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This Korean recipe is all the flavors of traditional bulgogi but with the convenience of using ground beef. No need to marinate, this dish comes together quickly for an easy dinner. Top it off with the slightly spicy gochujang sauce, and it takes dinner to the next level. Serve it up in a bowl with rice, cauliflower rice, or even quinoa. You can also make this low carb by eating it in lettuce wraps. So many possibilities!
What is Bulgogi?
If you’re a Korean food fan, you know bulgogi. It’s an incredibly popular Korean bbq dish made with a good cut of meat (like thinly sliced sirloin or ribeye), marinated with a savory and slightly sweet marinade, and cooked over a grill. I love all those flavors, but the preparation and cooking time does not make it an easy weeknight meal. Enter this ground beef bulgogi. Cooked over a wok or large skillet, this meal comes together in just minutes. No marination time needed, just cook the beef, toss in the sauce, and you’re set!
I should also mention this makes for excellent meal prep. Cook yourself some rice (or other grain of choice), top it off with meat and the gochujang sauce, add some vegetables, and you have your lunches set for the week. My husband can testify that it tastes AMAZING the next day!
The Gochujang Sauce
The gochujang sauce is optional but HIGHLY recommended. It just takes this dish to the next level. It’s a little tangy, a little spicy, and so amazing when mixed in with the rice. Quite frankly, give me gochujang and plain rice, and I’m a happy gal. If you happen to have any leftover sauce (highly doubtful, though), you can top it over your eggs, stir it in fried rice or noodles, or dip it with other meats. It’s so good!
What to Eat with Ground Beef Bulgogi
This ground beef recipe is so versatile. You can make delicious Korean ground beef bowls by adding rice and sauteed veggies (try spinach, carrots, or broccoli) or put it on top of crisp lettuce (try iceberg or butter lettuce). It also pairs incredibly well with Korean side dishes (banchan), like kimchi or Korean Braised Potatoes. Personally, I like the pickled flavor of the cold kimchi as it provides a nice contrast to the savory beef. Experiment and see what works for you!
Other Recipes You Might Enjoy
- Korean Braised Potatoes
- Air Fryer Lemongrass Chicken
- Fried Tofu with Teriyaki Sauce
- Asian Garlic Noodles
Ground Beef Bulgogi With Gochujang Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
Ground Beef Bulgogi
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 3-5 green onions, chopped
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Gochujang Sauce
- 4 tablespoons gochujang
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, and black pepper. Set aside.
- In a wok or a skillet, heat one tablespoon of cooking oil over high heat. Toss in the ground beef and break apart with a spatula. Cook until brown and most of the juice has cooked off.
- Toss in the garlic and green onions and stir fry for about 30 seconds.
- Next, add in the sauce mixture. Cook for about 60 seconds or until the beef has absorbed most of the sauce. Turn off heat and sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds.
- Gather the ingredients for the gochujang sauce. Combine ingredients for gochujang sauce in a bowl and thouroughly mix.
- Add your beef over rice (or grain of choice), top with gochujang sauce, and enjoy!
Notes
- The gochujang sauce is optional but HIGHLY recommended. It takes the meal to the next level!
- You can serve this with kimchi, sauteed vegetables, and/or top with an egg (my personal favorite).
- This is an excellent meal prep type of meal. It tastes great the next day.
This would be great for a weeknight dinner. Sounds very easy to make and quick. Can’t wait to try it
Thank you!
Nice that it is very fast to make!
Yes, super easy to put together!
I love korean dishes.. thanks to my friend who spent most of her time watching k-drama, we were introduced to so many classic korean dishes. I had many times tasted bulgogi especially when we hit korean restaurants and Samgyeopsal shops… This recipe looks really appetizing.. would also be perfect to match it with Soju to complete the Korean experience 🙂
That’s the problem with watching k-dramas sometimes, it can make you so hungry!