korean inspired

Korean Inspired Meatballs is a quick and easy meal prep recipe using bagged slaw for a quick meal prep short cut to get those veggies in! 

Korean Inspired Meatballs {Meal Prep}

meatballs (your choice of meat)

olive oil

Basmati rice

scallions (garnish)

sesame seeds (garnish)

honey

tbsp Hoisin sauce

soy sauce (low sodium)

garlic, grated or minced

tbsp gochujang (korean chili paste)

water

tbsp rice vinegar

Heat a large skillet, with olive oil, on medium to high heat.

When the skillet is hot, add the meatballs. Browning and crisping up the sides. You are not cooking the meatballs all the way through here.

While the meatballs are browning, add all of the sauce ingredients to a small mason jar and shake. You could also add to a bowl and whisk.

Once the meatballs are browned, add the sauce to the skillet.

Allow the meatballs to simmer (with the lid on). After 8-10 minutes, use a thermometer and check that the meatballs are cooked through. 165°F for turkey, 160°F for beef.

Remove the lid and allow the sauce to reduce down (about 5 minutes).

Add the slaw mix to the skillet. If you want the sauce to remain thicker like a glaze, saute the slaw mix in a separate pan. When you add the slaw mix, it will release moisture and thin the sauce out.

Once the slaw is cooked down, remove from heat.

Divide the cooked rice into 4 meal prep containers.

Add 5 meatballs to each container and then distribute the sauce and veggies evenly between the containers. Allow to cool before securing the lid and placing in the fridge.

Keep refrigerated for up to 4 days.

Enjoy flavorful Beef Gochujang Noodles in under 20 minutes! This easy Korean-inspired one-bowl meal combines spicy gochujang paste, sweet apple, and pantry staples, with simple customization options.

20-Minute Beef Gochujang Noodles

servings fresh udon noodles

tbsp oil

onion

tbsp minced garlic

ground beef (preferably

apple

2-3 tbsp gochujang (see note below)

tbsp honey

tbsp rice wine (or 1 tbsp rice vinegar)

tbsp sesame oil

sesame seeds

cucumber

Prepare the Noodles: Cook your choice of noodles according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.Note: If using fresh wheat noodles (such as ramen noodles), rinse under water to remove extra starch, and coat with a small amount of oil to prevent sticking.

Prepare the Beef Mixture: In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add green onion and garlic; stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink and cooked through.

Add Apple and Seasonings: Turn off the heat. Use a fine grater to grate the apple directly over the beef mixture. Turn the heat back on, add gochujang, honey, and rice wine; stir to combine. Continue to stir-fry the sauce until it thickens, about 3 minutes.

Combine Noodles and Sauce: Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds. Add the noodles to the skillet and give everything a good toss to evenly distribute the flavors.

Serve: Place individual portions of noodles in a bowl, top with shredded cucumber, and serve right away. Enjoy!

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/iQHpvoFm.mp4

Savor quick and flavorful Gochujang Noodles made with Beef in under 20 minutes. This easy Korean-inspired dish blends spicy gochujang chili paste, sweet apple, and pantry staples for a satisfying one-bowl meal that’s simple to customize.

20-MInute Beef Gochujang Noodles

This Korean beef bowl is the perfect bowl full of greens, rice, Korean beef, and veggies. It&#039;s super customizable and a great dinner option for your entire family!

Korean Beef Bowl

lb 93/7 ground beef ((908 g))

tsp kosher salt

¼ tsp pepper

½ cups bell pepper, chopped ((454 g))

Tbsp minced ginger

garlic garlic

Tbsp soy sauce ((30 g))

Tbsp rice vinegar ((30 g))

Tbsp sesame oil ((15 g))

Tbsp fish sauce

Tbsp brown sugar ((15 g))

Tbsp gochujang

green onions, chopped ((60 g))

greens cabbage

cooked brown or white rice ((75 g))

½ oz prepared Korean Inspired Beef (recipe above) ((100 g))

persian cucumber, thinly sliced ((50 g))

¼ avocado, sliced ((25 g))

Tbsp green onions, chopped

Tbsp cilantro, chopped

toppings: sriracha, jalapeños, sesame seeds

Cook the ground beef.

Heat a large skillet over high heat with a spritz of oil. Add beef to the pan, breaking it up a bit, and then let it sit without stirring for a couple of minutes for it brown on the bottom. Season it with salt and pepper.

Add bell pepper and brown the beef.

Add chopped bell pepper to the pan, and break up the meat further, letting the meat and peppers cook for about 3-4 minutes while you make your sauce.

Make the sauce.

In a small bowl or jar, whisk or shake the ginger, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, fish sauce, brown sugar, and gochujang sauce all together.

Finish making the Korean beef.

Pour the sauce over the cooked meat and bell peppers, combining well. Stir in your chopped green onions. Cook for one more minute before turning off the heat.

Assemble the bowl.

Prepare your bowl by layering greens in the bottom of a large bowl. Add your cooked rice and top with the cooked Korean beef. Add your sliced cucumbers, carrots, and avocado. Fry an egg, leaving the yolk nice and runny (if you prefer), and add it on top of your beef.

Garnish and enjoy!

Finish with a sprinkle of green onions, cilantro, and optional sriracha, jalapeños, and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

We made this tonight for the first time. SO good! 

I like mine a little spicier than my family so added some extra kick to my bowl. We customized it... I had cauli rice and they had jasmine rice. Then we added steamed broccoli, shaved carrots and cilantro. 

We will definitely make this again!

Quick to make and totally delicious. Will definitely make again!

This was great! So happy to find recipes my family loves too so I can work on my goals and feed them well at the same time.

Thanks Lillie for another great weeknight dinner option. I made it exactly as called for. I will say doubling the sauce might be my only change for next time. Thank you.

Love this recipe. I crave it all the time. So delicious &amp; easy! Thanks Lillie!

This recipe is a 10/10.  My husband went back for seconds!  Sharing this recipe with my kids and girlfriends.  The flavors are amazing!

This was delicious! Only thing different was unused chili garlic sauce instead of sriracha. My kids even enjoyed (8 &amp;15)!

Sooo good! And quick and easy to prepare. My whole family loved it. Thank you!

I have made this recipe a few times, I sub in ground turkey in place of the ground beef and just make the sauce stronger. Super super good!!

Everyone loved this so much there were no leftovers. This will be on repeat.

This was a great recipe--quick, easy, versatile, and delicious. Thank you!

We love bowls and this one was really good!!  Great flavors and easy to make! Will definitely make this one again!

Tteok, cylindrical or oval Korean rice cakes, are simple to prepare in this dish that’s playful, filling and kid-friendly. They’re enrobed in a sweet and salty tomato sauce made with ketchup, which is usually used as a condiment but is great as an ingredient for cooking. Ketchup lends a tart counterpoint to seared sausage and, at least for wee ones, it offers a recognizable zing. With a handful of chopped bok choy, a cucumber side salad and a confetti of scallions, this dish promises to please adults and kids alike.

Sticky Rice Cakes With Sausage and Greens

cucumbers,

Salt

ketchup

white miso

sesame oil, divided

scallions,

black or white sesame seeds

rice vinegar

sweet Italian sausage,

yellow onion, diced

garlic cloves,

bok choy,

Chile crisp or hot sauce (optional),

NYT Cooking

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/08/22/multimedia/yk-rice-cakes-with-sausage-and-greens-qlpz/yk-rice-cakes-with-sausage-and-greens-qlpz-videoSixteenByNineJumbo1600.jpg

David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/08/22/multimedia/yk-rice-cakes-with-sausage-and-greens-qlpz/yk-rice-cakes-with-sausage-and-greens-qlpz-googleFourByThree.jpg

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/08/22/multimedia/yk-rice-cakes-with-sausage-and-greens-qlpz/yk-rice-cakes-with-sausage-and-greens-qlpz-mediumSquareAt3X.jpg

Put the tteok in a medium bowl and add enough cool water to cover them. Run your fingers through the rice cakes to loosen any pieces that may be stuck together and allow them to soften for at least 20 minutes. (Rice cakes can be soaked in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.)

Toss cucumber spears with 1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a colander and let drain in the sink.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup, miso, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 cup water.

In a medium bowl, toss the drained cucumbers with the scallions, sesame seeds, rice vinegar and remaining teaspoon sesame oil.

Heat a large skillet over high until very hot. Add the sausage and spread in an even layer. Cook undisturbed until pieces start to brown, 9 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, to break into tiny bits and cook through. If the pan starts to darken too much, turn the heat down.

Push the meat to one side and add the onion to the sausage fat on the other side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally with the sausage, until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ketchup mixture and allow the sauce to come to a simmer, about 2 minutes.

Drain the rice cakes. Turn the heat down to medium and add the rice cakes to the skillet, turning the rice cakes occasionally with a wooden spoon and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the sauce has reduced and the rice cakes are soft, glossy and well coated, about 8 minutes. Stir in the bok choy and add a tablespoon of water. Cook until the bok choy is tender, about 3 minutes, then remove from the heat.

Serve with the cucumbers on the side and chile crisp or hot sauce if you’d like and garnish with scallions.

@Holly What did you end up thinking of it?

We enjoyed this dish as a pivot from the more traditional uses of tteok.  The sauce was very sweet and tangy from the ketchup (i used a chipotle flavored one) which masked much of the Italian sausage flavor.  I added a little extra bok choy.  I think I sprinkle of melty mozzarella would be a good addition over the top.

@Holly you mean because of letting the sausage sit undisturbed for 9 minutes? I scratched my head at that too. How did it turn out?

Making this now.  The sausage cooking instructions seem sketchy at best.

Made recipe exactly and this is a solid dish for anyone who likes a comforting, tasty-yet-mildly-flavored dish that can quickly come together. I found it slightly dryer than I’d like and needing a kick, so I added a mix of pantry hot sauces with some tteokbokki sauce and now we’re talking!

Top 4 korean inspired recipes from across the web

The most viewed korean inspired recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Korean Inspired Meatballs {Meal Pre...

20-Minute Beef Gochujang Noodles

Korean Beef Bowl

Sticky Rice Cakes With Sausage and ...

Top 4 korean inspired recipes from across the web

The most viewed korean inspired recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Korean Inspired Meatballs {Meal Pre...

20-Minute Beef Gochujang Noodles

Korean Beef Bowl

Sticky Rice Cakes With Sausage and ...

The most viewed korean inspired recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine