This Korean beef recipe is the kind of dish that both beginning and experienced cooks need in their life.
The meal comes together in minutes and is full of fantastic flavors. Cheater Korean Beef is easier to make than ordering take-out, saves you money, and tastes better too!
Korean Beef
I love so many things about this recipe! This has been one of my favorite takeout meals for a long time. A good Korean beef is salty, savory, sweet, tangy and spicy all at once.
Everything is simple enough to be found in most grocery stores, too. No running around town looking for hard-to-find ingredients. (Who has time for that?)
The recipe I’m sharing today is a “cheater” version because it uses ground beef instead of the more traditional (and expensive) cuts of meat. This dish includes our favorite Asian ingredients, including fresh ginger.
The fact it’s made with ground beef instead of a more expensive cut of meat makes it a really great alternative to the pricier meats when you are craving Chinese food or an Asian meal.
Best of all, you can make this recipe start to finish in less than 20 minutes.
I’ve served the Korean beef over rice, wrapped in lettuce, and on top of a salad.
A rice bowl with this meat and peas served over perfectly cooked white or brown rice makes for a crowd-pleasing dinner or lunch. It packs up wonderfully in to-go containers to take to work or school and reheats beautifully.
We like this so very much that I’ve taken to doubling the recipe every time I make it just to ensure we have leftovers. I get absolutely giddy when I’m wondering what to serve for lunch and remember I have a container of Korean Beef waiting in the fridge!
Your favorite takeout place is going to start missing you once you get Cheater Korean Beef into your meal rotation. It’s so easy, flavorful and economical that you’ll wonder where this recipe has been all your life.
Korean Beef Recipe
I’ve tried a few different recipes for Korean beef over the years. When my friend Amy told me about this Cheater Korean Beef, I made it the very next day.
We were in the middle of moving and over the next month, I made this for dinner four more times. It really is one of the easiest dinners that you can make.
My family has quite a few “favorite” easy meals so, as you can imagine, that says a lot about how much we enjoyed this beef.
This is the perfect dinner for busy nights when you just don’t have much time to think about what you’re going to be eating. My kids still cheer when they see this on the stove, even after eating it countless times over the past few years.
This is also super easy to turn into a freezer meal. Just freeze the cooked beef before you add the green onions. After thawing and reheating, add the green onions on top when you’re ready to serve.
Easy Dinner Recipes
If you’re looking for more lightning-fast, easy dinner recipes, check out the Kielbasa Cabbage Potato Skillet, the {Better Than Take Out} Beef and Broccoli Stir-Fry, and this Pizza Soup. My kids love every one of those recipes and my older boys can make them on their own too, making them even easier dinner nights for me!
I have Monterey Chicken, Turkey Taco Stuffed Sweet Potatoes, and Easy Skillet Lasagna on my list to try soon. Every one of these meals comes together in under 20 minutes.
For fellow enthusiasts of Asian-inspired recipes, I highly recommend trying Foodie with Family’s Chinese Pork Recipe for an upcoming weekend meal.
Korean Cheater Beef
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Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the beef until cooked through, crumbling it as it browns.
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Drain thoroughly, then add the garlic and ginger and cook another minute or two until fragrant.
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Whisk together the brown sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, and chili paste. Pour the liquids over the beef, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes to blend the flavors and slightly thicken the sauce.
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Add the peas, stir and simmer a minute longer. The peas will thaw and warm in the hot skillet.
MAKE AHEAD MEAL: This dish reheats wonderfully. I’ve learned to double the recipe every time I make it. The beef freezes well too, just skip the green onions and sprinkle them on the top when ready to serve. Cheater Korean Beef is pretty much the ultimate in flavorful and frugal make-ahead meals.
Cheater Korean Beef
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 pounds ground beef
- 3-4 large cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger cut into tiny matchsticks
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2-3 teaspoons chili paste
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- Optional: 1 cup frozen peas
- 3 green onions sliced thin
Instructions
- Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Brown the beef until cooked through, crumbling it as it browns. Drain thoroughly, then add the garlic and ginger and cook another minute or two until fragrant.
- Whisk together the brown sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce, and chili paste. Pour the liquids over the beef, stir to combine, and bring to a simmer for 2 minutes to blend the flavors and slightly thicken the sauce. Add the peas, stir and simmer a minute longer. The peas will thaw and warm in the hot skillet. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 2/26/15 – recipe notes and photos updated 10/30/19}
Akshat Malya says
Awesome flavours! I always love to eat Korean beef but was not aware of the recipe.Easy to make and just need two utensils to make it and that is also easily available top rice cooker and skillet.
Keep sharing such more recipes!
jordan daniel says
I followed the above-shared recipe for cheater Korean Beef, I ended up my work with the same result which is described here. I was completely amazed by the taste of the dish, it was very delicious.
Rosie says
Would like to have nutritional information please on recipes.
Thank you
Jackie says
Instead of sesame oil is there a different oil I can use ? My kids are allergic to sesame ….
Mary says
You can use any oil you like. The sesame does add a unique flavor, but it’s still tasty without it.
Kathryn says
I know fresh is always best, but hubby doesn’t like the texture of fresh ginger. How much ground ginger should I sub to equal the 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger?
Angel says
Great Question. I would also like to know as well. Thank you.
Mary Younkin says
Angel, I use almost exclusively fresh ginger so I have not tried it with ground ginger before. I did a quick search and 1/4 teaspoon of ground is what others recommend.
Jeanne says
How would this recipe be with ground turkey? Any suggestions?
Mary Younkin says
This will work fine with ground turkey, if that is your preference, Jeanne.
Barb says
I love your site! Easy recipes and tasty!
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad to hear that you are enjoying the recipes, Barb!
J. Nelson says
Thanks for the recipe! We just tried it and loved how easy and tasty it was! 🙂
Mary Younkin says
I’m thrilled that you like the recipe!
Amelia says
Quick, easy to make and amazing flavour! Has become one of our top ten meals! Love it!!
Mary Younkin says
I love this! I’m so glad that you like it, Amelia.
Sydney says
I’ve made this recipe countless times over the years, which is saying something because I am always on the hunt for something new! It’s great for a quick weeknight meal or for someone like me when I started to make it: out on my own in college. I highly encourage you give it a go! It’s delicious. Sometimes we multiply the sauce by 1.5 so we have some more for the rice. It also doubles well and adjusting the spice levels to who you’re making it for is quite easy. It also tastes great with carrots and edamame if you’re looking for a change from peas or wanting to bulk it up with more vegetables.
Winefred says
I love dishes like this that can include a vegetable. Is there an other vegetable you might recommend in addition or in place of the peas?
Mary Younkin says
Winefred, you could try broccoli or green beans, perhaps.