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Overhead view of a ceramic bowl with glossy ground beef, bright edamame, shredded carrot and rice on a wood table.

Spicy Skillet Korean Ground Beef Bowls with Edamame

Ground beef simmers in a gochujang-soy sauce and gets piled over rice with edamame, carrot, and cucumber for a 32-gram-protein bowl in about 35 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, American comfort, Tex-Mex, Italian-American
Calories: 855
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and Sauce
  • 450 g ground beef 80/20 / 1 lb
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil (15 ml)
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
  • 60 ml low-sodium soy sauce (1/4 cup)
  • 30 g brown sugar (2 tbsp)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp gochujang adjust to taste
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil (15 ml)
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp water for slurry
Bowls
  • 500 g cooked white rice (about 3 cups)
  • 300 g edamame, shelled, frozen (about 2 cups)
  • 100 g carrots (1 cup); shredded
  • 100 g Persian cucumber (1 cup); sliced
  • 4 green onions sliced
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Method
 

Get the Rice, Edamame, and Sauce Ready
  1. If your rice isn't already cooked, start it now. You'll need 500 g / about 3 cups cooked rice for this recipe.
  2. Bring water to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan, add the frozen edamame, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until bright green and tender. Drain and set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, gochujang, sesame oil, and rice vinegar until the sugar dissolves.
  4. In a separate small bowl, stir the cornstarch into the 2 tbsp water until smooth. Set the slurry aside.
Cook the Beef
  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and break it up with a wooden spoon.
  2. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is no longer pink and reaches 160 F / 71 C on an instant-read thermometer. Drain off excess fat if the skillet looks greasy.
  3. Add the garlic and ginger to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  4. Pour the sauce over the beef and stir to coat. Simmer for 2 minutes.
  5. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Assemble the Bowls
  1. Divide the rice among four bowls. Top each with the beef, edamame, shredded carrot, and cucumber.
  2. Scatter green onions and sesame seeds over the top and serve right away.

Notes

  • Use 80/20 ground beef; leaner blends dry out in the sauce.
  • Drain excess fat after browning if the skillet looks greasy.
  • Simmer the cornstarch slurry a full 2 minutes or the sauce stays thin.
  • Cook edamame just 3 to 4 minutes so it stays bright, not mushy.