Korean · main

Korean Ground Beef Bowl

Korean Ground Beef Bowl reads umami 7.1, richness 5.6 and salinity 5.2 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Korean main, about 16 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.9 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.6 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.3 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.0 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.1 · Richness 5.6 · Salinity 5.2 · Nutty 4.3 · Sweetness 4.3 · Allium 4.1 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Warm Spice 2.1 · Earthy 1.9 · Herbaceous 1.8 · Heat 1.7 · Floral 1.2 · Sourness 1.1 · Fruity 1.0 · Bitterness 1.0 · Citrus 0.5

What's in it (14)

• beef — 454 g
• garlic — 12 g
• ginger — 15 g
• soybean soy sauce — 59 g
• brown sugar — 38 g
• dark sesame oil — 9 g
• red chili flakes — 3 g
• green onions — 440 g
• vegetable oil — 14 g
• carrots — 473 g
• ground toasted sesame seeds — 15 g
• white rice — 532 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 1 g

Time & effort: about 16 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 156.8 kcal, 7.5 g protein, 2.8 g fat, 25.9 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Whisk soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, 1 tsp of the sesame oil, and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl to make the bulgogi sauce; set aside.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, sprinkle with salt and black pepper, and cook, breaking it into small crumbles with a spatula, until deeply browned and no longer pink, internal temperature reaching 160°F, 6-7 minutes.
3. Tilt the skillet and spoon off all but 1 tablespoon of rendered fat.
4. Push the beef to one side, add the carrots to the cleared space, and stir-fry until just tender-crisp, 2-3 minutes.
5. Pour the bulgogi sauce over the beef and carrots, stir everything together, and simmer, stirring often, until the sauce reduces to a glossy glaze that clings to the meat, 3-4 minutes.
6. Remove from heat, drizzle with the remaining sesame oil, stir in half the green onions, and taste, adding more salt if needed.
7. Divide the warm rice among four bowls.
8. Top each bowl with the glazed beef and carrots, then finish with the remaining green onions and sesame seeds.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Vegetable Fried Rice — Chinese-American
• One-Pan Vegetable Fried Rice with Egg — Chinese-American
• Dakgalbi (Spicy Korean Chicken Stir-Fry) — Korean
• Ground Pork and Green Bean Stir-Fry — Chinese-American
• One-Pan Chicken Fried Rice — Chinese-American

Keep reading: what umami, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.