Name: Ground Beef Bulgogi, or Direct Korean Beef Bowl
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Yield: 4 people
Ingredients: 1 tbsp oil; 1/2 onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 lb (450g) ground beef, preferably 90% lean; 2 green onion, finely chopped, optional; 4 tbsp soy sauce; 2-3 tbsp brown sugar; 2 tbsp sweet rice wine (mirim); 1 tbsp sesame oil; 1 tsp pepper; 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Make savory ground beef bulgogi in just 15 minutes! This short, budget-friendly Korean beef bowl uses unfussy pantry ingredients for a direct weeknight dinner.

If you’re craving a savory Korean beef rice bowl, try this Korean ground beef bulgogi recipe. It quickly turns a pound of ground beef into a tasty meal.

Old-style beef bulgogi, made with sliced beef, requires lengthy marinating and some prep work before cooking. While it’s a fantastic dish, it can be time-consuming.

Korean ground beef bulgogi with kimchi in a serving dish.

In contrast, if you’re short on time, this ground beef bulgogi is a lifesaver. It only takes 15 minutes to cook, and you’ll have a scrumptious dinner ready, especially if you have pre-cooked rice.

It’s fantastic as a topping—especially for our direct bibimbap with ground beef! Or, take a fusion twist and stuff it into a quesadilla or pile it over noodles. However you serve it, this recipe is a total win-win!

Featured Review

As a an American Korean we LOVE this! We've tried several variations and this is the winner.
Michelle Kim

Ingredients for Ground Beef Bulgogi

Ingredients for Korean ground beef recipe.

If your Asian pantry is well-stocked, you’re already ahead of the game. If not, no worries—you can grab everything at your local grocery store. Bonus: this recipe is direct on the wallet!

For the ground beef, go for a leaner cut, like 90%. It brings all the rich, meaty goodness without the greasy aftermath, making it the steady match for the savory sauce.

How the dish comes together

First, make short bulgogi saucein a small bowl and set aside.

Now, grab a skillet and cook onion and garlic in a little bit of oil.

Add ground beef and cook until beef is browned and fully cooked.

Pour the sauce mixture over the beef and let this thing to simmer until the sauce reduces.

Finally, garnish the bulgogi with green onion and sesame seeds, if desired.

Ways to serve it

For an unfussy yet satisfying meal, sprinkle a modest amount of this meaty topping over a bowl of steaming rice or hearty multigrain rice.

Pair with your choice of fresh vegetables or a side of kimchi. You an also complement this dish with an assortment of old-style Korean side dishes for a complete, flavor-packed meal.

Keeping leftovers

Store leftover beef in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also freeze it in a freezer-safe zip bag for up to 3 months. To reheat, either microwave to heat through or cook in a skillet with a little bit of oil over the stove top.

Yield: 4 people
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 tbsp oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb (450g) ground beef, preferably 90% lean
2 green onion, finely chopped, optional

For bulgogi sauce

4 tbsp soy sauce
2-3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp sweet rice wine (mirim)
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

Mix all the bulgogi sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, and cook until soft, about 1-2 minutes. Add ground beef and cook until beef is browned and fully cooked.
Pour the sauce mixture over the beef and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to simmer until it is heated through and the sauce reduces, about 2 minutes. Garnish with green onion and sesame seeds, if desired. Serve immediately.