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Instant Pot Korean Ground Beef Bowls

Instant Pot Korean Ground Beef Bowls

  • Author: Instant Pot Eats
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main
  • Method: Instant Pot
  • Cuisine: Korean

Description

Instant Pot Korean Ground Beef bowls are super easy to make and are perfect for a weeknight meal any time of the year. In this more affordable bulgogi beef adaptation, the flavorful meat is served over cooked rice alongside speedy pickled vegetables for a refreshing, tangy touch.


Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 lb / 450-500 g ground beef (we used 90% lean beef, as a little fat adds lots of flavor and keeps the meat tender)

5 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

1 tablespoon minced or grated ginger

1/2 ripe pear, grated (skin off)

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon Korean red chili paste or regular red chili flakes

1/2 cup water

To finish:

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

2 green onions, chopped

For the rice bowls

4 cups cooked rice

1/4 chopped cilantro 

2 cucumbers, sliced

1 carrot, shredded or cut into thin strips

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 

1 tablespoon water

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar

1.5 teaspoon sesame oil

Slice red chili (optional)


Instructions

  • Turn the Saute function on Instant Pot. Press it again to cycle through modes until you get to More mode (hotter setting).
  • Add the olive oil and ground beef and break up with a spatula. Cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring a few times and breaking up larger clumps of meat with a spatula. The beef will give out a bit of juice and fat, keep cooking until most of the liquid has evaporated and the beef starts to brown a little.
  • Add garlic and ginger, stir through and turn the Saute function off.
  • Add the soy sauce, grated pear and chili paste or flakes (whichever you are using) and 1/2 cup of water and stir through making sure to scrape off the bottom of the pot with a spatula.
  • Secure and lock the lid. Set to Pressure Cook for 5 minutes on HIGH setting. The Instant Pot will take about 5 minutes to come to pressure. Once the timer is done, leave the pot for 5 minutes and then use the quick release to manually release the pressure.
  • Open the lid. Add the brown sugar and sesame oil and turn the Saute function back on Normal mode. Cook and stir for 4-5 minutes until thickened and caramelised, allowing about half of the liquid to evaporate. Sprinkle sesame seeds and chopped green onions over the top.
  • While the beef is cooking, prepare the vegetables and cook the rice (unless made ahead of time). You can also finish the beef and transfer it to a bowl, then rinse the Instant Pot and make quick and easy white rice.
  • Pickled the vegetables. Mix rice vinegar, water, sugar, sesame oil and soy sauce in a bowl. Pour over the cucumbers and carrots, mix and set aside to ‘pickle’ slightly. Prepare all other garnishes.
  • Serve ground beef and the sauce over cooked rice with pickled vegetables, green onions and cilantro on top.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup rice with 1/4 beef and vegetables
  • Calories: 569
  • Sugar: 11.8 g
  • Sodium: 633 mg
  • Fat: 16.5 g
  • Carbohydrates: 72.9 g
  • Fiber: 2.1 g
  • Protein: 31.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 71.2 mg

Keywords: Ground Beef, Korean Recipes, Beef Recipes, Instant Pot recipes, Dinner