I couldn’t resist sharing my savory Korean BBQ steak rice bowls topped with a rich, spicy cream sauce that gives steak and rice a bold, unexpected twist for quick weeknight dinners.

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I didn’t expect a simple bowl to flip my whole dinner routine, but this Korean BBQ Steak Rice Bowl did. I pile thinly sliced flank or skirt steak into the middle and let the spicy cream sauce with gochujang do the talking.

It’s messy, a little rude, and exactly what I want after a long day. I end up eating it way too fast, crumbs everywhere, curious why something so quick tastes so deliberate.

Steak And Rice lovers, this one changes the rules, you’ll be thinking about it the next day.

Ingredients

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Flank or skirt steak: lean protein, filling and packed with rich beefy flavor
Soy sauce or tamari: salty umami, adds savory depth and fermented complexity
Gochujang: spicy sweet Korean paste, gives heat, depth and a slight tang
Short grain rice: starchy sticky base soaks up sauces and balance strong bold flavors
Cucumber: crisp cool crunch, brings freshness and lightness to richer bites
Kimchi: spicy fermented veg, adds tang, probiotics and a lively punchy bite
Sesame oil: tiny bit goes far, nutty aroma and subtle toasty flavor boost
Spicy cream sauce: mayo and gochujang mix, creamy sweet spicy and cooling counterpoint

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/2 lb flank or skirt steak thinly sliced

1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari

3 tbsp packed brown sugar or honey

2 tbsp mirin or rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp sesame oil

3 cloves garlic minced

1 tbsp fresh ginger grated

3 green onions thinly sliced

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

1 tbsp vegetable or neutral oil for cooking

4 cups hot cooked short grain white rice

1 medium cucumber julienned or thinly sliced

1 medium carrot julienned

1 cup kimchi chopped optional

1 cup shredded napa cabbage or lettuce

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp gochujang

1 tbsp sriracha optional

1 tbsp rice vinegar or lime juice

1 tsp honey or sugar

1 tsp sesame oil (for sauce)

1 to 2 tbsp water to thin the sauce

salt and black pepper to taste

2 tbsp sesame seeds for garnish

2 scallions thinly sliced for garnish

lime wedges for serving optional

How to Make this

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1. Make the marinade: whisk together 1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari, 3 tbsp packed brown sugar or honey, 2 tbsp mirin or rice wine vinegar, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger, 3 green onions thinly sliced, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds. Add the 1 1/2 lb thinly sliced flank or skirt steak, toss to coat and let sit 15 to 30 minutes (or up to a few hours in the fridge).

2. Prep the rest: warm 4 cups hot cooked short grain rice, julienne 1 medium cucumber and 1 medium carrot, chop 1 cup kimchi if using, shred 1 cup napa cabbage or lettuce. Thinly slice 2 scallions and set aside for garnish.

3. Make the spicy cream sauce: in a bowl combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp sriracha if you want extra heat, 1 tbsp rice vinegar or lime juice, 1 tsp honey or sugar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 to 2 tbsp water to thin and salt and black pepper to taste. Whisk until smooth, taste and adjust sweetness or acidity.

4. Heat a large skillet or cast iron over high heat with 1 tbsp vegetable or neutral oil. While it heats, remove steak from the marinade and pat the slices mostly dry with paper towels — this helps get a good sear. If you want to use the leftover marinade as a glaze boil it for a few minutes first to kill any raw juices.

5. Cook the steak in batches so you dont crowd the pan, about 1 to 2 minutes per side for thin slices, until nicely browned and cooked to your liking. Toss in the heat for a few seconds with the reserved green onion from the marinade if you like. Work quickly, thin steak cooks fast.

6. Transfer cooked steak to a cutting board, let rest 3 to 5 minutes, then slice across the grain into bite sized strips if needed.

7. Build the bowls: divide the hot rice among bowls, layer shredded napa cabbage or lettuce, cucumber, carrot and kimchi. Pile on sliced steak.

8. Drizzle generous amounts of the spicy cream sauce over each bowl, or serve sauce on the side for dipping.

9. Finish and serve: sprinkle 2 tbsp sesame seeds for garnish and the 2 thinly sliced scallions, add lime wedges if using and a final pinch of salt or pepper. Serve immediately, enjoy.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowls (one for the marinade, one for the spicy cream and/or veggies)
2. Whisk plus measuring cups and spoons
3. Microplane or fine grater for the fresh ginger
4. Chef’s knife
5. Cutting board
6. Large cast iron or heavy skillet for searing the steak
7. Tongs or a sturdy spatula to flip the meat quickly
8. Rice cooker or heavy pot with lid for short grain rice
9. Paper towels (to pat the steak mostly dry)
10. Serving bowls and a spoon or ladle for the sauce and rice

FAQ

Q: Can I use a different cut of steak instead of flank or skirt?
A: Yes. Sirloin or ribeye work fine, you'll just change the cook time. Flank and skirt are great cause they slice thin and stay chewy, but if you use thicker cuts slice them thin across the grain after partially freezing for 20 minutes so they cut clean.

Q: How long should I marinate the steak?
A: Minimum 30 minutes for flavor, 2 to 8 hours is ideal. You can go up to 12 hours, but avoid marinating much longer or the soy will start to "cook" and make the texture weird.

Q: How do I get a good sear and tender bites?
A: Pat the steak dry, heat a heavy pan until very hot, add a little neutral oil and cook quick in batches so the meat browns not steams. Slice thin against the grain and let it rest 3 to 5 minutes before serving.

Q: How do I change the spiciness or consistency of the spicy cream sauce?
A: Add more or less gochujang or sriracha to taste. If the sauce is too thick add 1 to 2 tablespoons water to thin, too thin add a splash more mayo or a pinch of sugar to balance. A squeeze of lime or a splash of rice vinegar brightens it up.

Q: Can I make this ahead or store leftovers?
A: Yes. Keep components separate if you can. Steak and sauce keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge, rice 3 to 4 days. Reheat rice with a splash of water in the microwave or warm the steak quickly in a hot pan. Freezing cooked steak is possible but the texture changes.

Q: Any easy swaps or serving ideas?
A: Use tamari for gluten free, brown rice or cauliflower rice for lower carbs, swap napa for romaine, add a fried egg or extra kimchi for more flavor. Toasted sesame seeds and scallions finish it off real nice.

Korean BBQ Steak Rice Bowls With Spicy Cream Sauce Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Flank or skirt steak -> thinly sliced sirloin, hanger, or ribeye (same amount). Sirloin cooks a bit more forgiving, ribeye is richer from fat. For a veggie swap use extra firm tofu, pressed and thinly sliced, marinate longer so it soaks up the sauce.
Soy sauce or tamari -> coconut aminos or liquid aminos 1:1, or reduced-sodium soy if you want less salt. Taste and add a pinch more sugar or mirin if it tastes flat.
Gochujang -> mix 1 tbsp miso + 1 tsp sriracha + 1/2 tsp honey (gives similar umami, sweet heat), or use sambal oelek + a touch of brown sugar for a simpler sub. Adjust heat to taste.
Mayonnaise (for spicy cream) -> plain Greek yogurt or sour cream same volume for tang and lighter texture, or vegan mayo if dairy-free. You might need 1 to 2 tsp water or rice vinegar to loosen yogurt so it matches mayo consistency.

Pro Tips

– Marinate smart, not long. Let the flavors get in, but if your marinade has a lot of acid it can turn thin steak mushy, so stop when the meat smells seasoned, not soupy.

– Pat the slices almost bone dry before they hit a screaming hot pan, cook in small batches so they get a real crust, and let the meat rest a little before you slice across the grain for maximum tenderness.

– Don’t toss leftover marinade straight on the meat raw, boil it down into a glaze instead; reducing it concentrates the flavor so a little brushed on at the end goes a long way.

– Keep the rice warm and lightly season it (a tiny drizzle of sesame oil or a pinch of salt) so the whole bowl tastes cohesive; cold rice makes everything feel flat and separate.

– Make the spicy mayo ahead and keep it separate from the crunchy veg until serve, that way cucumbers and cabbage stay crisp and the sauce won’t water down the bowl.

Korean BBQ Steak Rice Bowls With Spicy Cream Sauce Recipe

Recipe by James Level

0.0 from 0 votes

I couldn't resist sharing my savory Korean BBQ steak rice bowls topped with a rich, spicy cream sauce that gives steak and rice a bold, unexpected twist for quick weeknight dinners.

Servings

servings

Calories

928

kcal

Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowls (one for the marinade, one for the spicy cream and/or veggies)
2. Whisk plus measuring cups and spoons
3. Microplane or fine grater for the fresh ginger
4. Chef’s knife
5. Cutting board
6. Large cast iron or heavy skillet for searing the steak
7. Tongs or a sturdy spatula to flip the meat quickly
8. Rice cooker or heavy pot with lid for short grain rice
9. Paper towels (to pat the steak mostly dry)
10. Serving bowls and a spoon or ladle for the sauce and rice

Ingredients

1 1/2 lb flank or skirt steak thinly sliced
1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari
3 tbsp packed brown sugar or honey
2 tbsp mirin or rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
3 green onions thinly sliced
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tbsp vegetable or neutral oil for cooking
4 cups hot cooked short grain white rice
1 medium cucumber julienned or thinly sliced
1 medium carrot julienned
1 cup kimchi chopped optional
1 cup shredded napa cabbage or lettuce
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp gochujang
1 tbsp sriracha optional
1 tbsp rice vinegar or lime juice
1 tsp honey or sugar
1 tsp sesame oil (for sauce)
1 to 2 tbsp water to thin the sauce
salt and black pepper to taste
2 tbsp sesame seeds for garnish
2 scallions thinly sliced for garnish
lime wedges for serving optional

Directions

Make the marinade: whisk together 1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari, 3 tbsp packed brown sugar or honey, 2 tbsp mirin or rice wine vinegar, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger, 3 green onions thinly sliced, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds. Add the 1 1/2 lb thinly sliced flank or skirt steak, toss to coat and let sit 15 to 30 minutes (or up to a few hours in the fridge).
Prep the rest: warm 4 cups hot cooked short grain rice, julienne 1 medium cucumber and 1 medium carrot, chop 1 cup kimchi if using, shred 1 cup napa cabbage or lettuce. Thinly slice 2 scallions and set aside for garnish.
Make the spicy cream sauce: in a bowl combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp gochujang, 1 tbsp sriracha if you want extra heat, 1 tbsp rice vinegar or lime juice, 1 tsp honey or sugar, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 to 2 tbsp water to thin and salt and black pepper to taste. Whisk until smooth, taste and adjust sweetness or acidity.
Heat a large skillet or cast iron over high heat with 1 tbsp vegetable or neutral oil. While it heats, remove steak from the marinade and pat the slices mostly dry with paper towels — this helps get a good sear. If you want to use the leftover marinade as a glaze boil it for a few minutes first to kill any raw juices.
Cook the steak in batches so you dont crowd the pan, about 1 to 2 minutes per side for thin slices, until nicely browned and cooked to your liking. Toss in the heat for a few seconds with the reserved green onion from the marinade if you like. Work quickly, thin steak cooks fast.
Transfer cooked steak to a cutting board, let rest 3 to 5 minutes, then slice across the grain into bite sized strips if needed.
Build the bowls: divide the hot rice among bowls, layer shredded napa cabbage or lettuce, cucumber, carrot and kimchi. Pile on sliced steak.
Drizzle generous amounts of the spicy cream sauce over each bowl, or serve sauce on the side for dipping.
Finish and serve: sprinkle 2 tbsp sesame seeds for garnish and the 2 thinly sliced scallions, add lime wedges if using and a final pinch of salt or pepper. Serve immediately, enjoy.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 403g
Total number of serves: 4
Calories: 928kcal
Fat: 50.6g
Saturated Fat: 12.5g
Trans Fat: 0.5g
Polyunsaturated: 10g
Monounsaturated: 25g
Cholesterol: 156mg
Sodium: 1500mg
Potassium: 712mg
Carbohydrates: 63g
Fiber: 5.3g
Sugar: 14g
Protein: 48.5g
Vitamin A: 1500IU
Vitamin C: 10mg
Calcium: 125mg
Iron: 5.8mg

Korean BBQ Steak Rice Bowls With Spicy Cream Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

Ingredient Quantities

How to Make this

Equipment Needed

FAQ

Korean BBQ Steak Rice Bowls With Spicy Cream Sauce Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Pro Tips