In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and ginger.
Heat vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat.
Stir in soy sauce mixture and green onions until well combined, allowing to simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes.
Serve immediately, garnished with green onion and sesame seeds, if desired.
Notes
Use reduced sodium soy sauce. Reduced sodium has less sodium and less salt without compromising flavor.
Pick your favorite protein. Ground beef, pork, chicken or turkey, tofu or plant based ground beef will all work very well here. In need of more protein? Top your bowl with a sunny side up fried egg.
Add vegetables. Mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers or snow peas can be added for a more heartier meal, perfect for picky eaters and grown ups!
Double the sauce. Need extra sauce for sopping with rice? The sauce portion can easily be doubled or tripled for those saucy folks!
Serve with your favorite grains. White rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, quinoa or farro are all solid options.
Meal prep as needed. Perfect for on-the-go, these Korean beef bowls can be conveniently meal prepped for the week ahead.