Bulgogi flavored beef enveloped in rice and roasted seaweed. This easy and simple bulgogi beef triangle kimbap is made with simple ingredients. A great breakfast, snack, picnic, or meal idea for on-the-go!
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Bulgogi beef triangle kimbap is essentially a Korean-inspired rice ball stuffed with bulgogi beef and wrapped in gim (or dry roasted seaweed).
The flavors of the sweet and savory ground beef compliment the tender rice and seaweed so perfectly!
In Korean translation, "kimbap" or "gimbap" means "seaweed rice". This is a popular food item sold at many Korean convenience stores or at Korean grocery stores like H-Mart.
It's fantastic for commuters or students looking for a cheap, filling, tasty meal, breakfast or snack to fill their bellies.
The fillings can range from tuna mayo, spam, imitation crab mayo and more! The options are endless as rice and dry roasted seaweed are such versatile ingredients.
I love this Asian rice snack because it hits the spot when I am craving something fast and delicious. The best part is that it's easy to make at home and you can even used reheated leftover rice from the fridge.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Cooked Short-Grain Rice (aka Calrose Rice or Sushi Rice): or substitute with medium grain rice as a last resort. Avoid using any long grain rice, arborio rice or glutinous rice.
- Salt
- Ground Beef: ideally extra-lean minced beef or substitute with extra-lean ground pork, ground chicken or ground turkey.
- Regular soy sauce: or substitute with low sodium soy sauce or light soy sauce. If you’re gluten-free, substitute with tamari sauce, coconut aminos or a gluten-free soy sauce.
- Brown Sugar: light or dark brown sugar both work. Or substitute with honey but please add to taste.
- Garlic
- Sesame Oil: for that signature bulgogi flavor or substitute with sesame seeds. If you're allergic to sesame, please omit.
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.
- Gim: or substitute with nori or dry roasted seaweed.
Note: Most Asian grocery stores will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients or check online stores, like Amazon.
Expert Tips
- Add 3 tbsps or 45 ml of water to the rice water to make the rice stickier and more moist.
- Evaporate most of the liquids in the pan when cooking the beef or the excess liquid will leak through the rice ball.
- Use a wet rice paddle or silicone spatula to season, scoop and shape the rice.
- Use plastic wrap or a triangle kimbap mold to help you shape the rice. If you want to use your hands, make sure they're clean and wet with water.
- Do not overfill the kimbap with bulgogi beef or it will spill out.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make bulgogi beef triangle kimbap:
- Season hot cooked rice with salt with a rice paddle and cover to keep warm.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat. Cook ground beef breaking it up into finer pieces until it's no longer pink and brown.
- Add minced garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar and sesame oil and mix with the beef. Cook for 2-3 minutes until all the liquids in the pan have evaporated. Remove off heat to cool down.
- Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap, about 25 inches long on the countertop or a surface where the plastic wrap can stick and hold.
- Wet the rice paddle with water and divide seasoned rice into 4 equal portions and spoon 1 portion into the center of the plastic wrap. Spread the rice out into a ½-inch thick rice pancake.
- Spoon 3 tablespoon of the cooked beef into center of the rice.
- Lift up the corners of the plastic wrap and twist it together so the rice is shaped into a ball. Tuck any pieces of ground beef peeking out back into the center of the rice ball.
- Flatten the rice ball until it’s 2-inches thick and then shape into a triangle.
- Fold a sheet of gim or nori into half and cut it into two pieces with scissors.
- Place dry roasted seaweed rough side up on a clean surface, vertically. Place the rice ball pointy side up in the top half of the sheet and wrap the bottom half upwards. Fold the corners over the triangle. Repeat this until you have 3 more rice balls.
Storage
- This dish is best consumed fresh or within 12 hours because rice is a breeding ground for bacteria. They also don't taste as great after being refrigerated.
- However, leftover kimbap can be stored by wrapping each one in plastic wrap and stored into an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat each one: remove the plastic wrap and microwave it for 45-60 seconds.
- Freezer-Friendly? I don't recommend freezing bulgogi beef triangle kimbap because the texture of the gim and rice will change.
Pairing Suggestions
Bulgogi beef triangle kimbap serves well with:
FAQ
The components for triangle kimbap can be prepared in advance but I don't recommend assembling it a few days prior as it doesn't taste as good when reheated from the cold.
On the day of serving, the seasoned rice and bulgogi beef can be reheated in the microwave for a few minutes and then you can assemble the kimbap as instructed.
I don't recommend this as the bulgogi is meant to be sweet and savory. But if you're okay with a more savory flavor, then please omit the sugar.
Yes, feel free to use that instead of the plastic wrap.
📖 Recipe
Bulgogi Beef Triangle Kimbap
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked short grain rice hot
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ lb ground beef extra-lean, or ground pork/chicken/turkey
- 2 teaspoon regular soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 2 sheets nori or gim/dry roasted seaweed
Instructions
- Season hot cooked rice with salt with a rice paddle and cover to keep warm.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large pan on medium heat. Cook ground beef breaking it up into finer pieces until it's no longer pink and brown.
- Add minced garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar and sesame oil and mix with the beef. Cook for 2-3 minutes until all the liquids in the pan have evaporated. Remove off heat to cool down.
- Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap, about 25 inches long on the countertop or a surface where the plastic wrap can stick and hold.
- Wet the rice paddle with water and divide seasoned rice into 4 equal portions and spoon 1 portion into the center of the plastic wrap. Spread the rice out into a ½-inch thick rice pancake.
- Spoon 3 tablespoon of the cooked beef into center of the rice.
- Lift up the corners of the plastic wrap and twist it together so the rice is shaped into a ball. Tuck any pieces of ground beef peeking out back into the center of the rice ball.
- Flatten the rice ball until it’s 2-inches thick and then shape into a triangle.
- Fold a sheet of gim or nori into half and cut it into two pieces with scissors.
- Place dry roasted seaweed rough side up on a clean surface, vertically. Place the rice ball pointy side up in the top half of the sheet and wrap the bottom half upwards. Fold the corners over the triangle. Repeat this until you have 3 more rice balls.
fifz
This is one of the best meals I've had! Simple and delicious.
christieathome
Thanks so much for making my recipe and glad you enjoyed it!
Monica
These are so yummy. I love them!
christieathome
So happy to hear this! Thanks for making my recipe Monica!
Jackie Reyna
Will dark brown sugar work? Or will it throw it off?
christieathome
Yes that will work as well!
Rosemary
I loved watching your video on how to make the rice triangle without a mold! You make it look so delicious and easy <3
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
This is such a smart idea for a quick on the go lunch. So handy... and so much flavor!