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