Easy Korean Beef Bowls

 

Easy Korean Beef Bowls

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 30minutes mins

Cook Time: 15minutes mins

Total Time: 45minutes mins

Ingredients

Quick Slaw:

• 4 cups shredded cabbage (napa, green, purple or a combo) - see note
• 1 cup shredded or grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped cucumbers
• ¼ to ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Sriracha, to taste

Sauce to End All Sauces:

• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Korean Beef:

• 1 ½ to 2 pounds lean ground beef
• ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger or ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (4 to 5 cloves) or 1 teaspoon garlic powder

For serving (optional but tasty):

• Hot, cooked rice
• Naan bread
• Avocado slices
• Fresh lime wedges
• Chopped cilantro

Instructions 

• For the slaw, in a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, and cilantro. In a small bowl whisk together the lime juice, soy sauce, olive oil, salt and pepper (start with a pinch of each and add more to taste, if needed), and sriracha. Pour the dressing over the slaw and toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve (it can be made 4-6 hours in advance).
• For the sauce, stir together all the ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve (it can be made several days in advance).
• For the beef, in a 12-inch nonstick skillet set over medium heat, brown the ground beef, breaking the meat into small pieces, until no longer pink. Drain excess grease.
• To the skillet, add the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger and garlic or garlic powder. Stir to combine and bring the meat and sauce to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes until heated through.
• For serving, to each bowl, add a scoop of rice (if using), add a portion of beef and slaw. Drizzle with sauce. Serve with lime wedges, avocados, and naan bread, if desired.

Notes

Slaw: this makes quite a bit of slaw as we like to load up our bowls with a lot of slaw. If you think you might want less, you can halve the slaw ingredients.

To speed up prep time, you can use part of a 14-ounce bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix (without the dressing) for the cabbage and carrots called for in the recipe. 

Sticky BBQ Meatballs

 

Sticky BBQ Meatballs

Author: Nicole

Servings: 5

Calories: 363kcal

These Sticky BBQ Meatballs are the kind of dinner that makes simple ingredients feel exciting again. Juicy homemade beef meatballs are coated in a rich, sticky barbecue glaze that tastes like comfort food at its absolute best. They’re quick enough for busy weeknights, freezer-friendly and incredibly versatile – serve them with rice, fries, mashed potato, salad or stuffed into rolls for an easy fakeaway-style dinner the whole family will love.

Prep Time15minutes mins

Cook Time20minutes mins

Total Time35minutes mins

Ingredients

Meatballs

• 500 g (1 lb) ground (minced) beef (see note 1)
• 30 g panko breadcrumbs see note 5 for gluten-free option
• 1 egg
• ½ small brown onion, finely grated
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp sea salt flakes
• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Sticky BBQ Glaze

• 125 g ketchup
• 55 g (¼ cup, tightly packed) brown sugar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
• 60 ml (¼ cup) water

To Serve

• Steamed jasmine rice
• Spring onions (scallions), finely sliced

Instructions

• Make the meatballs – In a large bowl, combine the beef mince, breadcrumbs, egg, grated onion, garlic, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Mix gently until just combined. Divide the mixture into quarters, then divide each quarter into four again. Roll into meatballs (see note 4). You will get 16 meatballs in total.
• Cook the meatballs – Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned all over and mostly cooked through. Transfer to a plate (see note 2 for oven and air fryer cooking methods).
• Make the sticky BBQ glaze – In the same pan (no need to wash it), add the ketchup, brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, paprika, vinegar and water. Stir well to combine and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for 4–6 minutes, or until the sauce thickens slightly and becomes rich and glossy, stirring occasionally (see note 6). The bubbles will become slower and larger once ready.
• Finish the meatballs – Return the meatballs (and any resting juices) to the pan. Toss gently to coat in the glaze and simmer for 2–3 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through and beautifully sticky.
• Serve – Serve over steamed jasmine rice with extra sauce spooned over the top and finish with sliced spring onion (see note 3 if the sauce has thickened).

Notes

Note 1 – Minced (ground) beef I like using regular beef mince for this recipe as the extra fat helps keep the meatballs juicy and tender. You can also use a combination of beef and pork mince for an even softer, juicier result. Chicken mince can also be used for a lighter option, though the meatballs will be slightly leaner and less juicy. If using chicken mince, I recommend adding an extra tablespoon of breadcrumbs or a drizzle of olive oil to help keep the meatballs tender.

Note 2 – Oven and air fryer cooking methods To cook the meatballs in the oven, place them on a lined baking tray and bake at 220°C (425°F) (200°C/400°F fan-forced) for 15–18 minutes, or until browned and cooked through. To cook the meatballs in the air fryer, spray lightly with olive oil and cook at 200°C (400°F) for 10–12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through cooking. Once cooked, transfer the meatballs to the sticky BBQ glaze and continue with the recipe as written.

Note 3 – Sauce consistencyThe BBQ glaze will continue to thicken slightly as it cools. If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of water to loosen it before serving.

Note 4 – Meatball size and binding For the best results, roll the meatballs to roughly the size of a golf ball (about 3 cm/1¼ inches). If you make them too large, they can fall apart during cooking. Don't overwork the mixture – mix just until everything is combined. If the mixture feels too wet, add an extra tablespoon of breadcrumbs. Let the meatballs brown properly on one side before turning – this helps them hold their shape.

Note 5 – Gluten-free option Gluten-free breadcrumbs (such as panko-style GF breadcrumbs) work beautifully in this recipe. Use the same amount as regular breadcrumbs.

Note 6 – Adjusting sweetness The BBQ glaze is rich and sweet by design, but if you prefer it less sweet, reduce the brown sugar by 1–2 tablespoons. You can always taste the glaze before adding the meatballs and adjust to your preference.

Make Ahead

Raw meatballs

The meatballs can be prepared and rolled up to 24 hours ahead, or frozen for up to 3 months. Store in an airtight container within baking (parchment) paper between the layers to stop them sticking. For frozen meatballs, thaw overnight in the fridge before cooking as per the recipe.

Finished dish

The meatballs and sticky BBQ glaze can also be fully cooked ahead of time. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For freezing and reheating instructions, see leftovers below.

Easy meal prep

For easy meal prep lunches or busy weeknight dinners, portion the cooked meatballs, sauce and rice into individual containers. Let everything cool completely before refrigerating for up to 3 days, or freezing for up to 3 months. Thaw completely overnight in the fridge for best results. To reheat, microwave, loosely covered, for 2–3 minutes, fluffing the rice and turning the meatballs halfway through, until hot.

Leftovers

Store the leftover meatballs and BBQ sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. To freeze, allow the meatballs and sauce to cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers. For best results, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

To reheat on the stovetop, place the meatballs and sauce in a frying pan over low heat with a splash of water to loosen the glaze if needed. Heat gently until warmed through.

To reheat in the microwave, heat in 30-second bursts, stirring between each burst, until hot.

If freezing leftovers with rice, see the easy meal prep instructions above.

Recipe source:

Thank you to Kim Coverdale for your help developing this recipe.

Baked Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

 

Baked Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Prep Time: 25minutes mins

Cook Time: 45minutes mins

Total Time: 1hour hr 10minutes mins

Ingredients

• 12 ounces spaghetti, broken in half
• 1 ¾ cups milk (preferably not skim; recipe works best with 1%, 2% or whole milk)
• 1 ½ cups chicken broth or stock
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¾ teaspoon table salt
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided (see note)
• 2 ½ cups shredded medium or sharp cheddar cheese, divided (see note)
• 3 cups cooked, chopped chicken
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish, optional

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
• In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside (lift and separate the noodles a few times so they don't stick as they cool). Don't wash out the pot; just wipe dry, if needed.
• Add the milk, broth, and flour to a blender and process until smooth. Set aside.
• Return the pot to medium heat. Melt the butter and add the onion powder, garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt, pepper and thyme. Cook for 30-45 seconds, stirring often until the spices are sizzling and smell fragrant.
• Pour the milk mixture into the pot and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Continue cooking for 3 to 4 minutes until thickened.
• Remove the pot from the heat and add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and 2 cups of the cheddar cheese to the sauce (reserve the rest of the cheese for topping). Stir until the cheese has melted. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper (important!).
• In a large bowl (or back into the pot, if you prefer), add the cooked spaghetti and chicken. Toss and stir until the noodles and chicken are evenly coated with the sauce.
• Spread the pasta mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Sprinkle the remaining cheeses over the top.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serve warm.

Notes

Seasonings: in place of the basil, oregano and thyme, you can sub in 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 teaspoons Italian seasoning.

Cheese: if you have the time, freshly grate block cheese for this recipe (vs using pre-shredded cheese which is coated with a powder substance to prevent it from clumping; but it also prevents it from melting as well). I like to grate the Parmesan on the small holes of the box grater, and I use the large holes of the box grater for the cheddar cheese.

Make-Ahead: this chicken spaghetti can be assembled the night before or the morning of to bake later in the day. It can also be frozen prior to baking. To bake, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake, covered, for 45 minutes, then uncover, and bake for a few minutes longer until hot and bubbly.