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This recipe has everything you need for an amazing dinner. It’s full of different flavors: it’s spicy, it’s sweet, it’s crunchy. Plus, it only takes 30 minutes to make and it’s super filling, which makes it perfect for both meal prep and a quick dinner on a busy night.
Traditionally, Bulgogi Beef is a Korean dish made with thinly sliced steak. It gets marinated then grilled, and served with rice, leafy greens and Korean side dishes called banchan like kimchi, roasted seaweed or quick pickled cucumbers. This variation uses ground beef to keep things quick, easy and budget friendly.
You can find most ingredients for this recipe at any grocery store, but you might need to make a stop at an Asian supermarket for the gochujang, which is a fermented chili paste with incredible depth of flavor. Or, you can get it on Amazon. It’s spicy, sweet and tangy, and available in both spicy and mild versions.
Don’t skip the Quick Pickled Veggies or the Creamy Gochujang Sauce here. Every part of this bowl plays a role to create a combination of flavors that go so well together. You get the spicy seasoned beef with the rice that soaks up the marinade beautifully, then you get the briny crunch from the quick pickled veggies, all topped with that spicy, sweet and creamy sauce.
If you’re meal prepping this recipe, I recommend storing the beef and rice together, and the quick pickled veggies and sauce separately. When you’ve reheated the beef and rice and you’re ready to serve, top it with the cold toppings.
Bulgogi Beef Bowls with Quick Pickled Veggies and Spicy Creamy Gochujang Sauce
Equipment
- 2 small bowls
Ingredients
Quick Pickled Veggies
- 2 cups water
- â…” cup white or rice vinegar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned
- 2-3 Persian cucumbers or ½ of an English cucumber, julienned
Bulgogi Beef
- 1 lb extra lean ground beef (lean works too)
- 1 bunch green onions, white parts only, thinly sliced (save the greens to garnish)
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ cup light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste – I like spicy but mild works great too; see Note 1)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp garlic, grated (about 3-4 cloves)
Creamy Gochujang Sauce
- â…“ cup Greek yogurt (I use fat free, but any percentage works)
- 1 ½ tbsp light mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1-2 tbsp gochujang, to taste (see Note 1)
- 1 tsp light soy sauce, or more to taste
For Serving
- 1 cup dry white rice
- Green onions, thinly sliced
- Sesame seeds
Instructions
Quick Pickled Veggies
- Combine the water, vinegar and salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer
- Add the julienned carrots and cucumbers to a jar or glass container and cover with the brine
- Let sit for at least 30 minutes
Bulgogi Beef and Rice
- Cook the rice in a rice cooker or on the stovetop according to package directions
- Heat a large sauté pan over high heat; do not add any oil
- Add the ground beef and break up with a spatula
- Reduce heat to medium and cook for 2-3 minutes; drain the excess fat or blot with a paper towel
- In a small bowl, mix the light soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, gochujang, ginger and garlic until combined
- Add the white parts of the green onions and the black pepper to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes until cooked through
- Pour in the sauce and mix, then let simmer for 2 minutes until slightly thickened and combined
Creamy Gochujang Sauce
- In a small bowl, mix the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lime juice, gochujang and soy sauce until combined
For Serving
- Divide the cooked rice and Bulgogi Beef among 4 bowls or containers
- Top with quick pickled veggies, creamy gochujang sauce, green onions and sesame seeds (see Note 2)
Notes
Nutrition
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