Description
Fast and budget-friendly, Korean Beef & Kimchi Noodles, an easy weeknight dinner that’ll make you feel like you just ordered take-out! This recipe has become a go-to favorite when I’m craving Asian flavours, and spicy noodles. It’s satisfying and keeps me on budget. Who doesn’t need another great ground beef recipe in the arsenal of kitchen favorites?!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (ground pork, chicken or turkey also work here)
- 1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (see note)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon gochujang (Korean red pepper paste, any Asian garlic-chili paste, OR 1/4 teaspoon dried chilies)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
- 2 packages Udon noodles (individual portions)
- 8 – 10 baby Bok Choy, washed and trimmed
- 1/2 cup kimchi, finely chopped
- 2 – 3 teaspoons water
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced, divided
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds – to finish
Instructions
- Prepare your sauce in a small bow or large measuring cup; combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, shallot, cornstarch gochujang, or garlic-chili sauce or chilies and toasted sesame seeds. Stir to combine and reserve.
- Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or large pan over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, and brown, breaking apart large chunks until most of the pink is gone from the meat. Drain excess fat if necessary,
- While beef is cooking, steam your Bok Choy and reserve, warm. Substitute any Asian greens with solid nutritional value, broccoli also works well with this dish,
- Add *most* of your sauce mix, reserving 2 – 3 tablespoons for your noodles. Mix sauce well with beef, and cook until tender and richly coloured, about 3 to 4 minutes, Remove cooked Korean beef to a bowl and reserve warm while you quickly finish your Kimchi noodles.
- Add kimchi to reaming sauce. Using the same pan as the beef, add the remaining oil if needed, then add your noodles and give them a quick toss. I like to give them a little steam, so I add a tablespoon or so of water first, to make the noodles swell & get tender. Now add sauce, and about half your green onions, and quickly toss to coat.
- Serve immediately, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds, if desired.
Notes
if you want to reduce your sodium, or if you’re working with a full-sodium soy sauce reduce your soy to 1/4 cup and add either a 1/4 cup of stock (beef, chicken or vegetable) or water.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Korean