Easy Spicy Ground Beef Recipe with Korean Kimchi & Rice

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Today I’m going to show you how to make an easy dinner with a bit more than a handful of ingredients. The end result will be a delicious spicy ground beef dinner that will leave you feeling satisfied (and it’s great for a busy weeknight). I’ll also share more spicy ground beef recipes and ideas with you further down in the post.

Watch the Episode

This recipe is featured on my show, Dang! That’s Delicious. You can see me make this spicy beef recipe step by step. You can also visit the Youtube channel for more episodes and step-by-step video tutorials.

Tools to Make This Quick Dinner Recipe

Rice Cooker or a Pot for Rice (if you’re serving it over rice)
Cutting Board
Knife
Deep/Large Skillet
Wooden Spoon

Ingredients You’ll Need

15g Dried Black Trumpet Mushroom + 225mL Beef Broth

240g Organic White Onion, diced (8.5 ounces, 1 onion, yellow onions works as well)
170g 2 Baby Bok Choy (6 ounces)
1 tsp Sea Salt

600g Organic Ground Beef (22 ounces/1.4 lb)
1 tsp Sea Salt
200g Kimchi (7 ounces, you can use less or more)
3/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper (sometimes called chilli flakes, you can use less or more)
110g Organic Medjool Dates, chopped, (7 dates)

Oil for Cooking (I used about 6 Tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, but any cooking fat will work)

How to Alter the Spice Level

For some of you, this recipe won’t be enough heat for your liking, as your tastebuds are well adapted for spicy foods. For others, this recipe is enough to make your nose run. My taste testers aren’t super spice adapted. You can increase the amount of heat providing ingredients. There are a few other ways to increase the heat, including:

Hot Sauce (simple and to the point)
Use additional red pepper flakes
Firecracker Sauce (a popular spicy sauce where chili is the main ingredient)
Chili Powder (a spice blend that has flavourful and heat providing chilies)
Gochujang (a popular Korean red chili paste, and you may have eaten it at a Korean restaurant)
Purchase Spicy Kimchi (I used a milder kimchi knowing the limits of my taste testers.)
Organic Ground Ginger (this can add a nice kick of both heat and flavour).

Spicy Kim Chi Beef Directions

If you’re serving this over rice, start by preparing your rice. I have extended notes below on how you can jazz up white rice. Combine your dried mushroom and beef broth in a small bowl. Mix and set aside. You can also do this the morning you plan to cook your beef, or the night before.

Heat a large/deep non-stick pan on medium-high heat. Add your cooking oil, and once it’s hot, add the diced onion. Cook the onion for 1 minute, then add your chopped bok choy along with 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix well and allow the mix to cook for 10 – 12 minutes.

Now, add your ground beef and additional teaspoon of sea salt (you can use less if you’d like). Break the meat into small pieces. This action will also help distribute the salt. Once the meat has been well broken down, add the rest of the ingredients (kimchi, peppers, and dates). Mix everything together very well and allow it to cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Your meal is ready when the beef has cooked all the way through. That’s it! This recipe is a great way to bring a little spice into your life without too much fuss.

Not a Date Fan?

If you’re a fan of sweet and spicy foods (as compared to just sweet) I think you’ll enjoy this recipe. The dates add a lovely natural sweetness. If you’re all out of dates, or don’t like them, feel free to add brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup to your beef in place of the dates. You’ll want to add it when you add the ground beef to give it a chance to meld with all the other flavours. I wouldn’t add more than a 4 Tablespoons of your sweetener of choice.

Jazz Up Your Rice!

If you opt to serve this over rice, there are a few things you can do to make it more exciting. For example, you can add rice vinegar, fish sauce, or anything else that can add a pop of umami flavor. You can add these liquids directly to the rice water and stir it in before cooking.

When you cook/steam your plain rice with aromatic spices and sauces, your rice develops great flavor, and it doesn’t require loads of extra work. For aromatics, try fresh garlic, spring onions, or small diced shallot.

Ways to Serve Your Cooked Meat

You can eat this meat standalone, or serve it with some type of side. Here are a few serving ideas for you.

Lettuce Wraps (great for quick meals)
Rice Bowls (garnish with sesame seeds or sliced green onions)
Add sides such as steamed broccoli or oven roasted carrots.
Serve over cauliflower rice (great if you count net carbs, follow a Paleo diet, etc.)
Make stuffed bell peppers! Remove the top of several large bell peppers and remove the pith. Add your mix and bake the peppers in the oven a bit to allow them to soften, unless you’re a huge fan of raw bell pepper.

How to Store Your Leftovers

For a meal like this, I usually store the rice and meat separately in airtight containers. This allows people to take as much of each component later and create the perfect balance they enjoy.

The ground meat on its own is also freezer friendly. To freeze, allow the meat to cool completely then transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag. Remove as much excess air as you can, label the container (flavour and date), and freeze.

Personally, I use disposable individual containers for freezing. This allows people to take just what they need for a meal and not have to worry about dishes either.

More Spicy Ground Beef Recipes

If you’re looking for more recipes online, know that many Korean recipes lean into spice, and beef is a very common ingredient as well. Thai cuisine is also known for its use of spicy ingredients. I’ve looked online, and here are several spicy ground beef recipes that look enjoyable.

Easy Recipes to Make with Ground Beef (that you can also spice up)

Honey Almond Meat Sauce (an easy ground beef recipe, very versatile)
Pizza Pot Pie (a great recipe for the whole family, make with ground beef and spice it up with cayenne pepper)
Easy Dutch Oven Squash Chili (one of my kids’ favorite recipes)
Southwestern BBQ Salad (you can serve this over romaine, rice, pasta, etc.)

More Flavorful Beef Dinner Ideas

There are so many simple ground beef recipes online for foods such as nachos (and Irish nachos which are epic), meatballs, stir-fry, and a whole lot more. Rather than pop in more recipes, here are just a few more fun ideas for you. If you enjoy getting creative in the kitchen, really run with these ideas and make them your own.

Beef Stir-Fry Wraps

For a super quick weeknight dinner, you can stir-fry veggies alongside sliced beef steak. Alternatively, if it’s available in your area, buy the stir-fry cut of beef (sometimes it’s in the pre-marinaded section of the meat counter). What’s even better is that some grocery stores sell stir-fry veggies in the freezer section, so there’s even less prep involved on your end.

When I make these for my kids, I warm their wraps first (which also makes the wrapping easier). Interestingly, my kids love beef stir-fry wraps with salad dressing. One likes it with ranch, another thousand island, and another eats these with guacamole instead of salad dressing. It just goes to show that you can make one awesome main dish and let everyone add their own spin, and just enjoy the meal at the table together.

Beef Curry Shepherd’s Pie

Rather than make a traditional shepherd’s pie, jazz it up with different spices. When you cook your ground beef, add diced onion and a good amount of curry powder. You can also add some yogurt to make the base a bit more saucy. Use lightly roasted chickpeas as one of the layers in your shepherd’s pie and top with the classic mashed potatoes. It will be a great fusion meal that will have you coming back for thirds.

Zesty Lemon Ginger Fajitas

Think Thai Mexican fusion for something like this. You can use bell pepper and onion like you normally would in fajitas, but when you go to season your beef, lean hard into Thai flavors. You’ll want lemongrass or lemon zest, ginger, and at least one hot type of pepper.

Easy Beef Burritos

My kids adore Spanish rice, so anytime there are leftovers, they get easy easy beef burritos for lunch the next day. I start with the Spanish rice, add some black beans that I cook with diced onion and maple syrup, then top with taco seasoned ground beef. I also use avocado slices or guacamole as well, depending on what I have on hand. Roll that up and boom, you’ve got a super easy beef burrito. When I pack these for their lunches, I add a little container of salsa as well (and chopped cilantro for my one kid that doesn’t think it tastes like soap).

Beef Quesadillas

These have a lot of potential since you can season a pound of ground beef any way you’d like, pair it with a delicious cheese, and cook it between your tortillas. You can also add a huge ranges of traditional toppings (sour cream, salsa, queso, chopped jalapeños, etc.) or go non-traditional with a curry seasoned yogurt dip or Asian dipping sauce. If you plan to go non-traditional, make sure the seasonings, herbs, and/or spices you use on your beef will compliment (rather than clash) with your toppings of choice.

Answering Your Spicy Ground Beef Questions

Will this recipe work with lean ground beef?

Yes, it will. The fat content of the beef isn’t super important given the additional ingredients in this recipe. Take care to not overcook your beef, as this can make for a dry and unappetizing meal.

Can I cook this recipe with sesame oil?

Yes, you absolutely can. I personally have a severe anaphylactic allergy to sesame (sesame seeds, sesame oil, etc.) and can’t cook with it. However, I’ve been told that it can contribute to delicious recipes and will work well in this recipe in place of the olive oil.

I have a fatty blend of ground beef. Should I strain off the excess fat?

That depends. If you plan to serve this over rice, straining may not be needed. In fact, it can add an extra rich flavor to the rice. However, if you plan to serve this as ground beef tacos, straining will be needed. If you’re not able to strain, use a slotted spoon or a spoon with holes when serving the beef which will allow the excess liquid and fat to stay in the pan.

Here’s another tip for you. Often times, when I cook with a meat that has excess fat, I don’t strain it and serve it as is (the kids don’t usually complain). Then, I store it the fridge overnight. The next day, the fat has formed a hard fat cap which is SUPER easy to remove.

Ultimately, it comes down to how you’ll be serving your beef and personal preference.

Could I make this with crumbled tofu instead of ground beef?

I don’t recommend it. I spoke with a tofu cooking expert since it’s not an ingredient I work with often. They told me of the many steps one would have to complete to make sure this meal turned out properly. I would suggest either using a different meat substitute that already behaves like ground beef, or, follow a different recipe.

Specifically, in your case, I’d look for things like “spicy tofu recipe”, “spicy tofu scramble recipe”, or “spicy crumbled tofu recipe”. This ensures that you’re able to make the meal as intended and use what you have available to you.

Can I cook this in a Dutch Oven instead of a large pan?

Yes, you absolutely can. When I use the Dutch Oven for cooking I usually stick to medium heat rather than medium-high heat to make sure the food doesn’t burn.

Is beef mince the same thing as ground beef?

Yes, beef mince is the same thing as ground beef. Mince, or minced, is a common term used in the UK.

Can I make this recipe with a different ground meat?

Yes, you can make this with ground turkey, ground bison, ground pork, and even ground chicken. When you change the meat type, make sure you watch your cook time to avoid overcooking your ground meat of choice.

Could this be served with noodles instead of rice?

Oh my goodness yes. This spicy beef topping with noodles coated in a delicious creamy sriracha sauce, maybe with some diced onions and diced mushrooms would be *chef’s kiss*. That’s really what I love about home cooking. You can find elevendybajillion recipes online, tweak them a bit, and just run with all sorts of new ideas. Happy cooking!