This Ground Beef Bulgogi Bowl is a flavorful, tangy recipe inspired by Korean BBQ. Ground beef is coated in soy sauce and sesame oil, then drizzled in sweet chili sauce to make this sweet and savory meal.
If you want more Asian inspired recipes, try my chinese coleslaw and my homemade shrimp fried rice.
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Why this Korean Ground Beef Bulgogi Recipe is a Keeper
- 15 Minute Ground Beef Bulgogi: Have this bulgogi beef bowl ready in just 15 minutes. It’s easy to make, and is a great recipe for a busy night.
- Adaptable Recipe: Easily adjust the ingredients in this easy beef bulgogi to your tastes and dietary needs.
- Delicious Flavor: This easy recipe using ground beef is full of sweet, spicy, and savory flavors.
What is Traditional Bulgogi?
Bulgogi is a traditional Korean dish, where barbecue beef is thinly sliced, marinated, and cooked over an open flame. There are chicken and pork variations, but the term usually refers to beef. Our adaptation is quick and easy to make, a good go to recipe when you don’t have the time to make the authentic Korean version.
Ingredient Notes for this Korean Ground Beef Bowl
- Ground Meat: Use one pound of ground beef. An 80-20 blend of lean ground beef typically works.
- Soy Sauce: If you’d prefer, use a low sodium soy sauce. You can also serve the beef mixture over cauliflower rice to make it healthier.
- Sweet Chili Sauce: If you can’t find sweet chili sauce at your local grocery store, try an Asian market.
- Fresh Ginger: Use 1 1/2 tablespoons of minced ginger
See the recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Korean Beef Bowl Prep Ahead Suggestions
- Make the Sauce Ahead: Prepare the bulgogi sauce in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will save you time when cooking the beef.
- Pre-marinate: Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl or zip-top bag and marinate the ground beef for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
Pro Tip for this Easy Korean Dish
Grated Korean pear not only adds sweetness but also acts as a natural tenderizer for this Asian ground beef.
How to Make this Ground Beef Bulgogi Bowl
Beef bulgogi is a Korean barbecue meat dish, sometimes served with Korean red pepper paste or a rice bowl. Bulgogi is usually made with a marinade and cooked over an open flame, but our version is a quicker alternative if you can’t wait to satisfy your bulgogi craving. The soy sauce mixture is easy to prepare, making it perfect for a weeknight meal. Follow the recipe to make our take on this popular Korean recipe.
These are the basic steps for making easy and delicious bulgogi. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
1. Cook the Beef
In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown the beef. Cook until beef is no longer pink. Drain any excess fat.
2. Make the Marinade
In a small bowl, combine garlic, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, and ginger. Stir to combine and pour over the beef.
3. Simmer the Sauce
Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and serve over rice.
How to Store, Reheat and Use Leftovers for this Popular Korean Dish
- Storing: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
- Using Leftovers: Leftover beef should stay good for up to 3-4 days.
Variations and Substitutions for this Ground Beef Recipe
- Egg: Serve this recipe with a softboiled egg.
- Mirin: If you don’t have white wine vinegar on hand, mirin is an excellent alternative.
- Low Sodium Ingredients: To adapt this recipe to your dietary needs, simply opt for low-sodium soy sauce and sweet chili sauce or gochujang.
- Wraps: Make this easy Korean dish into lettuce wraps.
Easy Ground Beef Bulgogi FAQs
Serve this recipe with Korean slow cooker beef ribs, Korean Spicy Noodles, or Brown Rice.
Make this recipe with ground chicken or ground turkey in place of beef.
Freeze the beef shortly after cooking. It should stay good for up to 4 months.
Expert Tips to Make Bulgogi Recipe
- Add Heat: If you’re a fan of spicy food, enhance the flavor by adding a dash of extra sweet chili sauce or some red pepper flakes to your liking.
- Fresh Garnishes: Elevate the presentation and flavor by garnishing with sesame seeds, shredded lettuce, scallions, green onions, or parsley for a burst of freshness to this easy and quick recipe.
- Sour Cream: Balance the heat with a dollop of cool ranch dressing or a touch of sour cream, creating a harmonious blend of flavors and temperatures.
Beef Bulgogi Bowl
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Ingredients
- 1 pound Ground Beef
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- ½ cup Soy Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Sweet chili Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Sesame Oil
- 1 ½ tablespoons Fresh Ginger, minced
Instructions
- In a large non-stick skillet, brown the ground beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink.
- Drain any excess fat from the skillet.
- In a bowl, combine the garlic, soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil and ginger.
- Stir to combine and pour over the ground beef.
- Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve over rice.
Christina’s Notes
- Add Heat: If you’re a fan of spicy food, enhance the flavor by adding a dash of extra sweet chili sauce or some red pepper flakes to your liking.
- Fresh Garnishes: Elevate the presentation and flavor by garnishing with sesame seeds, shredded lettuce, scallions, green onions, or parsley for a burst of freshness to this easy and quick recipe.
- Sour Cream: Balance the heat with a dollop of cool ranch dressing or a touch of sour cream, creating a harmonious blend of flavors and temperatures.
- Scale the recipe: Simply adjust the serving size in the recipe card and the ingredients will update automatically.
- Make your own All Purpose Seasoning: When a recipe calls for All Purpose Seasoning, you can use my homemade All Purpose Seasoning recipe or substitute salt and pepper to taste.
- Meat doneness: I always use a meat thermometer to test for doneness when cooking meat.
- Use unsalted butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt level in the recipe.
- Preheat the oven: Unless otherwise noted, always preheat your oven before baking.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, check out the blog post.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided are estimates. It is recommended that you verify this information with your own trusted resource.
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This recipe is my personal adaption of an ethnic-inspired recipe. It is not intended to be an authentic recipe. I’ve recreated this recipe because I enjoy the flavors and I want to encourage my readers to expand their tastes and try new flavor combinations. The recipe, ingredients, and processes may have been adapted to make the recipe accessible to the average American. I have provided links to authentic versions of the recipe in the post above. I encourage you to visit these pages and learn more about the traditional version(s) of this recipe.
So easy and so yummy! This is a regular in our family menu.
I love this beef bulgogi! So simple to make and looks flavorful!
Love Korean beef, thanks for sharing this recipe so I can make it at home too!