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.
Free Bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Sign up for your favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox plus get our FREE bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
I may have commented on this before but it is so dang good. I made it tonight and I substituted the zucchini with broccoli because that is what I had. I love this recipe so much!!! It is super quick and versatile plus very tasty. This is a no fail recipe that everyone will love. Thank you!!!
Thank you!
loved this as I knew I would!
Great to hear!
Wow! Easy and very flavorful and not too spicy. Another keeper for future dinners.
I love “Chinese” food but it’s so far from keto. I made a few changes to your recipe but I think it was still good. I used frozen zucchini, chili garlic sauce (red), & dried onion flakes. I drained the hamburger after cooking, too much liquid. I hope others, who don ‘t have all the ‘right’ ingredients, realize the possibilities. That sauce would be fantastic on so many other recipes!
Really, REALLY good! I didn’t use the zucchini noodles so not Keto but I used cooked low carb angel hair pasta. I also added one stalk celery thin sliced, one medium carrot grated and three medium, thin sliced mushrooms and extra green onion to my meat mixture. BUY the Tamari sauce! Worth it! I will try the Zuchinni noodles soon. I also used part coconut sugar. THAT sauce!
You mentioned that it was not keto because you used low carb pasta. None of my business and I’m not trying to be snarky, but are you aware the coconut sugar is absolutely not keto?
This is so yummy.
Delicious
This is an easy, tasty dinner. I like that you can substitute different ingredients. One of my favorites! Thank you for sharing this. God bless you and your family.
Loved the flavors of this recipe! You can pair this sauce with so many options but my non-keto husband and I really like the lighter zoodles. The only adjustment I will make next time is to buy reduced sodium tamari as it was pretty salty, and I think it could get away with using less sweetener. Thanks for another addition to the rotation!
I made this for the first time for dinner tonight. Loved it as written. Of course, adjust the Sriracha and red pepper flakes to your own heat level.
If you toast some sesame seeds ( as you should 😉 ), don’t take your eyes off of them or, like me, get distracted or side tracked. They burn quickly.
I love that the presentation is with sliced cucumber. Buy some Kewpie mayo for dip or mix a bit of onion powder, mustard powder and salt into mayo.
I made this beef for dinner tonight (skipped the noodles and used cauliflower rice for myself and regular rice for my non-ketos). What a fast and delicious recipe!