Easy Ground Beef Bulgogi

This easy Beef Bulgogi (a distant relative to Korean BBQ Beef)  recipe is made with ground beef that is simmered in a bulgogi sauce and served topped with scallion, sesame seeds, and a soft boiled egg. Try my Korean BBQ Pork for a marinated pork recipe.

Easy Ground Beef Bulgogi

Bulgogi (‘Fire Meat’) is a popular Korean dish that is usually made with the most tender meat you can find (ribeye or top sirloin). Thinly shaved meat is marinated overnight in the sweet and savory bulgogi sauce and grilled on a hot grill.

My recipe takes the thousand-year-old recipe (and one worth trying when you have the time and resources!) and makes it into an easy and quick version of it that you can cook right on the stovetop with ground beef in about 20 minutes. It is NOT authentic, just a simple and fast way to satisfy a craving. 🙂 

Beef Bulgogi Recipe

There are three parts to the recipe–the bulgogi sauce, ground beef, and the toppings.

Bulgogi Sauce Recipe (full recipe below)

• Soy sauce
• Rice wine vinegar
• Brown sugar
• Sesame oil
• Ginger
• Garlic

Ground Beef Ingredients

• Ground beef–I like lean ground beef for this recipe. But, you could also try ground pork or ground chicken.
• Yellow onion

Toppings

• Scallion
• Sesame seeds
• Eggs–Soft-boiled

How to Make Bulgogi Sauce

This bulgogi sauce can be made in a matter of minutes, and in this recipe, there is no need to marinate the meat overnight. You can enjoy the dish in less than half an hour. To make the sauce, simply combine the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic in a medium bowl. Mix well and set aside as you prepare the ground beef.

How to Make Easy Ground Beef Bulgogi

To make the meat that will be cooked in the bulgogi sauce, first, add ground beef and onion to a skillet and cook it over medium heat. Cook the beef for about 5 minutes, or until browned. Then, add the bulgogi sauce to the browned meat and mix it all together. Finally, let it simmer for 6-10 minutes. 

To serve, remove the ground beef bulgogi from the heat and evenly distribute it between four bowls. Top the beef with scallions, sesame seeds, and a soft-boiled egg. Enjoy with a side of rice, quinoa, or in a lettuce wrap.

How to Soft-Boil an Egg

The flavors of the meat pair well with a soft-boiled egg. To soft-boil an egg, choose eggs that are not your freshest. The older the eggs, the easier they are to peel. And, the peeling can be the trickiest part with the custard-like egg whites and a silky yolk. If you can make hard-boiled eggs, you can make soft-boiled eggs.

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. You will need just enough water to cover the eggs (about an inch).
2. Place the eggs in the boiling water.
3. Let the eggs boil, covered, for six minutes. (I would recommend setting the timer for this since it is time-sensitive.)
4. While the eggs are boiling, create an ice water bath for the boiled eggs (ice water in a bowl).
5. After the six minutes, use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the boiling water and place them in the ice water until they are cool enough to peel.
6. CAREFULLY peel the soft-boiled eggs to use in this, and other, recipes.

Looking for More Asian Inspired Recipes?

Slow Cooker Beef and Broccoli

Healthy Kung Pao Chicken

Easy Spicy Pork Noodles

Potsticker Noodle Bowls

This Easy Beef Bulgogi recipe was inspired by @franziee09 and her Ground Beef Bulgogi on TikTok.