This delicious 30-minute sweet and spicy Bulgogi Bowl comes together with a few simple ingredients for a quick and easy dinner that is full of flavor!
Enjoy the bold flavors of Korean food with these Bulgogi Bowls! Originating from Korea, Bulgogi is a beloved dish featuring strips of seasoned beef atop a bed of rice, often accompanied by tangy pickled vegetables or a perfectly fried egg. In this recipe, I've crafted a convenient twist by opting for ground meat, making it an accessible and budget-friendly option for those hectic days when time is of the essence.
I like to serve my Bulgogi Bowl over cauliflower rice or jasmine rice with Pickled Cucumbers, chopped scallions and an extra squirt of Sriracha sauce. For a slightly different combination serve this beef over noodles with Vietnamese Pickled Vegetables and Spicy Sriracha Mayo.
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Ingredients
Here's what you need to make beef Bulgogi Bowls:
- lean ground beef
- toasted sesame oil
- soy sauce
- brown sugar
- minced garlic
- chili garlic sauce
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Here's how to make a Korean Bulgogi Bowl:
1. In a pan over medium heat, add the sesame oil and ground beef. Cooking, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until the beef is no longer pink - about 10 minutes.
2. Drain off any extra liquid/fat in the pan then add the garlic and saute for 1 additional minute.
3. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar and chili garlic sauce. Stir to combine and cook for 5 additional minutes.
4. Serve the beef piled on top of a bed of cauliflower rice or rice and garnish with sesame seeds or sliced green onions.
Substitutions
Want to substitute an ingredient in your Bulgogi Bowl? Here's how:
- Lean ground beef - use an equal amount of ground turkey, pork or chicken in place of the beef.
- Soy sauce - use an equal amount of tamari or coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce.
- Sesame oil - use an equal amount of an alternate oil such as peanut, vegetable or canola in place of the sesame oil.
- Brown sugar - use an equal amount of an alternative sweetener such as honey or coconut sugar in place of the brown sugar.
- Chili garlic sauce - use an equal amount of Sriracha sauce in place of the chili garlic sauce.
Variations
Try one of these Bulgogi Bowl variations:
- Extra spicy - double the amount of chili garlic sauce for an extra kick.
- Ginger - add 1 Tablespoon of minced ginger to the cooked meat when you add the garlic.
- Gluten-free - substitute tamari or coconut aminos for the soy sauce and be sure to read the labels on the bottles to ensure the brand of tamari and chili garlic sauce you use are indeed gluten-free.
Equipment
This equipment comes in handy for making Bulgogi Bowls:
Storage
Store leftover cooked Beef Bulgogi in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months. (Check out this article for more details on how to properly freeze and thaw cooked meat.)
Top tip
Bulgogi Bowls reheat wonderfully so make a batch of this for lunches for the week.
FAQ
Bulgogi is a classic Korean dish made with seasoned strips of beef and is most often served over rice.
Traditional Korean bulgogi is simply thin strips of beef that have been marinated in a combination of soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and chiles and cooked, often served with rice.
Related
Looking for other easy Asian recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
Pair your Bulgogi Bowl with one of these vegetable recipes for a balanced meal the whole family will love:
Recipe
Bulgogi Bowl
Equipment
- 1 pan
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 lb ground beef
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 4 cups cauliflower rice (or jasmine rice)
- sesame seeds and/ or sliced green onions for garnish
Instructions
- In a pan over medium heat, add the sesame oil and ground beef. Cooking, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until the beef is no longer pink - about 10 minutes.
- Drain off any extra liquid/fat in the pan then add the garlic and saute for 1 additional minute.
- Add the soy sauce, brown sugar and chili garlic sauce. Stir to combine and cook for 5 additional minutes.
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
Remember these food safety tips when making Bulgogi Bowls:
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
Shannon
Quick, easy and full of flavor!