Description
A quick and flavorful Korean-inspired dish featuring tender ground beef cooked with gochujang and savory vegetables, served over rice with a refreshing cucumber salad. Perfect for a speedy weeknight meal bursting with bold, spicy, and sweet umami flavors.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb ground beef (or chicken or pork)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 bell peppers, sliced
- 3 shallots, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup pickled ginger (or 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger)
- 1/2 cup tamari or soy sauce
- 2-3 tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 2 tbsp ginger juice
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
- 1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts
Cucumber Salad
- 4 Persian cucumbers, chopped
- 1 tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion or Thai basil
- 2 tbsp ginger juice or rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cook the beef: In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the ground beef and a pinch of black pepper. Break up the meat as it cooks and brown it evenly, about 5 minutes.
- Add vegetables and aromatics: Stir in the butter, sliced bell peppers, chopped garlic, sliced shallots, and ginger. Cook together for 2 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Create the sauce: Pour in the tamari or soy sauce, then add the gochujang and ginger juice along with 1/3 cup of water. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickly coats the beef mixture, about 2-3 minutes.
- Caramelize the beef: Mix in the maple syrup or honey, continuing to cook for another 1-2 minutes, allowing the beef to caramelize and flavors to meld. Remove from heat and toss with toasted sesame seeds.
- Prepare the cucumber salad: While the beef cooks, combine the chopped Persian cucumbers with salt, gochujang, ginger juice or rice vinegar, and chopped green onions or Thai basil in a bowl. Let sit for 5 minutes to develop flavors.
- Serve: Spoon the gochujang beef and peppers over bowls of cooked rice. Serve alongside the cucumber salad and sprinkle chopped roasted peanuts on top. Optionally, add spicy mayo for extra creaminess and heat. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
- Ground chicken or pork can be used as alternatives to beef for different flavor profiles.
- Adjust the amount of gochujang to control the spiciness of the dish.
- Add a fried egg on top for extra protein and richness.
- Use gluten-free tamari for a gluten-free version.
- The cucumber salad can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 2 hours.
- Spicy mayo can be made by mixing mayonnaise with gochujang to taste.
