Savory Ground Beef Soboro Rice Balls
Easy Ground Beef Soboro Rice Balls Recipe for Kids’ Breakfast or Picnic Lunch
This recipe for Ground Beef Soboro Rice Balls is incredibly simple and delicious, perfect for busy mornings or delightful picnic lunches. Featuring flavorful, crumbly ground beef ‘soboro’ mixed with seasoned rice, these rice balls are sure to be a hit with children. We’ll guide you through creating a nutritious and appealing meal that’s both easy to make and a joy to eat.
Ground Beef Soboro Ingredients
- 150g ground beef
- 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce-based Korean BBQ marinade (store-bought or bulgogi sauce)
- 0.5 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
Rice Ball Ingredients
- 1.5 cups cooked rice (warm)
- Furikake (Japanese rice seasoning, to taste) – optional
- Seaweed flakes (to taste) – optional
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- Toasted sesame seeds (to taste)
- 1.5 cups cooked rice (warm)
- Furikake (Japanese rice seasoning, to taste) – optional
- Seaweed flakes (to taste) – optional
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- Toasted sesame seeds (to taste)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Let’s make some delicious Ground Beef Soboro Rice Balls, perfect for a quick and easy morning meal! First, place 150g of ground beef directly into a frying pan. You don’t need to add any oil as the beef will release its own fat. For flavor, we’ll use 1.5 tablespoons of a store-bought Korean BBQ marinade (often called ‘galbi sauce’). Alternatively, a good quality ‘bulgogi’ sauce works wonderfully. Using a reputable brand’s marinade ensures a fantastic savory taste.
Step 2
Add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic to the pan. If your children enjoy a hint of pepper, you can add a pinch of black pepper here for extra depth of flavor. My kids aren’t fond of pepper, so I’ve omitted it this time, but feel free to add it if your family likes it.
Step 3
Using your hands, gently mix the ground beef with the marinade and garlic until well combined. Once everything is evenly distributed, drizzle in 0.5 tablespoon of sesame oil and mix again. This adds a wonderful nutty aroma.
Step 4
Now, it’s time to cook the seasoned ground beef. Place the pan over medium heat. Stir the beef frequently to ensure it cooks evenly and doesn’t stick or burn. The goal is to cook it until it breaks down into small, crumbly pieces, resembling ‘soboro’.
Step 5
As the beef cooks, if you notice any larger pieces of minced garlic, you can gently break them up with your cooking utensil for a more uniform texture. And just like that, your savory ground beef ‘soboro’ is ready! Look at that beautiful sheen – it smells and looks absolutely delicious!
Step 6
With the flavorful beef soboro prepared, let’s assemble the rice balls. Get your 1.5 cups of warm, freshly cooked rice ready. Spoon about 2 generous tablespoons of the prepared ground beef soboro onto the rice.
Step 7
This is a bottle of furikake I bought in Japan, but you can easily find similar rice seasonings in Korean markets too. It’s one of my children’s favorites, so I always make sure to have some on hand for their rice balls. Using different kinds of furikake can add a nice variety.
Step 8
Oh, it seems I’ve run out of my kids’ preferred furikake flavor today, so I’m using a different one! Don’t worry if you don’t have furikake; you can still make wonderful rice balls without it. The savory beef soboro is so flavorful on its own that it doesn’t really need anything else. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of sesame oil over the rice and soboro mixture for extra richness.
Step 9
Adding some seaweed flakes will give the rice balls a lovely color and a hint of umami. If you don’t have seaweed flakes, toasted sesame seeds are an excellent substitute for a nutty flavor. I’m adding a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds today as well. Now, put on a pair of disposable gloves and gently mix everything together by hand until well combined. Shape the mixture into bite-sized balls. For my children, I usually make about 4-6 balls for younger elementary schoolers and 5-7 for older ones, which is usually a satisfying portion. This amount is quite generous compared to their usual breakfast.
Step 10
See how easily that came together? A delicious and appealing meal in no time! I often serve these rice balls with some fresh fruit. It’s a great way to encourage kids to eat fruits like apples, pears, or oranges, which they might otherwise skip.
Step 11
My kids happily eat these rice balls just as they are, but if you have a warm soup or a clear broth on hand, serving them together would make for an even more comforting and nutritious meal. Especially on cooler days, a warm bowl of soup is always a welcome addition!
