Simple Korean Ground Beef Bulgogi

This recipe is a quick, weeknight-friendly take on traditional bulgogi, featuring ground beef cooked with a sweet, savory, and lightly spicy Korean sauce. It’s fantastic for making satisfying rice bowls or fresh lettuce wraps for the whole family!

Table of Contents

• Ingredients for Ground Beef Bulgogi
• Simple Step-by-Step Instructions
• Notes and Customizations
• FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
• Conclusion

Emily Garcia

Ground Beef Bulgogi

This is a quick, weeknight-friendly take on traditional bulgogi, featuring ground beef cooked with a sweet, savory, and lightly spicy Korean sauce. It’s fantastic for making satisfying rice bowls or fresh lettuce wraps for the whole family!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Asian, Korean

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 English cucumbers, thinly sliced (Pickled Cucumbers)
• 0.75 cup Rice vinegar or white vinegar (Pickled Cucumbers)
• 0.5 cup Water (Pickled Cucumbers)
• 1 tbsp Honey or sugar (Pickled Cucumbers)
• 0.75 tsp Kosher salt and cracked black pepper (Pickled Cucumbers)
• 2 bags (10 oz) Shredded carrots (pre-bagged) (Cooked Carrots)
• 1 tbsp Olive oil (Cooked Carrots)
• 0.5 tsp Salt (Cooked Carrots)
• 2 tsp Olive oil (For the Bulgogi)
• 1 cup Grated onion (white or yellow onion) (For the Bulgogi)
• 1 heaping tbsp Minced fresh garlic (For the Bulgogi)
• 1 heaping tbsp Grated fresh ginger (For the Bulgogi)
• 2 pounds 90% lean ground beef (For the Bulgogi)
• 3-4 tbsp Honey (Adjust to your preferred sweetness) (For the Bulgogi)
• 3-4 tbsp Low-sodium soy sauce (Adjust to taste; use Tamari for GF) (For the Bulgogi)
• 3 tbsp Gochujang (Korean chili paste) (Use GF if needed) (For the Bulgogi)
• 2 tbsp Mirin or rice wine (For the Bulgogi)
• Cooked rice, bibb lettuce, kimchi, sesame seeds, sambal oelek (Serving)

Equipment

• large skillet (x2 recommended) for beef and carrots
• Medium bowl for pickling cucumbers

Method

 

1. Whisk together the rice vinegar, water, honey, and salt until everything dissolves. Add the sliced cucumbers and set them aside while you cook the rest of the meal.
2. Heat $1text{ tbsp}$ of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shredded carrots and $1/2text{ tsp}$ of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and start to get a slight brown or charred look (about 10–15 minutes). Transfer the carrots to a bowl and set aside.
3. In a second large pan, heat $2text{ tsp}$ of olive oil over medium heat. Add the grated onion, minced garlic, grated ginger, and $1/2text{ tsp}$ black pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes until they start to brown and smell wonderful.
4. Add the $2text{ pounds}$ of ground beef to the pan. Cook it, breaking it up into small pieces, until the meat is fully browned and no longer pink. Drain off any extra fat from the pan.
5. Return the drained beef to the pan. Stir in the honey, soy sauce, gochujang, and mirin. Cook and stir for about 3 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened and coats the beef beautifully. Taste it and add a little more soy sauce for saltiness or honey for sweetness, if you like.
6. Serve the bulgogi ground beef as a classic rice bowl over cooked rice, or use it as a filling for refreshing lettuce wraps using bibb lettuce leaves. Top your bowl or wraps with the pickled cucumbers, cooked carrots, and any other toppings you enjoy!

Notes

Using two pans at once—one for the beef and one for the carrots—is the fastest way to get this meal on the table. For a bolder flavor, use $4text{ tbsp}$ each of honey and soy sauce; use $3text{ tbsp}$ for a lighter taste. To make this gluten-free, use Tamari instead of regular soy sauce and ensure your gochujang is certified gluten-free (or substitute it with chili garlic sauce).

Ingredients for Ground Beef Bulgogi

This recipe serves 6 people, making it a great option for family dinner or meal prep:

• Pickled Cucumbers (Optional)
  • English cucumbers, thinly sliced: 2
  • Rice vinegar or white vinegar: 3/4 cup
  • Water: 1/2 cup
  • Honey or sugar: 1 tbsp
  • Kosher salt and cracked black pepper: 3/4 tsp salt
• Cooked Carrots (Optional)
  • Shredded carrots (pre-bagged): 2 (10 oz) bags
  • Olive oil: 1 tbsp
  • Salt: 1/2 tsp
• For the Bulgogi
  • Olive oil: 2 tsp
  • Grated onion (white or yellow onion): 1 cup
  • Minced fresh garlic: 1 heaping tbsp
  • Grated fresh ginger: 1 heaping tbsp
  • 90% lean ground beef: 2 pounds
  • Honey: 3–4 tbsp (Adjust to your preferred sweetness)
  • Low-sodium soy sauce: 3–4 tbsp (Adjust to taste; use Tamari for GF)
  • Gochujang (Korean chili paste): 3 tbsp (Use GF if needed)
  • Mirin or rice wine: 2 tbsp
• Serving (Optional)
  • Cooked rice, bibb lettuce, kimchi, sesame seeds, sambal oelek

Simple Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make Pickled Cucumbers (Optional)

Whisk together the rice vinegar, water, honey, and salt until everything dissolves. Add the sliced cucumbers and set them aside while you cook the rest of the meal.

Step 2: Cook the Carrots (Optional)

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shredded carrots and 1/2 tsp of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and start to get a slight brown or charred look (about 10–15 minutes). Transfer the carrots to a bowl and set aside.

Step 3: Cook Aromatics and Beef

In a second large pan, heat 2 tsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the grated onion, minced garlic, grated ginger, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Cook for about 3 minutes until they start to brown and smell wonderful.

Step 4: Brown the Beef

Add the 2 pounds of ground beef to the pan. Cook it, breaking it up into small pieces, until the meat is fully browned and no longer pink. Drain off any extra fat from the pan.

Step 5: Finish the Bulgogi Sauce

Return the drained beef to the pan. Stir in the honey, soy sauce, gochujang, and mirin. Cook and stir for about 3 minutes until the sauce has slightly thickened and coats the beef beautifully. Taste it and add a little more soy sauce for saltiness or honey for sweetness, if you like.

Step 6: Serve

Serve the bulgogi ground beef as a classic rice bowl over cooked rice, or use it as a filling for refreshing lettuce wraps using bibb lettuce leaves. Top your bowl or wraps with the pickled cucumbers, cooked carrots, and any other toppings you enjoy!

Notes and Customizations

• Gluten-Free: It’s easy to make this gluten-free! Just use Tamari instead of regular soy sauce, and be sure to check the label on your gochujang to ensure it’s gluten-free (or substitute it with chili garlic sauce).
• Spice & Sweetness: The recipe gives a range for the honey and soy sauce (3–4 tbsp). Use 4 tbsp of each for a bolder, more pronounced flavor; stick to 3 tbsp if you prefer less sugar and salt.
• Cook Time Shortcut: Using two pans at once—one for the beef and one for the carrots—is the fastest way to get this delicious meal on the table quickly.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is gochujang and where can I find it?

Gochujang is a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented Korean chili paste. You can typically find it in the international or Asian foods aisle of most major grocery stores.

Can I use a different type of ground meat?

Absolutely! Ground turkey, ground chicken, or ground pork all work wonderfully in this recipe.

How should I serve this to my family?

The simplest way is over white rice with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. For a fun, lighter meal, serve it with a big bowl of bibb lettuce for everyone to make their own lettuce wraps!

Conclusion

This Simple Korean Ground Beef Bulgogi is a flavor-packed, easy recipe that brings a wonderful taste of Korean comfort food to your table in less than an hour. It’s a guaranteed weeknight favorite!