Can I make these beef mince bowls for meal prep?

Yes! Simply pack the beef and rice together in re-heatable portioned containers, and keep the drizzle separately. You can then add whatever toppings you want (simply kimchee from the jar can be portioned out at speed) after you have re-heated them in the microwave. I do try to eat these within 3 days, though, even if I've been super careful rapidly cooling rice before chilling it.

Do I have to use microwave rice? Can I use regular rice instead?

Absolutely - I just tend to use sticky pouch rice pouches when making rice bowls for quick dinners for ease. Either cook 60g of Jasmine rice per person (you'll need an extra pan but you'll still easily come under the 30 minute mark for getting dinner on the table) or go the extra mile by making a couple of portions of my Takeaway-style Coconut Rice .

Can I substitute other types of mince for the beef?

Whilst I'd avoid lamb, chicken, pork, turkey or venison would all work well in this recipe.

Can I scale up this recipe to use an entire packet of mince?

Yes, simply double everything! I try to write my recipes where possible to serve two as I know people find it much easier to scale up than down and there are too many recipes on the internet that serve six people or more, but this will easily double to make four bowls, or dinner for two with enough leftovers for two instead.

Do you have any other suggestion for toppings for these Korean rice bowls?

What I love about a rice bowl is that they're totally customisable! Other options include topping it with an egg fried in toasted sesame oil for a bit of extra protein bibimbap-style, you could make life easier by choosing regular diced avocado instead of making the salad, you could combine the kimchee and cucumber elements by making a quick cucumber kimchee , sliced radishes would be good, and if you're not too enamoured by the idea of the Gochujang drizzle, you could make my Korean Sweet Chilli Sauce instead!

Korean Beef Mince Rice Bowls

Name: Korean Beef Mince Rice Bowls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 1/2 tbsp light oil; 1 banana shallot; sea salt; 200-250g beef mince (depending on packet size); 2 large garlic cloves; 1/2 tbsp grated ginger; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp runny honey; 1 tbsp gochujang; 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil; 2 tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise; 1/2 tbsp gochujang; 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar; 1/2 tsp runny honey; 1 x 250g pouch microwave sticky rice; 2 spring onions, thinly sliced; kimchee; cucumber slices; sesame avocado salad

Description

These quick and easy Korean Beef Mince Rice Bowls are loaded up with your choice of toppings (I’ve chosen sesame avocado, sliced cucumber and kimchee!) before being finished with an addictive creamy Gochujang Drizzle – all ready in just 25 minutes!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Korean Beef Mince

1/2 tbsp light oil
1 banana shallot
sea salt
200–250g beef mince (depending on packet size)
2 large garlic cloves
1/2 tbsp grated ginger
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp runny honey
1 tbsp gochujang
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

For the Creamy Gochujang Sauce

2 tbsp Kewpie mayonnaise
1/2 tbsp gochujang
1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp runny honey

For the Rice Bowls

1 x 250g pouch microwave sticky rice
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
kimchee
cucumber slices
sesame avocado salad

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

To make the mince, heat the oil in a medium frying pan over a medium-high heat. Peel and slice the shallot. Once the oil is shimmering, cook the shallot with a pinch of salt for 5 minutes until soft, and just starting to colour. Add the beef, and brown until starting to crisp, about 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, gochujang, and toasted sesame oil for the beef, whisk together all the gochujang drizzle ingredients, and prepare the rest of the rice bowl ingredients, except for the microwave rice.
Once the beef is crisping, stir in the garlic and ginger and cook for a further minute, followed by the sauce ingredients. Continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes until the sauce has reduced and the beef is sticky. Meanwhile, cook the rice.
Divide the rice, the beef and the rest of the toppings between two bowls, serving the gochujang drizzle on the side.

Notes

Leftover beef and rice can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days – reheat them together before adding additional toppings and serving with the sauce.