Beef Bulgogi

I am going to start off by saying that I am completely obsessed with the flavor profile of beef bulgogi. The sweet and heat really work together so well with tender slices of steak. This is a fantastic recipe especially for a weeknight meal as it is super convenient to make. While I love cooking and eating Middle Eastern food; I also love to switch things up and this dish is perfect to do so. Even my traditional parents who almost only eat Arab food really enjoyed this dish!

The key to a successful beef bulgogi is to slice the steak thinly, marinate it for the appropriate time, and cook on high heat for a lock in flavor from that sear on both sides. The sugar in the marinade allows for a beautiful and delicious caramelization to the meat that is just sensational. The red chili flakes offers just the perfect amount of heat to counter the slight sweetness. If you have a cast iron, use it! It is the perfect vehicle for cooking steak but a nonstick skillet will do the job too.

Here are a few steak dishes you may also like: Lomo Saltado, Skirt Steak with chimichurri, Philly Cheesesteak

Print Recipe

4.80 from 5 votes

Beef Bulgogi

A delicious weeknight meal with perfectly tender sweet and spicy steak!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Marinate2 hrs

Total Time2 hrs 25 mins

Course: dinner

Cuisine: Asian, korean

Keyword: beef bulgogi, bulgogi, korean beef

Servings: 4 people

Author: Heifa

Ingredients

• 3 lbs Skirt steak flank steak., sirloin. ribeye steak all work as well
• 1/2 cup Soy sauce Coconut aminos is a great low sodium & no soy alternative
• 1/4 cup Brown sugar
• 2 tbsp Toasted Sesame Oil
• 6 Garlic cloves, minced 1 Tbsp garlic powder is a substitute
• 1 tsp Red pepper chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp Ground ginger
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil, divided
• Sesame seeds garnish
• Green onions, sliced garnish

Instructions

• First, slice the skirt steak into 1/2 inch slices with a sharp knife for clean cuts.
• In a bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients other than the oil, sesame seeds, and onions.
• Marinate the steak with this mixture for 2 hours or overnight.
• In a cast iron skillet, add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil to the hot pan. Add half of the steak to avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook the steak for about 4 minutes each side on high heat making sure to get a nice sear and caramelization.
• Set aside and add the rest of the vegetable oil to the pan with the remainder of the steak. Cook the same way.
• Top the beef bulgogi with sesame seeds and green onions as garnish. Enjoy served over white rice for a delicious meal!