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Ready to spice up your meal prep game? Look no further than these delicious Korean beef meal prep bowls! Perfect for busy moms on the go, these bowls are packed to the brim with flavor and nutrition.

Two of my goals for the new year are to eat healthier and stop eating out as much. Meal prepping is a great solution for both! I know it can seem overwhelming (and time consuming) but it’s actually a lot easier than you’d think! You just need a few good recipes in your arsenal. A few meal prep necessities: Instant pot shredded chicken, Instant Pot brown rice, and air fryer frozen broccoli! You can have a week’s worth of healthy meals prepared in less than 30 minutes.

Top-down view of Korean beef served with rice and broccoli in plastic containers.

Korean Beef and Rice Bowls (For Meal Prep!)

These Korean ground beef and rice bowls are one of the most popular recipes on the blog. You really can’t go wrong with a bed of warm steamed rice and juicy marinated beef on top! Now you can enjoy it for a quick lunch throughout the week with this easy meal prep recipe! It’s something the whole family can enjoy.

The savory Korean beef is marinated in a mouth-watering sauce, and paired with fluffy white rice for the perfect balance of protein and carbohydrates. (I also have options below to make it low-carb and keto-friendly!) Plus, the added veggies provide a dose of freshness and healthy greens. Trust me, your taste buds (and your waistline) will thank you for giving these meal prep bowls a try!

Everything You’ll Need

This is everything that you will need to make this delicious marinated beef as well as other things to add in to your meal preps. This way, you have a meal balanced with protein and carbs! The beauty of meal prepping is that you can easily customize things to fit all sorts of dietary needs. Find more substitutes and ideas in my tips section below! Looking for measurements? They can all be found in the recipe card below.

  • Ground Beef: I used 90% lean ground beef. You can also use ground pork or even ground turkey if you want an even leaner protein.
  • Minced Garlic: Fresh minced garlic is a must when making Korean-inspired dishes.
  • Brown Sugar: Adds a smoky sweetness to the beef.
  • Soy Sauce: I used reduced sodium soy sauce, but any kind you have on hand will work!
  • Sesame Oil: Adds a delicious nutty flavor to the ground beef!
  • Seasonings: Time to break out your spice rack! I used ground ginger, red pepper flakes, and cracked black pepper here.
  • Rice: Use precooked rice to make your meal prep bowls with easy. White and brown rice both work.
  • Steamed Broccoli Florets: I add these to my meal prep bowls for a little extra nutrition! You can use any of your favorite steamed veggies here.

How to Make Korean Beef and Rice Meal Prep Bowls

You’re going to fall in love with the flavor of this Korean beef marinade. It’s the perfect combination of savory and sweet and tenderizes the ground beef beautifully! I love how easy it is to throw together, too! It makes the perfect lunch for both you and the kids.

  1. Cook Ground Beef: In a large skillet, cook the ground beef and garlic breaking it into crumbles over medium heat until no longer pink.
  2. Prepare Sauce: Then in a small bowl, whisk brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes and pepper.
  3. Pour Over Beef: Pour over the ground beef and then let simmer for another minute or two.
  4. Assemble Bowls: To assemble the bowls, place one half cup cooked rice into four sealable containers. I like to use leftover rice or prepackaged cooked rice for convenience.
  5. Add Korean Beef: Place one half cup of cooked Korean beef into the containers.
  6. Add Broccoli: Then add one half cup cooked broccoli florets into the containers. I like to use frozen florets in steam safe bags because it makes it easy!
  7. Seal and Store: Seal the containers and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. When ready to eat, warm in the microwave, garnish with green onions, and sesame seeds and enjoy!
4-photo collage of beef being marinated, cooked, and assembled with rice and veggies in the meal prep containers.

Customizing Your Meal Preps

Here are a few ways to customize these Korean beef meal prep bowls so they fit into any diet!

  • Keto/Low-Carb: For keto-friendly meal prep, swap out the white rice for cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, or a rice replacement like Shirataki rice! (This is also known as Konjac rice.) To keep carbs low, you’ll also want to swap out the brown sugar in the marinade for Stevia or monk fruit sweetener.
  • Make it Meat-Free: You can easily make these bowls vegetarian! Just swap out the beef for scrambled tofu or plant based sausage crumbles.
  • Adding Other Veggies: Feel free to pack your meal prep bowls full of all of your favorite veggies! Sliced bell peppers and carrots are both great options. If you’re feeling adventurous, add some kimchi (pickled cabbage) to your meal prep bowls for a more traditional version of this meal! Kimchi is a superfood side packed with vitamins and antioxidants. It’s also a natural probiotic! If you love spicy, pickled sides, you’ll love serving your Korean beef meal prep bowls with kimchi!

How Long Do Korean Beef Bowls Last?

In the fridge, these Korean beef meal prep bowls will last for about 4 days. Make sure they’re completely sealed to stay nice and fresh! To reheat them, simply pop them in the microwave until warmed through. It’s as easy as that!

Closeup of a Korean beef meal prep bowl.
  • 1 pound lean ground beef 90% lean
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cups white or brown rice, cooked
  • 2 cups broccoli florets, steamed

  • In a large skillet cook the ground beef and garlic breaking it into crumbles over medium heat until no longer pink.

  • In a small bowl whisk brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes and pepper.

  • Pour over the ground beef and let simmer for another minute or two.

  • To assemble the bowls, place ½ cup cooked rice into four sealable containers. I like to use leftover rice or prepackaged cooked rice for convenience.

  • Place ½ cup of cooked Korean beef into the containers.

  • Add ½ cup cooked broccoli florets into the containers. I like to use frozen florets in steam safe bags because it makes it easy!

  • Seal the containers and store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Warm in the microwave, garnish with green onions, and sesame seeds and enjoy!

Serves: 4

Calories636kcal (32%)Carbohydrates92g (31%)Protein32g (64%)Fat14g (22%)Saturated Fat5g (25%)Polyunsaturated Fat1gMonounsaturated Fat6gTrans Fat1gCholesterol74mg (25%)Sodium675mg (28%)Potassium703mg (20%)Fiber3g (12%)Sugar14g (16%)Vitamin A321IU (6%)Vitamin C41mg (50%)Calcium82mg (8%)Iron4mg (22%)

All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.

Course Dinner, lunch

Cuisine Korean

Keyword korean beef and rice meal prep bowls, korean beef meal prep bowls

Alyssa Rivers

I am Alyssa and the blogger behind The Recipe Critic. I started my blog in June of 2012 as a place to share my passion for cooking. I love trying new things and testing them out with my family.

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