This Korean Ground Beef and Broccoli Recipe makes tender ground beef and crunchy broccoli florets tossed in a sweet and savory sesame soy sauce, all on top of rice.
It’s the perfect weeknight dinner when you want something sumptuous, filling, and nutritious at the same time.
As moms, we all agree that time is precious. That’s why we love easy peasy recipes that we can whip up in no time like this dish that comes together in 30 minutes, and would go great with Air Fryer roasted vegetables (just leave out the broccoli since it’s already in this recipe).
If you’re a fan of family friendly dinner ideas, this is definitely a must try. Pack leftovers of this dish with this fruit berry salad for a lunch that both the kids and the hubby will enjoy.
Jump to:
- What Makes Korean Ground Beef and Broccoli Different From the American Version?
- SAVE THIS RECIPE!
- โค๏ธ Why Youโll Love This Recipe
- ๐ฅ Ingredients
- ๐ Substitutions
- ๐ Variations / Options / Add-Ins
- ๐ฅ Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools
- ๐ช How to Make Korean Ground Beef and Broccoli
- ๐ฉโ๐ณ Pro Tips
- โ Recipe FAQs
- ๐ Pairing
- SAVE THIS RECIPE!
- ๐ Recipe
What Makes Korean Ground Beef and Broccoli Different From the American Version?
Korean ground beef and broccoli differs from the American version primarily in its flavor profile and ingredients.
Korean ground beef and broccoli typically features a savory-sweet sauce made with ingredients like soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, brown sugar or honey. It also usually includes a hint of spice from ingredients like gochujang (Korean chili paste) or red pepper flakes.
While American versions of ground beef and broccoli dishes may use simple seasonings like salt, pepper, and perhaps a bit of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce,
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โค๏ธ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
The combination of sweet, savory, and meaty flavors in this Korean ground beef and broccoli will become one of your family’s favorite meals. Here are some great reasons why they’ll love it:
- Easy to make: It has easy to follow instructions that even beginners can follow.
- Great for meal prep: This dish is easy to make ahead of time, so it makes a great freezer meal.
- Healthy: It’s a balanced meal with good amounts of protein, carbohydrates, fat, and fiber.
If you like cooking Korean dishes, you might want to try these Instant Pot Korean short ribs.
๐ฅ Ingredients
The ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe are easy to find. Some of them, you might already have on hand.
- Ground beef: I recommend using 90% lean ground beef. It has just the right amount of fat to keep the dish moist, but not too greasy. On the other hand, you can pick any cut of beef like top round, chuck, or flank steak and ask your butcher to grind it for you.
- Broccoli: You can use either fresh or frozen broccoli florets.
- Rice: I like using Jasmine rice. Its aroma is just amazing. But you can also use brown rice for extra fiber and fewer calories.
- Soy sauce or Tamari: This gives the dish both color and seasoning. Use low sodium soy sauce so you have more control on the amount of sodium in your dish.
- Gochujang: A bit spicy and packed with umami, this ingredient is what makes it taste really Korean.
See recipe card for quantities.
๐ Substitutions
Ground beef: You can use other types of protein like ground turkey or chicken, or your preferred plant based meat substitute.
Soy sauce: Alternatively, you can use tamari, liquid aminos, or coconut aminos (or any of these tamari substitutes).
Gochujang: It is what makes this recipe taste like a Korean dish. It’s a bit spicy, sweet, and packed with umami flavor. But in case it’s not available in your area, you can also use sriracha, hot sauce, harissa paste or chili garlic sauce.
Rice: For low carb options, you can use cauliflower rice or shirataki rice.
๐ Variations / Options / Add-Ins
Here are some ways you can customize your version of ground beef, broccoli, and rice:
- Spicy: Love some extra spicy taste in your meals? Toss in a dash of red pepper flakes while cooking. Or, have some extra sriracha on the side and let your diners add according to their preference.
- Veggies: Aside from broccoli, you can add other vegetables to load up the nutritional value of your dish. You can add edamame, peas, carrots, baby corn, or snow peas.
- Toppings: Amp up your rice bowl by topping it with fried egg, nori, and chopped green onions.
This Chinese beef and broccoli is a slight variation of this dish as it contains ginger and hoisin sauce.
๐ฅ Equipment Needed / Helpful Tools
To make this recipe, you’ll only need:
- Large skillet or wok: This is where most of your meal will be cooked. You can use either pan, it’s whichever one you prefer.
- Spatula: You will use a spatula to break up the ground beef as it cooks.
- Small bowl: Most of the ingredients are combined in here to make the flavorful sauce.
๐ช How to Make Korean Ground Beef and Broccoli
This recipe comes together in under 30 minutes total time, prep and cook combined. Plus, the instructions are super simple and easy to follow.
Step 1: Brown the Ground Beef
In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef. It will take about 5-7 minutes. Break it apart using a spatula as you go along. It will naturally release some fat, so just spoon out or drain the excess liquid using a strainer, if needed.
Step 2: Cook Broccoli
Meanwhile, steam the broccoli florets in a steamer basket over boiling water in a pot for about 4 minutes. This is just enough time for the broccoli to soften without turning mushy.
Step 3: Add Cornstarch to Beef
After stirring in the cornstarch, cook the mixture for 3 minutes. Cornstarch will help the beef crisp up. It forms a crispy crust that also acts as a cover to seal in the moisture of the beef so that it remains tender.
Step 4: Add Sauce
In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic cloves, sesame oil and gochujang until sugar is dissolved. Pour this soy sauce mixture over the beef and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes.
Step 5: Assemble and Serve
Add the broccoli, stir, and continue to cook 2-3 more minutes. Serve over rice and garnish with sesame seeds. Enjoy your hearty bowl of Korean ground beef with rice.
๐ฉโ๐ณ Pro Tips
Here are some valuable tips that will help amp up your kitchen skills.
- Did you know that you can cook the rice and broccoli together? Some rice cookers have a steamer basket on top of them, so you can steam the broccoli as you cook the rice. Start steaming when the rice is 4-5 minutes shy from being fully cooked.
- For meal prep, portion rice and broccoli beef into microwave safe containers. Let cool to room temperature before storing. They will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 days, while in the freezer for up to 2 months.
โ Recipe FAQs
The key is to cook the ground beef on medium to high heat in the shortest amount of time until it’s no longer pink. When the dish is done, take it off the heat immediately so that the ground beef doesn’t dry out.ย
Yes! When consumed in moderation, beef is a good source of protein. Broccoli is an excellent source of nutrients including vitamin C, potassium, and iron.
Leftover cooked beef, such as this Korean beef and broccoli, will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 days.
๐ Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this Ground Beef and Broccoli:
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๐ Recipe
Korean Ground Beef and Broccoli Recipe
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Equipment
- Large skillet or wok
- Spatula
- Small bowl
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Gochujang optional or to taste (can use sriracha)
- 3 cups broccoli florets
- 3 cups cooked rice for serving
- sesame seeds optional, for serving
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef until well-browned and no longer pink, about 7 minutes. It will naturally release some fat, so just spoon out or drain the excess liquid using a strainer if needed.1 pound ground beef
- Meanwhile, steam the broccoli florets in a steamer basket over boiling water in a pot for approximately 4 minutes.3 cups broccoli florets
- Add cornstarch to the beef. Stir and cook until it turns crispy, about 3 minutes.1 tablespoon cornstarch
- In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic cloves, sesame oil, and gochujang until sugar is dissolved. Pour this soy sauce mixture over the beef and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes.1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 4 garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 tablespoon Gochujang
- Add the broccoli, stir, and continue to cook 2-3 more minutes. Serve over rice and garnish with sesame seeds.3 cups cooked rice, sesame seeds
Notes
Pro tips
- Did you know that you can cook the rice and broccoli together? Some rice cookers have a steamer basket on top of them, so you can steam the broccoli as you cook the rice. Start steaming when the rice is 4-5 minutes shy from being fully cooked.
- For meal prep, portion rice and broccoli beef into microwave safe containers. Let cool to room temperature before storing. They will keep well in the refrigerator for 3 days, while in the freezer for up to 2 months.
This Korean beef and broccoli was delicious and easy. Thanks for sharing the Gochujang substitution too!