always keep an eye on FODMAP load when making any changes as we cannot guarantee that the recipe will remain low FODMAP. Furikake should be fine in small amounts.
It’s so fast and easy, especially when you’re starving and want to eat now! Mine wasn’t hot enough for my taste, so next time I will just chop up a jalapeño or serrano pepper and sauté it quickly in the oil before I add the beef. I really wanted a vegetable too, but I wanted to eat asap. I ate it with quinoa as I cannot eat rice anymore. It certainly worked for me, and now I have dinner for tomorrow also. I cut the whole recipe in half as it was just for me. Thank you!
If you can take the heat, this is a great tweak! S0o glad you enjoyed it. Try with ground turkey, too:) I usually make either broccoli or green beans – or sometimes bok choy!
I forgot that I have baby bok choy in the vegetable drawer! That’s what happens when you have too much food in the refrigerator. Lol!
Would you have any tips for trading out the soy sauce for coconut aminos? I understand the serving size for aminos is significantly smaller than it is for soy sauce.. is there anything you would recommend to add to balance out the difference, for those who cannot have soy? Thank you!
I would approach this from two angles. To my palate the coconut aminos are much sweeter so I would go light on the sugar and adjust that to taste. Then, as far as how much of the coconut aminos you can use I would refer to how you use them in general. Perhaps you tolerate more than the Low FODMAP amount? It sounds like you use them often so I would use that as a guide
This immediately became a favorite for quick, easy and delicious in our house. The first time I made it everyone was surprised at how delicious it was. I want to use it next time as a filling in lettuce wraps. I think this flavorful filling in cool leaves of butter lettuce, or similar would be a great option. Thank you for this recipe!
Oh yay! Thank you for letting us know. People keep discovering this and it makes it into so many weekly rotations. Love the lettuce wrap idea; we have done that and it works perfectly.
One of my favorite recipes! I would have saved this and made it regularly even if I didn’t have to stay on a low FODMAP diet because it is super quick and easy and absolutely delicious! I made this recipe exactly as written and to me it is perfect this way. I like it on rice when I’m hungry and I use it as a filling in lettuce wraps when I want a delicious way to add some more fresh vegetables into my meals. Each time I’ve made it I have been surprised at how yummy it is. My husband and sons love it too (and they can eat high FODMAP foods)!
Thank you for writing Cassie! I have the same experience…every time I make this, it is like it is SO MUCH MORE than a sum of its simple parts! Thrilled to know the family is enjoying food together – that’s our goal!