Instant Pot Korean Ground Beef Bowls
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.
Servings 4 servings
Calories 658kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef 450-500 grams, 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 ginger minced or grated
- ½ pear ripe, grated (skin off)
- ¼ cup soy sauce plus 1 tablespoon
- ½ teaspoon Gochujang (Korean red chili paste) or regular red chili flakes
- ½ 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 rice cooked
- ¼ 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
- 1 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 ½ 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.
- Pickle 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
Calories: 658kcal | Carbohydrates: 86g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 1156mg | Potassium: 798mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 2733IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 7mg