Tender beef marinated in a sweet and savory sauce with a smoky flavor! This quick and easy bulgogi recipe beats takeout, made with simple ingredients in little time! Great as a main with rice for a busy weeknight or for meal prep!
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Bulgogi beef is a very popular Korean BBQ meat dish that features tender rib eye beef brined in a sweet and savory marinade and pan-fried or grilled to perfection!
The marinade consists of Asian pear (I share substitutes below), onion, garlic, honey, brown sugar, sesame oil, soy sauce, mirin, black pepper, and sesame seeds.
The Korean word "Bulgogi" translates to "fire meat" as the beef is cooked over a flaming grill at Korean BBQ restaurants. It pairs best with plain white rice, kimchi, or other Korean side dishes (I share a list below).
It's one of my favorite Korean foods as it's so easy to make at home. I like to marinate the meat in advance and it only takes a few minutes to fry!
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to the below Recipe card for full measurements
- Pre-sliced Rib Eye Beef: I recommend getting the kind that is already thinly sliced at 2-3 mm thick and are sold at the Asian grocery store in the freezer section. The beef slices come either rolled up or packaged flat. This type of beef is also called "hot pot style beef", "shabu shabu beef". Make sure to fully thaw it before marinating or it can easily break apart.
- Or substitute with top sirloin steak, tenderloin, flank steak, or marbled skirt steak (avoid beef brisket!) and slice it at home. To thinly slice the steak: freeze it for 45-60 minutes fully exposed to cold air to harden the exterior and slice against the grain with a sharp knife.
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid heavy scented oils with a low smoke point.
- Green onions
- Sesame seeds: if you're allergic to sesame, please omit.
Bulgogi Marinade
- Asian Pear (aka Korean Pear): this tenderizes the meat and adds that sweetness. Or substitute with Bosc pear, apples, or Bartlett pears.
- Onion
- Garlic
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: is recommended for this recipe as it gives the bulgogi that molasses taste. Or substitute with coconut sugar.
- Mirin
- Sesame oil: if you're allergic to sesame, please omit and replace with neutral oil or peanut oil.
- Honey
- Black pepper
Note: Most Asian markets will carry most of the Asian specific ingredients.
Expert Tips
- Defrost frozen pre-sliced beef before marinating! Or it will break apart easily when you marinate it since it's cut so thinly.
- Finely purée the pear & aromatics with a blender or food processor so the marinade can tenderize the beef. Or use a box grater on the smallest setting and finely mince the garlic with a knife.
- Do not skip the Asian pear! This contains forceful enzyme called Calpain which breaks down the protein fibers in the beef. If you can't find Asian pear refer to the above section for substitutes.
- Use a non-stick skillet for easy clean up! The sugar in the marinade can cause a sticky mess.
- Fry beef in small batches. This prevents the beef from being "boiled" and not "fried".
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions and images on how to make this bulgogi:
- Into a blender or food processor, add marinade ingredients as listed above and blend on high until you have a smooth purée. (Or finely grate the onion and pear with a box grater and mince the garlic with a knife. Then combine with other marinade ingredients in a medium bowl).
- In a large bowl, add thin slices of beef and pour the marinade over top. Gently mix until the marinade has thoroughly coated the meat with clean hands - do not be rough or the beef can break apart. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 1 hour or overnight in the fridge.
- Heat vegetable oil or any neutral oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Remove the marinated meat from the bowl with tongs and shake off excess marinade before frying in small batches and do not overcrowd the pan. Cook beef through, about 3 minutes - stir frying as needed. If you prefer it more browned on the edges, cook for another 1-3 minutes on medium heat.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Remove off heat and enjoy!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? Cooked bulgogi can be stored in a freezer friendly bag and frozen up to 3 months or until you see freezer burn. To reheat, defrost it and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan.
Pairing Suggestions
Bulgogi serves well with:
- white rice, brown rice, cauliflower rice, wheat noodles
- Japchae
- fresh lettuce wraps or perilla leaves with gochujang or ssamjang if you want a spicy version
- bibimbap (a Korean mixed vegetable rice dish)
- Korean Corn Cheese
- kimchi
- Korean cucumber salad
- beansprout salad
- zucchini fritters
- gamja jorim
- Korean spinach
- fish cake stir fry
FAQ
Can I prepare bulgogi in advance?
Yes, marinate the beef and store in an airtight container or Ziplock bag and refrigerate up to 4 days or freeze for a few months and defrost to cook.
How can I make bulgogi spicy?
Bulgogi beef can be made spicy by adding a tablespoon of gochujang (Korean red chili paste) or 1-3 teaspoon of gochugaru (Korean red chili flakes) mixed the marinade.
Can I substitute with another protein?
Yes, you can substitute with sliced chicken, pork, or extra-firm tofu.
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef)
Tender, succulent beef marinated in a sweet and savory sauce with a smoky flavor! This easy bulgogi recipe beats takeout and is made with simple ingredients in little time compared to other recipes! Great as a main for a busy weeknight meal or for meal prep!
Ingredients
- 1 lb pre-sliced rib eye beef or Top Sirloin/Tenderloin/Flank steak and thinly slice (see Notes below for tip on slicing)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 1 green onion finely chopped for garnish
- 1.5 teaspoon sesame seeds for optional garnish
Beef Marinade
- 1 ¼ cup Asian Pear peeled (or sub with a Bosc pear or any pear/apple)
- ½ cup onion peeled
- 3 cloves garlic peeled
- ¼ cup regular soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon mirin
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Into a blender or food processor, add marinade ingredients as listed above and blend on high until you have a smooth purée. (Or finely grate the onion and pear with a box grater and mince the garlic with a knife. Then combine with other marinade ingredients in a medium bowl).
- In a large bowl, add thin slices of beef and pour the marinade over top. Gently mix until the marinade has thoroughly coated the meat with clean hands - do not be rough or the beef can break apart. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 1 hour or overnight in the fridge.
- Heat vegetable oil or any neutral oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Remove the marinated meat from the bowl with tongs and shake off excess marinade before frying in small batches and do not overcrowd the pan. Cook beef through, about 3 minutes - stir frying as needed. If you prefer it more browned on the edges, cook for another 1-3 minutes on medium heat.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions. Remove off heat and enjoy!
Notes
To thinly slice beef yourself
Freeze the beef steak fully exposed to the cold air for 45-60 minutes. When the exterior becomes hardened, slice against the grain into 3 mm pieces or as thinly as possible with a sharp knife. I recommend marinating for 1 hour or overnight if you're not able to slice the beef thinly enough so the marinade has time to penetrate the beef.Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 2-3 minutes until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? Cooked bulgogi can be stored in a freezer friendly bag and frozen up to 3 months or until you see freezer burn. To reheat, defrost it and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan.
Enjoyed my recipe?Please leave a 5 star review (be kind)! Tag me on social media @christieathome as I'd love to see your creations!
Suggested Equipment & Products
Nutrition
Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 950mg | Potassium: 457mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 61IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 3mg
goodgravyboat
Made this for dinner tonight, followed the recipe exactly, and it was wonderful! I'm excited to double the recipe and make it for guests soon. Thank you for an easy and delicious new favorite for me.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and so glad you liked it! Happy it was easy and delicious!
Ardeth Brodie
Honey Garlic Chicken chicken is wondrously delicious! 😋 Thank you for sharing with your fans!
Christie Lai
Thanks so much for making my recipe and for leaving a positive review, Ardeth! So glad you enjoyed it!
Rosemary
Tender and succulent oh my gosh yum! I love that you serve it with some bok choy on the side 🙂
Jd
Of course, I do enjoy all of your recipes, I just need more practice
Barbara Edens
So simple to make but brings your meat dish to a higher level. Very good.
Christie Lai
Thank you so much for making my recipe and for the positive review! Glad you enjoyed it!