This Bulgogi Bowl recipe is full of bold flavors thanks to our homemade bulgogi savory sauce and toppings of spicy kimchi, fresh cucumbers, and green onions all on top of fluffy white rice.
The Best Bulgogi Bowls
Rice bowls are my go-to meal when I want something quick, tasty, and filling. And this bulgogi bowl recipe hits the mark on all three thanks to fresh ingredients and perfectly marinated meat all on top of a bed of rice. For all those meal prep peeps, save time by making the bulgogi sauce in advance to make dinner time even quicker!
What You Will Need
Bulgogi Sauce
- olive oil and sesame oil – The bases of this flavorful marinade.
- gochunjung sauce – A funky, slightly spicy, and just a tad bit sweet paste that’s used to add flavor to soups, dips, and marinades. This is usually sold at Asain markets or korean grocery stores.
- rice wine vinegar – A delicate and mild flavor that helps even out the bolder flavors.
- soy sauce – Adds a nice salty flavor and compliments the gochunjung sauce perfectly.
- honey – Adds just a touch of sweetness. Some recipes use brown sugar, but we like the the natural honey flavors best.
- garlic, shallot, and fresh ginger – These flavor packed fresh ingredients add warmth, a bit of heat, and some grounding earthy notes.
- chili garlic sauce – A cabinet staple over here at The Wooden Skillet!
- red pepper flakes – For those who like it hot!
- cornstarch – To help thicken the sauce.
Beef
- ribeye steak – This fatty cut of meat also makes it retain so much juiciness and flavor. A skirt steak would work here as well. And note that there is such thing as ground beef bulgogi, which uses ground beef instead of strips.
- butter – Because everything is better with some extra butter.
- toppings: Sliced green onions and sesame seeds
Add-Ins
- sushi rice – You could use brown rice or jasmine rice, but we just like the texture and subtle flavor differences thanks to rice vinegar in sushi rice.
- kimchi – You can certainly use a homemade version, but we just picked some up from the grocery store to save time.
- English cucumbers & green onions – These guys add a nice crunch and freshness throughout.
- sesame seeds – Add a hint of nuttiness.
How To Make Bulgogi Bowls
Start by mixing up the marinade/sauce ingredients.
Recipe Tip:
Make a double batch if you like your bowls extra saucy or if you plan on making this recipe later in the week.
Then get started on your sushi rice. We tend to use our instant pot to make this a really easy recipe.
While your rice is cooking, pour about 1/3 of your bulgogi sauce over the top of thin strips of beef and let it marinate for 15-20 minutes to soak up all those yummy natural flavors.
Once your meat is done marinating, sear your meat in batches, each side for 30-60 seconds.
Once all the meat has been seared, place it all back into the hot skillet and top with remaining sauce, green onions, and sesame seeds.
Now it’s time for assembly! Divide your fluffy rice, slices of beef, and toppings between 4 bowls, garnish with some sesame seeds and extra green onions, and dig into this easy dinner!
Recipe FAQs
Many traditional beef bulgogi recipes use crushed pear. I left this ingredient out to keep things simple, but feel free to add a little if you prefer. This is my spin on traditional Korean bulgogi so some ingredients may differ.
Use whatever variety you like the most, but know that we have a great recipe for classic sushi rice as well as an Instant Pot version!
I tested this with sirloin steak and ribeye – the ribeye is significantly better (no surprise there), so that is what I recommend. You could make the ground beef version too if you prefer!
Made this or one of our other grain bowls and loved them?! We would love it if you would take a minute and leave a star rating and review – it is also helpful if you made any substitutions or changes to the recipe to share that as well. THANK YOU!
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Other Recipes With Asian-Inspired Flavors That You Might Like
Bulgogi Bowl
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 bowls 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Asian-Inspired
Description
A flavorful and delicious addition to your weekly menu plan: Bulgogi Bowls! With sushi rice, kimchi and cucumbers!
Ingredients
Bulgogi Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Gochunjung sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon honey (sub granulated sugar)
- 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoons shallot, minced
- 2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- (optional) red pepper flakes, to taste
- (optional) 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch (to help thicken)
- 1 – 1.5 pounds ribeye steak, very thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter, more as needed (reg. or dairy-free)
Other Rice Bowl Add-Ins:
- 4 cups sushi rice
- 1–2 cups kimchi of your choice
- 2 cups English cucumbers, sliced
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
- sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare Sauce: Combine Bulgogi Sauce ingredients in a mason jar. Tightly close lid and shake to combine. Feel free to make a double batch if you want extra sauce to pour over the rice.
- Prepare Sushi Rice: if you haven’t already make sure you are preparing your sushi rice.
- Marinate Steak: Very thinly slice ribeye steak into strips. Place in a bowl or reuseable silicone bag. Pour approx. 1/3 of the Bulgogi Sauce over the meat; toss to coat. Let marinate 15-30 minutes.
- Cook Steak: Bring a large cast iron skillet to medium-high heat. Add butter and let melt; swirl to coat the pan. In batches, add marinated strips of beef and sear on both sides (approx. 30-60 seconds per side). Transfer to a plate and repeat until all the meat is seared.
- Extra Sauce + Toppings: Return all the meat to the pan and add the remaining sauce, sliced green onions and some sesame seeds.
- Build Bowls: Divide rice, beef bulgogi, kimchi, cucumbers and green onions between 4 bowls. Garnish with sesame seeds and extra sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
- Crushed Pear: a lot of bulgogi recipes call for crushed pear, I didn’t include that in this version in an effort to simply things, but feel free to add a little if you prefer. This is my spin on this classic dish so some ingredients may differ!
- Extra Sauce: feel free to double the sauce so you have extra to pour over your rice!
- Sushi Rice: we have a great recipe for classic sushi rice as well as an Instant Pot version!
- Cut of Meat: I tested this with sirloin steak and ribeye – the ribeye is significantly better (no surprise there), so that is what I recommend. You could make ground beef work too if you prefer!
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 694
- Sugar: 3.9 g
- Sodium: 556.8 mg
- Fat: 14.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 112 g
- Protein: 26.7 g
- Cholesterol: 43.1 mg
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