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Make dinner easier with my flavorful Korean ground beef bulgogi recipe! Featuring juicy ground beef coated in a tangy, savory sauce, it’s our favorite 15-minute meal!
If you’re looking for more Asian-inspired beef recipes, try my black pepper Angus steak, Hunan beef, or shaved steak next!
Table of Contents
I consider myself somewhat of a bulgogi connoisseur, considering we make beef bulgogi on the regular, and I always order it when we go out to eat (it’s research…).
In an effort to make my favorite recipes more convenient, I’ve been brainstorming ways to streamline my bulgogi recipe. The answer: keep the savory bulgogi sauce, but swap steak for ground beef! Game. Changer.
Why I love this recipe
- Budget-approved. I made sure this recipe used Asian pantry staples so you can easily feed the family without spending a fortune.
- Fast. This is the kind of recipe I make when I only have 15 minutes to spare.
- Leftovers for days! Trust me, you will want to make double so lunch is covered for the week!
- Weeknight no-brainer. It’s fast and protein-packed, and the results are guaranteed *chefs kiss*.
Key ingredients
- Ground beef. I prefer lean ground beef (80% lean to 20% fat), as it has a good balance of rich flavor without being overly greasy. 90/10 will also work since we’re cooking it in a sauce.
- Oil. Any neutral oil works. I used vegetable oil.
- Fresh garlic and ginger. For essentials for aroma and flavor.
- Salt and black pepper. To taste.
- Soy sauce. I prefer low-sodium soy sauce so I can better control the overall salt content.
- Brown sugar. Just a pinch to round out the other flavors.
- Sesame oil. A classic Asian pantry staple.
- Rice vinegar. Also known as rice wine vinegar. For acidity and subtle sweetness.
- Crushed red pepper flakes. For a touch of heat. As much as desired.
How to make Korean ground beef bulgogi
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Make the sauce. Combine the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, vinegar, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
Step 2- Cook the beef. Cook the ground beef in a hot skillet with the garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper.
Step 3- Assemble. Pour the sauce over the ground beef mixture, simmer, and serve over rice.
Serving suggestions
- Serve over grains. We typically serve bulgogi over simple white basmati rice to make ground beef bulgogi bowls, though you could also make cauliflower rice, quinoa, or Instant Pot sushi rice.
- Or pair with sides. Try kimchi, pickled veggies, Asian cucumber salad, or egg drop soup.
- Make it an appetizer. Portion bulgogi in lettuce wraps for a light appetizer (similar to my ground chicken lettuce wraps!).
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and green onions.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, if you want to make this in the crock pot, add the beef and sauce ingredients to the slow cooker (plus 1 cup of beef broth), stir to combine, and cook on High for 3-4 hours or Low for 7-8 hours.
More ground beef recipes to try
- Stuffed pepper soup
- Air fryer stuffed peppers
- Healthy burgers
- Healthy meatloaf
- Or any of these healthy ground beef recipes
Ground Beef Bulgogi
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef 80/20
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and crushed red pepper.
- Add oil to a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the ground beef, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper. Cook everything together for 4 minutes or until the beef is browned.
- Pour the sauce over the ground beef and stir well. Allow everything to simmer for 3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and serve immediately.
Notes
- Swap the meat. Try ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork, or even minced tofu.
- Add extra protein. Top the dish with a fried egg (gooey yolk preferred!).
- More heat. Whisk in ½ tablespoon of Gochujang (AKA Korean red chili paste). It’s both hot and savory, so a little goes a long way.
- Stir fry vegetables. After cooking the beef, set it aside and stir fry sliced peppers, onions, broccoli, or mushrooms until tender.
It seems like minced meat which I like very much.