Keto Korean Beef is an easy low carb version of bulgogi, the classic Asian dish. Adding zucchini noodles turns it into an easy one-pan meal that will have everyone coming back for more!
My family loves Asian food of all kinds. Thai, Chinese, Japanese, you name it, they will devour it. So I am always on the hunt for Asian-style dinners that cut out the carbs but don’t skimp on flavor. And this Keto Korean Beef satisfies all of those requirements. It’s been one of my family’s favorite keto ground beef recipes for years now.
It has all the hallmarks of a great meal: easy, flavorful, and family friendly. It tastes just like classic Korean bulgogi, without the sugary sauce. Using ground beef instead of sliced beef simplifies the cooking process even further. Delicious!
★★★★★
Jo says: “I made this recipe last night for my long-time Keto self and a non Keto friend. We both LOVED it. Hers was served with thin spaghetti. Mine was as written.“
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Zucchini: If you don’t enjoy zucchini, you can omit this and skip ahead to making the sauce. Serve with cauliflower rice instead.
- Ground beef: You can also use ground chicken or turkey.
- Tamari: This is a kind of flavorful soy-sauce that is also entirely gluten-free. You can also use regular soy sauce.
- Sweetener: A little sweetener helps give the dish a more authentic flavor.
- Sriracha: This adds a bit of a kick, along with the red pepper flakes. It’s not much and you can increase or decrease as desired.
- Ginger and garlic: Opt for the fresh versions where possible. If you need to use powdered, try 3/4 teaspoon of each.
- Oil: You some oil for the pan, as well as sesame oil for the sauce. If you have toasted sesame oil, it adds fabulous flavor!
- Other seasonings: Red pepper flakes, green onion, sesame seeds
How to Make Keto Korean Beef
- Spiralize the zucchini: If you have a spiral cutter like this one, I recommend using the plate with the larger holes for more sturdy noodles. If not, thinner noodles will work fine.
- Salt the noodles: Lay the noodles out on a tea towel and sprinkle lightly with salt. Let sit for 20 minutes, then pat dry with another towel.
- Prepare the sauce: Add all the sauce ingredients into a glass measuring cup or bowl and whisk to combine.
- Cook the beef: Sauté the beef in a hot skillet until no longer pink.
- Stir in the sauce and noodles: Cook until everything is warmed through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Then sprinkle with the green onion and sesame seeds.
- Serve and enjoy!
Carolyn’s Tips for Success
Don’t skip salting the zucchini to draw out the excess moisture. It can be a wonderful low carb pasta substitute, but if you add it raw, it can turn your dinner into a soupy mess.
Unlike shredded zucchini, however, you don’t want to squeeze it out as it will break up your noodles. Simply lay them out a tea towel and spread your noodles on top, then pat dry with another tea towel.
If you are sensitive to salt, be sure to use low sodium tamari or soy sauce.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try shiritaki noodles or hearts of palm noodles – both would be delicious. You can also serve the beef over cauliflower rice.
Absolutely. While it won’t be Keto Korean Beef, it will still be an absolutely delicious meal!
Most soy sauce contains gluten, and most tamari does not. But be sure to check the labels carefully. I really like the San J brand, which is certified GF.
They do! I enjoy this Keto Korean Beef for lunch after we’ve had it for dinner. I’ve also eaten it for breakfast with a fried egg on top!
More Popular Keto One Pan Meals
Keto Korean Beef Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
Zucchini Noodles
- 1 1/2 lb (680.39 g) zucchini, (you will end up with about 18 to 20 ounces)
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
Sauce
- 1/4 cup (58 g) tamari
- 3 tbsp granular sweetener, allulose, erythritol, or a mix
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp sriracha, optional
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) red pepper flakes
Korean Beef
- 2 tbsp avocado oil, or olive oil
- 1 1/3 lb (604.79 g) ground beef
- 1 medium green onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Zucchini Noodles
- Cut the ends off of the zucchini. Use the spiral cutter plate with larger holes to make zucchini noodles. Chop them slightly a few times to break up the long noodles.
- Spread the noodles out on a tea towel and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for 20 minutes to draw out the excess moisture, then pat them dry with another towel.
Sauce
- In a glass measuring cup, whisk together all of the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
Korean Beef
- Add the oil to a large skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the beef and stir fry until no pink remains, about 7 minutes. Break up the clumps with the back of a wooden spoon as you cook.
- Stir in the sauce and green onion and cook until the sauce has reduced and thickenend, another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the zucchini noodles, toss to combine, and cook 2 to 3 minutes to heat through.
- Garnish with sesame seeds before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
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I made this tonight for dinner and really enjoyed it! I put in the effort to grate fresh ginger and mince fresh garlic, and I think that helped. I scored some spiral cut zucchini at the store at a very good price, but it was a bit thicker cut, still worked out well enough. Looking forward to a good lunch tomorrow too! Thanks for this tasty recipe!
I made this recipe last night for my long-time Keto self and a non Keto friend. We both LOVED it. Hers was served with thin spaghetti. Mine was as written. I did reduce the sweetness by approx half and added 1 T of tomato paste with a little water and 2 more cloves of garlic. It will be used in regular dinner rotation at my house. Thank you again Carolyn for another Great recipe!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I added mushrooms to mine, love the added vegetable and meaty flavor. This is a great recipe, I did use a bit less sweetener. Will make again.
I think it would have been really good, but it was WAY too much sweetener. I used two Tbls less than called for and it was still rough. Outside of that, I think we would have really loved it!
This dish was delicious! So tasty and so easy and quick. Perfect!
Such a good recipe!! Easy too!
This sauce was amazing. I made it in a small blender with slightly less sweetener and used a little xanthan gum to thicken it a bit. Instead of zoodles, I used red peppers and cabbage sliced thin, which I stir-fried in the coconut oil before adding the sauce. Added sliced flank steak on top instead of the ground beef. My vegetable-averse sons were asking for seconds, the sauce was that big of a hit! We put some crushed peanuts on top along with the sesame seeds for additional crunch. Thank you Carolyn – I always know everything from your site is going to be delicious.
We liked this. Asian flavors are really nice. Next time I will add more saltiness somehow and more heat. Might add some xantham gum to thicken the sauce.
Made this tonight. It was a hit! For my non-keto family, I made regular noodles and split the beef. Everyone loved it! I highly recommend this recipe and will be adding this to our regular dinner rotation. Thank you! Send love from South Carolina. 💜💜
I forgot to rate it! definitely a 5 star!
I made this tonight-absolutely delicious! I substituted the ground beef with shaved beef. I thought the spices were perfect! I think I will use the sauce for other dishes. I think broccoli would also be a good substitute for the zucchini. Thank you Carolyn for your wonderful recipes!
I finally got the spiralizer attachment for my Kitchenaid mixer and it made making zoodles for this recipe so quick and easy.
Overall we loved it! Next time I might reduce the sweetener a bit, but I loved how quick it came together. A great summer recipe.
Outstanding! Easy, tasty and oh so easy. Great recipe!
I Havent tried this recipe yet, but I cant wait to! I absolutely love your site! I just tripped over it by accident but sure plan on staying for a long visit!
Thank you!
Would coconut amino’s work instead of tamari?
Yes, but it doesn’t have nearly as much flavor and has more carbs.
Amazing flavor and simple to make. I doubled the recipe and mixed half with shiritaki noodles and half with rice noodles (for the rest of my family members, who insist keto food isn’t good) and every plate was wiped clean. My 11 yo was a huge fan and this one is going into the regular rotation. Thank you so much!
Glad to hear it!