Name: Korean Beef Sloppy Joes Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef; ½ cup finely chopped onion; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tablespoon soy sauce; 2 tablespoon gochujang (Korean chili paste); 3 tablespoon brown sugar; 1 tablespoon sesame oil; ½ cup tomato sauce; ¼ cup water; 4 hamburger buns; 2 tablespoon sliced green onions (for garnish); 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds (optional)

If You Love Messy Dinner Wins, This One’s For You

Alright, confession time: I never planned on inventing (well, sort of remixing) Korean Beef Sloppy Joes. But after a week of the same old dinners, my brain just went, 'why not stuff bulgogi-style beef into a bun and call it a meal?' I did. My oldest called it 'weirdly awesome,' which is basically a win in mom-speak. The first time I made it, I forgot to toast the buns, and honestly, no one noticed because the filling is that good. Oh, and yes, things get a bit messy—the napkin pile is as big as the flavor. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Why You’re Gonna Want This On Repeat

Honestly, I make this when I’ve hit dinnertime burnout. (You know those days, right? When the idea of one more plain chicken breast feels like a personal betrayal?) Plus, my husband inhales these—usually with a little sriracha, and then he claims he’s “just taste-testing” a third helping. The sweet-savory-spicy vibes hit that comfort food spot, but the gochujang gives it some swagger. Also... less than 30 minutes from fridge to face. Can’t beat that. If you ever get frustrated chopping onions? I sometimes just use the pre-chopped frozen stuff. No one’s grading you here.

What You’ll Need (With Actual Real-Life Substitutions)

1 pound ground beef (honestly, I’ve used ground turkey or chicken in a pinch—worked fine. My aunt swears by half pork, half beef. Go wild?)
1 small onion, diced (or, if you’re like me on Tuesdays, a big handful of that frozen kind)
2–3 cloves garlic, minced (the stuff in the jar is fine, just don’t tell my grandmother)
2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste; I’ve seen folks use sriracha, but it’s just not the same. Try to get the real deal if you can—it’s everywhere these days! Here’s a handy explainer)
2 tablespoons soy sauce (low-sodium, regular, even coconut aminos in one weird experiment...um, honestly, just use what’s in your cabinet)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (or honey, or just plain sugar if you’re desperate)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar—or apple cider vinegar, it’s fine, really
1 teaspoon sesame oil (my favorite part, but skip it if allergies are a thing)
1–2 green onions, sliced thin
Burger buns (I sometimes use potato rolls, or whatever’s not stale. Once, I went rogue with ciabatta—it was...interesting)
Optional: sliced cucumber, kimchi, shredded carrots, sriracha for serving

This Is How I Throw It Together—Nothing Fancy

Brown the beef in a big skillet (medium-high, ish) until it’s not pink anymore—break it up with a spoon or, if you’re me, whatever spatula you didn’t leave in the dishwasher. Drain off a little fat if it’s swimming, but don’t stress about getting it all.
Toss in onions and let them sweat out for a few mins, stirring so nothing gets too crispy. Garlic time! That goes in for about a minute—don’t wander off, or be prepared for toasty garlic perfume all over the house.
Sauce party: Mix in gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, and sesame oil. Give it all a solid stir. This is where I sneak a taste (and probably add a little extra gochujang, but maybe that’s just my tastebuds talking). If it looks a bit soupy, don’t panic—it thickens up a bunch.
Simmer for a few minutes (like, 5? 7? I lose track sometimes), till it’s a bit saucy but not a soup. If things are dry, add a splash of water.
Toast those buns, if you remember. (Sometimes I forget, and it’s honestly fine—but toasted is better if you have a sec.)
Pile on the beef, scatter with green onions, maybe some cucumber slices or kimchi. Jam the lid on, squish a bit, and prepare for glorious messy bites.

The Notes I Wish I’d Had My First Try

Don’t overthink the beef—any ground meat works, but beef holds up best for flavor, I think.
That gochujang is sneaky spicy—go easy the first time if you don’t live dangerously.
Buns really soak up sauce, so build them right before serving or you’ll get soggy-bottom syndrome (don’t ask me how I know).
Actually, I find it works better if you slice the green onions thin so you don’t get a surprise mouthful.

Things I’ve Tried (The "Not All Genius" Experiments)

I once mixed in shredded cabbage for extra crunch. Good, but probably better as a topping (it got limp and sad).
Tried gluten-free buns once. Not bad, but you really want something squishy to catch the juices.
Pork and beef half-half works wonders if you’re after depth, but turkey dries out quick, so watch it.
Avocado slices on top—random, but shockingly tasty. Family was divided, though!

Is There Gear You Really Need?

Look, a big skillet is ideal (I use my old nonstick, but sometimes the cast iron one if it’s not already buried under a pile of pans). But you can totally make this in a soup pot if that’s all you’ve got. I did once, when I, ah, forgot my skillet in the oven (long story.) Don’t sweat the small stuff.

What About Leftovers? (If You’re Lucky)

Stick any extra filling in an airtight container in the fridge. Good for about 3 days, maybe 4 if you’re living on the edge. It reheats fast—a quick zap in the microwave or sizzle in a pan. In my house, though, it never lasts more than day. The kids go on midnight raids, I swear. If you want to freeze it, just know the texture can go a bit crumbly—still tasty but different.

My Favorite Ways To Serve These (Don’t Judge)

We’re all about the classic: beef piled high, maybe a little kimchi, and handful of thin cucumber. But sometimes, on game nights, I’ll lay out all the toppings—sriracha, sesame seeds, even crushed peanuts (gives me pad thai vibes). My little one insists on ketchup, which is…controversial, but hey, to each their own. Chips on the side if we’re doing picnic-style at the park.
Sometimes, when I'm feeling especially lazy, I just scoop the filling over hot rice (bibimbap style) instead of doing buns. Not traditional, but yum!

Real Talk: What I Wish I’d Known Earlier (Pro Tips)

Letting the beef simmer a few extra minutes makes it richer—tried rushing it once, and it was kinda bland (don’t do that!).
Taste as you go. Sometimes the gochujang is spicier than usual (or maybe it’s just that last jar I bought at H Mart—you never really know).
Layer buns with a little lettuce if you’re really anti-soggy. It does help!

Real Folks Actually Asked Me These (FAQ-ish)

Can I make this ahead? Sure! The filling reheats like a charm. Sometimes I think it tastes better the next day, actually. Just don’t build the buns till you’re ready, or, well, you know…

What’s a good sub for gochujang? Hoo boy, people ask this a lot. If you really can’t find it, try a mix of sriracha and a dab of miso, but it’s not quite the same. Other chili pastes work in a pinch, but the funk is missing.

Is this spicy? Kinda? Mild if you stick to the recipe (my 8-yr-old eats it), hotter if you double the gochujang. But everyone’s spice-meter is different, eh?

Can I make it vegetarian? Yep, use veggie crumbles or lentils. I tried firm tofu once—on second thought, maybe stick to lentils. Tofu was a little sad and squishy (but if you love it, go for it!).

Where do you get gochujang? Asian markets, bigger grocery chains, and, when I'm desperate, online. Check out the guide to buying if you're lost—it helped me first time!

If you make this, send me a note—curious to hear if you out-messied my family. Or if your midnight snackers get to it first!

Korean Beef Sloppy Joes Recipe