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Best Spicy Korean Ground Turkey Rice Bowl with Pickled Cucumbers

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A quick and easy weeknight dinner featuring savory, slightly sweet ground turkey with gochujang, perfectly crisp pickled cucumbers, and fluffy rice. This balanced, crowd-pleasing bowl comes together in under 25 minutes and is perfect for meal prep.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound ground turkey (93% lean works best)
  • 3 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce (low-sodium if desired)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil (toasted)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar (or honey)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion (yellow or white)
  • 2 green onions, sliced (for garnish)
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for cooking)
  • 1 large English cucumber (or 2 Persian cucumbers)
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar (unseasoned)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups cooked white rice (jasmine or short-grain)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (toasted, for garnish)
  • 1 sheet dried seaweed, crumbled (optional)

Instructions

  1. Start the rice first. Rinse 1 cup of rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Add it to a small saucepan with 1 1/2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. (Or use a rice cooker.)
  2. Make the pickled cucumbers while the rice cooks. Slice the cucumber into thin rounds—about 1/8-inch thick. In a medium bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sugar, salt, red pepper flakes, and sliced garlic until the sugar dissolves. Add the cucumber slices and toss to coat. Let them sit at room temperature while you prepare the rest. They’ll be ready in about 10 minutes, but longer is better.
  3. Mix the sauce for the turkey. In a small bowl, combine the gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, and brown sugar. Stir until smooth. Set it near the stove.
  4. Cook the aromatics. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes until it starts to soften and turn translucent. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, and cook for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Brown the turkey. Add the ground turkey to the skillet. Break it apart with a spatula into small crumbles. Let it cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes to get some browning on the bottom, then start stirring. Cook for 5-7 minutes total, until the turkey is cooked through and no longer pink. If there’s excess liquid in the pan, keep cooking until it evaporates.
  6. Add the sauce. Pour the gochujang mixture over the cooked turkey. Stir well to coat every piece. Let it simmer for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and clings to the meat. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  7. Assemble the bowls. Divide the rice among four bowls. Top each with a generous portion of the spicy ground turkey. Drain the pickled cucumbers slightly and pile them on top. Garnish with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, and crumbled seaweed if using.

Notes

The cucumbers need at least 10 minutes to pickle properly, but they can sit for hours or be made the night before. For best results, slice cucumbers thinly and don’t skip the salt in the pickling liquid. If gochujang is too thick, microwave for 10 seconds before mixing. Store leftovers separately: turkey, rice, and cucumbers in separate containers. Reheat turkey and rice together, then add cold cucumbers on top. Do not microwave the cucumbers.

Nutrition

Keywords: spicy Korean ground turkey, Korean rice bowl, ground turkey recipe, pickled cucumbers, gochujang, quick dinner, meal prep, healthy bowl

Find it online: https://lenatable.com/best-spicy-korean-ground-turkey-rice-bowl-with-pickled-cucumbers/