Best and Easiest Beef Bulgogi – Asian Recipes At Home (2024)

This is the best and easiest Korean beef bulgogi recipe. It consists of thin slices of ribeye beef marinated in our own very special homemade marinade and then stir-fried to perfection. Bulgogi is a classic Korean dish and is a staple in many Korean households.

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A brief history of Korean beef bulgogi

Pronounced “buul-GOH-ghee”, bulgogi is literally translated as “fire meat” in Korean (“bul” means “fire” and “gogi” means “meat”). According to the peer-reviewed Korean Journal, this dish’s origins date back to the Goguryeo dynasty (37 B.C. to 668 A.D.). It went through a few transitional periods, such as grilled beef that originated from neobiani, then to being boiled in a meat broth around the 1960s. Bulgogi was revived with full-force after the 1990s. It was then that bulgogi was adapted through various different cooking methods and collectively was regarded as the most popular food in Korea.

What makes this the best and easiest Korean beef bulgogi recipe

A lot of traditional recipes you may see tend to use Asian pear in their recipes. Today, we are sharing a super easy and more simplified bulgogi recipe with you. It can be hard to find Asian pears, especially when they are not in season. We use thinly sliced ribeye for this recipe due to its tenderness and fat content. However, sirloin and brisket are also popular cuts to use in bulgogi recipes. You should be able to find all of the ingredients needed for our Korean beef bulgogi recipe easily at the grocery store or Asian markets at any time of the year.

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Thinly sliced beef

Thinly sliced beef is one of the most important components in making great bulgogi. It is possible for you to slice the meat thinly yourself at home too. If you decide to slice it yourself, many suggest freezing the beef for only about 20 minutes to make it easier to slice. You don’t want it completely frozen, you just want it frozen enough so that the knife can glide through a firmer, almost frozen piece of meat. However, it is even easier to have the grocery store, or butcher slice the meat for you. Many bigger grocery stores will happily slice it for you. We have asked Kroger’s meat counter to slice the ribeye paper-thin for us and most are happy to help. If you have a locally-owned Asian market or Korean supermarket nearby like an H Mart, they also usually have pre-sliced beef frozen and ready to go.

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What to serve with this easy beef bulgogi

As you would probably expect, we recommend serving this delicious beef bulgogi with freshly steamed white rice. Traditionally, beef bulgogi is served accompanied by a variety of different side dishes (banchan). Try one, any or all of these great side dish (banchan) recipes that would go great with this beef bulgogi:

  • Easy Napa Cabbage Korean Kimchi (Cut-Up Kimchi)
  • Crunchy Fried Spring Rolls
  • Spicy Korean Cucumber Salad
  • Easy Asian Pan-Fried Zucchini
  • Korean Seasoned Spinach Side Dish (Sigeumchi-namul)
  • Korean White Kimchi (Baek Kimchi)

We hope you enjoy this best and easiest Korean beef bulgogi recipe! Please be sure to comment or tag us on Instagram or Facebook (@asianrecipesathome) if you make this recipe.

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Yield: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 14 hours

Total Time: 14 hours 35 minutes

This is the best and easiest Korean beef bulgogi recipe. Thin slices of ribeye beef marinated in our own very homemade bulgogi marinade and then stir-fried to perfection.

Ingredients

  • 2lb Ribeye beef, sliced paper-thin
  • 1 Tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 medium/large-sized yellow onion (about 1 ½ cups), sliced about ¼” thickness
  • 1 medium-sized carrot (about 1 cup), cut like matchsticks
  • 2 green onions (about ½ cup), sliced on the diagonal
  • ½ Tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1 green onion (about ¼ cup), sliced on diagonal (optional, garnish)

For the marinade:

Instructions

  1. First, let’s prepare the beef. Rub the sugar into the beef and let it sit for about 2 hours in the fridge in a medium-sized bowl.
  2. While the beef is marinating in just the sugar, let’s make the actual marinade. Mix together sesame oil, soy sauce, water, black pepper, salt, garlic cloves, and sesame seeds in a small bowl. Once mixed thoroughly, pour this mixture onto the beef and mix together well. Let the beef marinate in the fridge for about 12 hours. The longer it marinates the better the flavor.
  3. Place a cast-iron pan (or any frying pan) onto high heat and then add 1 Tbsp avocado oil to the pan.
  4. Stir-fry the beef for about 1 minute on the high heat. After a minute, turn the heat down to medium and continue stir-frying the beef to allow the liquid to evaporate/absorb into the beef.
  5. Once the liquid from the beef and marinade has evaporated about 80%, then add in the onions, carrot, and green onion. Stir-fry the beef and vegetables together until all of the liquid has evaporated.
  6. Add the remaining sesame seeds and mix into the finished bulgogi. Top with freshly sliced green onions (optional), serve and enjoy!

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Best and Easiest Beef Bulgogi – Asian Recipes At Home (2024)

FAQs

What cut of meat is used for bulgogi? ›

Boneless ribeye steak is our cut of choice for this recipe and the most popular because it is tender and flavorful with nice marbling. Sirloin is also commonly used to make bulgogi and is slightly leaner that ribeye. You can also use flank steak in a pinch with good results, but the texture won't be quite as tender.

What are the three types of bulgogi? ›

There are three types of bulgogi that are typically served at restaurants today – Gwangyang-style of South Jeolla Province, Eonyang-style of South Gyeongsang Province and last but not least, the Seoul-style.

How to serve Korean beef bulgogi? ›

The best way to serve beef bulgogi is with some freshly cooked rice where you drizzle all that sauce. On the side, you can have kimchi and other banchans, as well as some vegetables such as lettuce and sliced peppers. For the sauce, don't forget the ssamjang! With these, you can make a ssam or bulgogi lettuce wraps.

What makes bulgogi special? ›

The most prominent characteristic of bulgogi is that it is “sliced and marinated roast meat.” The tradition of Korean marinated roast beef can be traced back to the Goguryeo dynasty (37 BC–AD 668), when it existed as maekjeok, or pre-marinated roasted meat on a skewer.

What is bulgogi sauce made of? ›

It typically consists of soy sauce, sugar, mirin (sweet rice wine), sesame oil, garlic, and green onions, along with other ingredients such as ginger, pear juice, or rice wine vinegar. The sauce is used to flavor and tenderize thinly sliced beef that is then grilled, pan-fried, or stir-fried.

What is the difference between beef teriyaki and beef bulgogi? ›

Bulgogi is a sweet, salty beef dish that is comparable to teriyaki but much more rich and flavorful. Whereas teriyaki is solely sweetened with sugar, bulgogi relies also on fruit sugar to add an extra depth of flavor.

What goes with beef bulgogi? ›

Once it's done marinating, the hard part is over. Throw it onto a super hot cast iron skillet or grill pan and that smoky, sweet-savory charred bits of meat will simply put you over the edge. Serve with rice and maybe a side of kimchi for a full meal. Or red leaf lettuce tacos also work perfectly here.

What part of the body is beef bulgogi? ›

Bulgogi is made from thin slices of sirloin or other prime cuts of beef. Ribeye is also commonly used due to its tenderness and easily cuttable texture.

What is bulgogi in English? ›

Bulgogi (불고기) is the name of a Korean dish, literally translating to “fire meat.” This famous Korean dish has existed for thousands of years, and it is now gaining popularity in Western countries like the United States and Canada.

How to make bulgogi more tender? ›

Bulgogi, or Korean barbecued beef, is made with marinated sliced beef. Most recipes call for crushed pear to tenderize the meat. My boyfriend's Korean mother says Coca-Cola can also be used for the same purpose. This recipe uses very thinly-sliced sirloin steak, so tenderization isn't necessary.

What do Koreans drink with bulgogi? ›

Yoon Sook-ja, director of the Institute of Traditional Korean Food, recommends pairing dwaeji bulgogi (marinated grilled pork) with soju (clear liquor). Soju, the clear traditional liquor that comes in the iconic green bottle, is widely known to soothe the sorrows of Koreans as shown in many films and TV dramas.

Do you eat bulgogi with rice? ›

Beef Bulgogi is Simple to Prepare and Versatile

In fact, sambal is now fairly common at most grocery stores. The marinade is easy to make and packed with flavor. The recipe for my spicy Korean cucumbers is in the bulgogi sandwich recipe and would also make a great side dish for bulgogi over rice.

Is bulgogi healthy for you? ›

From a nutritional point of view, Bulgogi enjoys an excellent reputation: grilled or burned beef steak in a pan does not require the use of additional fat and is a source par excellence of noble proteins, vitamins PP and B12, while the ginger present in marination speeds up the digestion process as well as fighting ...

What is a fun fact about bulgogi? ›

Bulgogi is believed to have come from Goguryeo, one of the three kingdoms of ancient Korea. It was called "Maekjeok" at first. In the Joseon dynasty, it was called "Neobiani" which means 'thinly spread'.

What vegetables go well with bulgogi? ›

Grilled vegetables are a simple and versatile side dish that can be easily paired with Bulgogi. The smoky, charred flavors of the vegetables enhance the taste of the marinated beef, while the variety of textures creates a satisfying meal. Popular choices include bell peppers, zucchini, onions, and mushrooms.

What is the best cut of beef for Korean BBQ? ›

If you've ever wondered what cut goes into everyone's favorite Korean BBQ beef dish of bulgogi, look no further than the sirloin steak. This often overlooked piece of beef is known more for its flavor than its texture, which makes it an excellent recipient for recipes that involve a little bit of marinade.

Where is bulgogi cut from? ›

Bulgogi is made from thin slices of sirloin or other prime cuts of beef. Ribeye is also commonly used due to its tenderness and easily cuttable texture.

What meat do they use at Korean BBQ? ›

If you prefer non-marinated meat, you can have chimasal (flank steak), thinly sliced brisket (chadolbaegi), sirloin steak (deungsim), thinly sliced beef belly (samgyup), beef tenderloin (andeungsi), beef tongue (hyuh mit gui), pork belly (samgyeopsal), or pork chop (moksal), along with chicken varieties — but you can ...

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