Korean Beef Bulgogi Rice Bowls – the simple manner!

October 2, 2025

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Straight to the highest of my favorite fast approach to use beef mince – Korean Beef Bulgogi Rice Bowls! Utilizing floor beef fairly than expensive steaks with an genuine marinade, this has all of the flavour of actual Bulgogi at a fraction of the fee. I’ve made rice bowls, however you can too do noodles, wraps, burritos or tacos (so stylish!).

Korean Bulgogi – the simple manner!

I satisfaction myself on discovering interesting-crazy-tasty-but-quick methods to make use of mince. It’s simply such a buying trolley staple – economical and versatile, however typically probably the most interesting factor to me is that there isn’t a meat slicing. Is it shameful for somebody who makes a residing sharing recipes to confess that? 😅

Bulgogi, for these new to it, is one among Korea’s most well-known meals exports, a marinated BBQ beef dish grilled over charcoal or tabletop BBQ till caramelised and smoky. The standard BBQ manner it’s served is with rice and banchan on the aspect (aspect dishes like kimchi, pickles, spinach) or in lettuce wrap kind.

Meat that tasty is scrumptious any manner it’s served. With this mince model, you get all of the flavour and enjoyable of Bulgogi with out the effort of slicing expensive steaks into paper skinny strips and no marinating time, with some ways to serve it.

I AM OBSESSED!

Elements

Right here’s what you might want to make this. Don’t skip the apple and onion, it’s what units Bulgogi aside from every other generic Asian soy-sugar-garlic sauce!!

Apart from the marinade, you’ll be able to principally ignore my components record. 😀 There’s so many choices, substitutions and other ways to serve this Bulgogi beef!

1. Bulgogi marinade

Right here’s what you might want to make the Bulgogi marinade.

Beef – I’m utilizing beef mince right this moment, as a result of Bulgogi is made with beef. However this marinade could be sensible with any floor meat (hen, turkey, pork, lamb).
Onion and apple – As loudly said above, grated onion and apple (or nashi pear) is what makes this a Bulgogi sauce fairly than a generic Asian sauce. The grated onion provides flavour in a manner that diced onion by no means will. And the apple provides sweetness that’s a lot extra fascinating than plain sugary-ness of standard sugar. Apple additionally has secret meat tenderising qualities so beef strips in conventional Bulgogi keep tender even if you happen to overcook it, however that’s not related to us right this moment as we’re utilizing mince.
Garlic – Koreans love garlic! use 3 huge cloves.
Ginger – Koreans additionally love ginger! We solely use 1 teaspoon but it surely comes by way of fairly properly.
Soy sauce – Use both gentle or common / all-purpose soy sauce. Don’t use darkish soy (too darkish, too intense, it’s going to smash your dish) or kecap manis (too candy).
Sesame oil, toasted – Toasted sesame oil is brown and has extra flavour than untoasted (which is yellow). Default sesame oil offered in Australia is toasted, untoasted is more durable to search out.
Mirin (further ingredient, optionally available) – This can be a candy cooking wine utilized in Japanese cooking. It’s not historically utilized in Bulgogi however as with all alcohol utilized in cooking, it provides further depth of flavour to this 20 minute dinner that elevates this barely and compensates for the absence of smokiness from grilling over a charcoal BBQ and marinating a $50/kg scotch fillet steaks for twenty-four hours. 🙂
Sugar – Simply 1 tablespoon which helps get some pretty caramelisation on the meat. We don’t want an excessive amount of as there’s loads of pure sweetness from the apple.
Pinch of black pepper – or white pepper.

2. QUICK KOREAN DRIZZLE SAUCE

After I jumbled up the bowl to eat it, I simply felt it might be good to have a bit of further sauce to pour over every part as a result of all of the greens are plain. So I made a fast little drizzle sauce – I actually felt prefer it accomplished the dish. Right here’s all you want – it’s only a repeat of components above!

As famous, these are all simply the identical components above, so I gained’t repeat descriptions!

3. FOR THE RICE BOWL

That is the place you get to make use of no matter you need! Wonderful fridge raid – simply chop/grate/julienne/tear/cube into shapes which are appropriate for jumbling up into the rice bowl so it may be eaten with a spoon.

Rice – any kind. Medium and quick grain rice, and jasmine rice work greatest for bowls I really feel as a result of they’re a bit of stickier fairly basmati and lengthy grain rice, however you’ll be able to actually use any kind. Brown rice, wild rice (cooking instructions in this recipe), even cauliflower rice, or quinoa!

Noodles would even be okay, although I’d go for skinny fairly than thick ones.
Recent greens – I used wilted child spinach, lettuce and carrots, as a result of that’s what I had. Thinly sliced cucumber, radish, tomatoes and bean sprouts additionally spring to thoughts as apparent selections, in addition to edamame (soy beans), even peas! Actually, any vegetable can be utilized – uncooked or cooked. Simply plain, the meat and sauce add flavour!
Avocado – I exploit this so as to add a little bit of creaminess.
Garnishes – I exploit white sesame seeds and inexperienced onion. Finely sliced nori (seaweed sheets), crispy shallots, crispy wonton strips, chives or parsley would even be at house right here.
Recent pickle pop – I used pickled ginger as a result of I had it and the pink provides good color. I wouldn’t hesitate to make use of slices of pickles as an alternative, I child you not! Kimchi would even be an apparent alternative, and you’d have seen it on my bowl if I had some. 🙂

See beneath for “Learn how to make it” part for different methods to make use of this Bulgogi beef aside from in rice bowls!

Learn how to make Simple Korean Bulgogi Beef Bowls

The distinctive step in Bulgogi is that the onion and apple is finely grated right into a juicy paste that’s combined into the marinade. A microplane or related high-quality grater works greatest – then you definitely simply proceed utilizing it to grate the ginger and garlic – although a field grater will work too if that’s all you’ve received (use the shredding aspect fairly than tiny holes).

Serving sauce – Combine the components in a bowl and put aside.
Bulgogi sauce – Use microplane to grate the apple, onion, garlic and ginger right into a bowl (no have to peel the ginger, it peels itself again as you grate!). Add remaining components and blend.

Wilt spinach – Warmth the two teaspoons of oil in a big non stick pan over excessive warmth. Add half the spinach, toss for 15 seconds or till partially wilted. Then add the remaining and toss till simply wilted. Take away into bowl.
Cook dinner Bulgogi Beef – Warmth the 1 tablespoon of oil in the identical pan, nonetheless on excessive warmth. Add the meat and prepare dinner, breaking it up as you go.

Add sauce – When you not see uncooked beef, pour the sauce in.
Scale back and caramelise – Stir then simmer quickly, stirring from time to time, till the sauce largely reduces. Hold cooking, stirring extra steadily, till the meat will get a bit of caramelisation however nonetheless has moisture from the sauce.

Assemble – Pile steaming rice into bowls. High with beef, then place spinach, carrot and lettuce on the aspect (I kind of tuck the lettuce in so it’s sticking a bit upright). High with a scoop of mushy avocado and little pile of pickled ginger. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and inexperienced onion.
Serve with the Korean Drizzle Sauce on the aspect for….err…properly, drizzling! 😂 To eat, jumble all of it up and dig in, like this! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Some ways to eat this Simple Bulgogi Beef!

I can guarantee you that this Beef Mince Bulgogi goes to make an look once more in different varieties! till then, here’s a record of different terrific methods to take pleasure in it:

Lettuce wraps (ssam-style) – Really one of many conventional ways in which Bulgogi is eaten, assume San Choy Bows however with Bulgogi meat with lettuce – typically perilla leaves – used because the wrap. Add rice, kimchi and a little bit of spicy ssam sauce (see recipe in Pork Bossam). Fold and eat!
Noodle bowls – As a substitute of rice, use noodles and DIY toss toss toss!
Fashionable / fusion – Korean fusion grew to become all the fad a few a long time in the past, and although the preliminary pleasure has considerably settled over the 12 months, it’s right here to remain and with good purpose: as a result of it’s darn tasty (when achieved proper). I’ve seen bulgogi pizzas, sliders (actually simply stuff in rolls), pasta, nachos, loaded fries!

My favorite manner is in tacos and burritos: Stuff/roll with rice and any of the rice toppings listed. I’d serve with a barely spicy creamy sauce (combine gochujang or sriracha with mayonnaise) fairly than the rice bowl drizzle sauce (which is skinny). Right here’s what they appear like – and sure, they style pretty much as good as they appear!

I’d like to know – what’s your favorite approach to take pleasure in bulgogi? Have you ever tried any enjoyable twists at house? – Nagi x

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Korean Beef Bulgogi Rice Bowls – the simple manner!

Korean Bulgogi – the simple manner!