Beef Bulgogi is a Korean dish with thinly sliced steak marinated to perfection and grilled over high heat, producing delectable, crispy edges on tender slices of beef.
This is one of our favorite dishes. It has incredible flavor with each little thin slice of beef steak marinated and cooked up crispy and tender with sweet, savory, and smoky hints.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients on the recipe card below.
- Steak: Use ribeye or sirloin. Sometimes I use flank steak or skirt steak, but I marinate them for at least 6 hours.
- Soy sauce: Preferably low sodium.
- Sesame oil: This is a key ingredient. It lasts in a cool, dark place for 8 months or in the refrigerator for up to 2 years
- Pear: Preferably an Asian pear or red pear. If you can’t find those, use a Bartlett or Bosc pear.
How To Make Beef Bulgogi
This is a summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please refer to the recipe card below.
- Whisk the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil, black pepper, and pear in a large bowl.
- Add the thinly sliced steak and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate. Marinate for at least 1 hour up to overnight.
- Heat a little oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Cook the beef in small batches in a single layer until seared and crispy.
Traditional Ways To Serve It
- Serve over steamed rice with green onions.
- Serve in lettuce wraps with Korean sticky rice and kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage)
- Try serving with pickled cucumbers and carrots, and soft-boiled or fried eggs with a runny yolk.
- Serve with Korean cucumber salad and noodles with kimchi.
Preparation Tips
- Slice the beef as thin as possible so it cooks fast and gets crispy on the edges. Put the steak in the freezer for a couple of hours before slicing. This helps make it easier to slice.
- Use a box grater to grate the pear.
- Use tongs to remove the beef from the marinade, draining as much as possible. This helps the beef cook properly by searing and not boiling.
- Resist the urge to turn the beef too soon or more than once. The key to bulgogi is a good sear, and you can not achieve this if you do not let it sit for a couple of minutes.
More Beef Recipes
Beef Bulgogi
Beef Bulgogi is a Korean dish with thinly sliced steak marinated to perfection and grilled over high heat, producing delectable, crispy edges on tender slices of beef.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 265kcal
Ingredients
- 1½ lb. ribeye steak very thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 2½ tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- ⅓ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup chopped green onion reserve two tablespoons to sprinkle on top
- 1 peeled and grated asian or red pear see notes
- Canola oil
Instructions
- Place steak in large Ziploc bag. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, sesame oil, pepper, green onion and pear. Marinate for at least one hour up to overnight.
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs, remove the beef from the marinade, shaking it off. Place it in a skillet in a single layer.
- Cook for 1-2 minutes per side or until browned and slightly crispy on the edges. Add more oil when necessary. Work in batches; plating the meat after it is done. Serve immediately over rice or with pickled vegetables.
Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 829mg | Potassium: 509mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 84IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg
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Dorothy
I love those crispy edges! They are the best part. Great to have a recipe for this dish!
Jacque Hooper
This was so savory and juicy; my family couldn’t get enough! Looking forward to enjoying leftovers this evening!
Taylor
So tender and full of flavor! Delicious!
Chrissie
This sounds SO GOOD! I cannot wait to make this! Thanks for your recipe. The photos just about have me drooling.
Catalina
I love beef dishes and this one looks amazing! I should make it!
Michelle
I love bulgogi. It was the first Korean dish I had and became an instant favorite. I love you incorporate the pear. So many recipes omit it.
Kim
BEEF BULGOGI is one of my favorite Korean recipes. But Yukgaejang is my favorite. I use to live in a Korean community and a lot of my employees were Korean. I ate Korean food everyday for years until I moved. I did find a Korean market about an hour away from me where I live now. I go there sometimes to buy my kimchi. Your recipe looks delicious I might give it a go!
Sandi
I was so intrigued by this Korean beef recipe I had to make it. My family loved it so I will definitely make it again!
wilhelmina
This is so delicious! So easy and flavorful!
Barbara
This is similar to my Kalbi recipe, which is Korea bbq beef ribs, cut LA style: Thinly out from the side long ways so that tou end up with a thin piece of rib meat attached to the bone on one short end and probably six to eight inches long that can wrap around the bone for storage. I can’t always find pears that work, so I have successfully substituted apple juice in the marinade.
Beth Pierce
All great ideas. Thanks for the tips!!