Paleo Bulgogi (Korean Beef) Bowls – Whole30 & Paleo friendly! A great way to get in your Korean BBQ fix if you’re doing a round of Whole30 or don’t want to head out to your local Korean BBQ joint!
If there’s one way I like to eat my food, it’s in a nice big bowl filled to the brim (i.e. my Mashed Plantain Buddha Bowls). I don’t know what it is, but there’s something really nostalgic about eating out of a bowl. Food just seems cozier, and it always brings me back to my childhood.
Plus, I’m one of those people who like to mix my food all together (you should see my Thanksgiving plate). I know some people hate that, but I’m definitely not one! So when I was remaking my paleo bulgogi (Korean beef) for the blog, I had to turn it into a power bowl with lots of flavor and veggies.
Now, this is in no way authentic at all. I followed a bulgogi recipe my friend’s mom gave me and swapped out the non-compliant ingredients to Whole30 compliant ingredients. It turned out amazing and will hit the spot if you’re craving Korean BBQ. I don’t think a lot of people realize that a majority of your favorite recipes can be turned into Whole30 compliant recipes by just swapping out a few ingredients.
Example: swap soy sauce for coconut aminos, rice for cauliflower rice, cornstarch for arrowroot or tapioca flour and etc. So if you have a traditional recipe you love, like bulgogi, don’t be afraid to play around with it to make it Whole30 compliant! I served mine with pickled cucumbers and carrots, but if you have kimchi, by all means! Serve it with the kimchi and any other traditional Korean condiments/foods that you turned compliant.
Paleo Bulgogi (Korean Beef) Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs ground beef
- 3 cups cauliflower rice cooked to your preference
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 inch ginger peeled and grated
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- 2 tbsp date paste or honey
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp room temperature water
- 1 tsp arrowroot flour
- 1 ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
- 1 tsp Korean chili pepper flakes or crushed red pepper flakes
Pickled Cucumber & Carrots
- 1 large cucumber thinly sliced, ribboned or spiralized
- 2 large carrots thinly sliced, ribboned or spiralized
- 1 garlic clove minced
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup apple juice
- 1/4 cup water optional
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
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Preheat skillet over medium heat with avocado oil. Add in garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
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Add in ground beef, season with kosher salt & pepper, cook until 80% of meat is browned. Drain excess liquid leaving about one tablespoon behind.
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Stir in coconut aminos, date paste, sesame oil and Korean chili pepper flakes. Combine until date paste dissolves. Mix arrowroot flour with water then stir into skillet.
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Cook until meat is browned and sauce has thickened.
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Serve over cauliflower rice with pickled cucumber and carrots.
Picked Cucumber & Carrots
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Place cucumber, carrots and minced garlic in the bottom of a mason jar or a bowl large enough to hold everything.
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Pour apple cider vinegar, apple juice and kosher salt into mason. Add water if liquid doesn’t submerge the vegetables.
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Cover and pickle for an hour or more in refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
Pickle veggies the night before for optimal flavor.
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