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.

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 beef is best 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 is bulgogi sauce made of? ›

Bulgogi generally refers to thinly sliced beef marinated in a sauce that is a mix of soy sauce, sugar or honey, sesame oil, garlic, onion, and often pureed Asian pear.

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 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 long can you marinate bulgogi? ›

Add the thinly sliced beef, thinly sliced onions, and green onions. Mix and marinate for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours. Over high heat, add a tbsp of oil to a pan. Cook the beef bulgogi in batches until the water cooks out and the beef and onions are nicely caramelized, about 4-5 minutes.

What's the difference between teriyaki and bulgogi sauce? ›

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.

Why do Koreans eat bulgogi? ›

The dish is believed to have entered South Korea as a result of refugees fleeing Pyongan Providence after the liberation of the Korean Peninsula from the Japanese in 1945. After its introduction into South Korea, bulgogi became popular in Seoul and many other cities.

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 vegetables go 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.

Can I use apple instead of pear for bulgogi? ›

If you live near a Korean grocery store, you can pick up presliced beef (look for Korean BBQ beef); if you're cutting the meat yourself, freeze it for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour for easier slicing. Traditional bulgogi marinade calls for puréed or grated fruit such as kiwi, apple, or pear.

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 meat should I use for bulgogi? ›

This recipe calls for flank steak because it's tender and flavorful. You can also use skirt steak or hanger steak. Salty, umami-rich soy sauce is the base of this beef bulgogi marinade. A couple tablespoons of white sugar lends sweetness, balancing the other savory flavors.

What is bulgogi in English? ›

Bulgogi (Korean: 불고기; lit. fire meat; Korean pronunciation: [pul. ɡo. ɡi]; American English /bʊlˈɡoʊɡiː/ buul-GOH-ghee) is a gui (Korean-style grilled or roasted dish) made of thin, marinated slices of meat, most commonly beef, grilled on a barbecue or on a stove-top griddle.

What cut of beef is best for Korean BBQ? ›

What Is The Best Beef Cut For Korean BBQ? Bulgogi (Sirloin Beef Strips) is the most well-known Korean BBQ beef cut. While others also like other cuts of beef for a Korean BBQ, there's no doubt that bulgogi the most popular not only in Korea but also in other countries like Australia.

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

As steaks cook quickly on the grill, tender cuts such as sirloin, ribeye and fillet give the best results. These cuts come from areas of the cow that do less work, whereas hard-working muscles are better for long, slow cooking.

Is ribeye better than sirloin? ›

With more marbling, ribeye steaks are better known for their rich flavor and texture. However, dry-aging grilled sirloin steak can enhance its beefy taste without adding fat. Both ribeye and sirloin are wonderfully tender cuts, but ribeye has the edge here.

What is the best Korea beef? ›

Hanwoo, the prized Korean beef which is fast gaining popularity among global meat-eaters looking for a tasty alternative to the now almost ubiquitous wagyu.

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