Easy Beef Bulgogi Bowls

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These Bulgogi bowls feature tender, wildly flavorful strips of beef, fluffy rice and a beautiful rainbow of nutrient-dense veggies. Finished off with a drizzle of sriracha mayo!

This post is sponsored by the Washington State Beef Commission. All ideas and opinions are my own. Thanks for your support!

Do you know those meals that you put on your plan for the week and it’s a random Tuesday and you’re going about your work day just SO excited that you get to make that meal for dinner tonight?

Yeah. That’s this meal.

It’s flavorful. It’s balanced. You eat it and it just makes you feel good.

And guess what? Do a little bit of work the day/night before to slice and marinate the meat and the next day these Korean beef bowls are done in a SNAP. An easy dinner on a busy weeknight? um… SIGN ME UP.

Okay so what makes this a complete meal?

Protein: about 25% of our meal is made up of beef- a wildly good source of protein, monounsaturated fats, iron and B vitamins. Protein helps us stay fuller for longer and helps us build and maintain muscle mass.

Carbohydrate: another 25% of this meal is carbohydrate (rice!) Carbohydrate foods are quick sources of energy for our brain and bodies and are also very satisfying.

Veggies: 50% of our meal is a wide colorful variety of nutrient-dense non-starchy vegetables which provide antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. These micronutrients fight against chronic disease and help our bodies function well.

What IS Bulgogi?

Bulgogi is a Korean term that translates to fire meat and usually consists of thinly sliced beef that is marinated and grilled. I am a huge fan of Korean food and while this may not be exactly traditional beef bulgogi, it is my take on how to transform it into nourishing rice bowls!

This recipe is actually more reminiscent of bibimbap, which takes the juicy flavorful bulgogi BBQ meat and adds other elements like rice and veggies to make it a well-rounded and wholesome meal!

Ingredients you will need to make these Bulgogi Bowls:

Beef: the thinly sliced and marinated Bulgogi beef is the real star of the show here. You can use Top Sirloin, Ribeye or flank steak.

Marinade: a simple mixture of pears, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and chili garlic sauce make an irresistible savory sweet marinade for the meat

Rice: I love jasmine rice but you can also use brown rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice or any other grain you like

Vegetables: pile on your favorite veggies! I like ribboned carrots, thinly sliced cucumbers, purple cabbage, bell peppers and green onions.

Avocado: adds a lovely texture and a healthy source of fat to the dish

Kimchi: reinforcing the Korean-inspired flavors, kimchi adds a spicy and sour crunch. And because it is fermented it offers bonus gut health benefits! You can find this at most normal grocery stores in the produce/refrigerated section or at your local Asian foods store.

Finishing touches: sriracha mayo, sesame seeds and a big squeeze of lime take the dish to the next level.

How to Make:

Place the ribeye in the freezer for 30 minutes. When the meat is cold and very firm it will be easier to cut thin, uniform slices.

In a blender or food processor blend together the pears, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil and chili garlic sauce.

Take the meat from the freezer and using a sharp chef’s knife, slice the ribeye into thin strips, cutting against the grain. Place the slices of beef in a gallon Ziploc bag, pour in the marinade, seal the bag and smoosh everything around to make sure each individual piece is fully covered in marinade. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

After the meat is done marinating, finish the dish!

Thinly slice the cucumbers, peppers and cabbage. Tossing the cucumbers with a little rice vinegar, sugar and salt adds a layer of delicious acidity to the dish. I like to use a vegetable peeler to shave the carrots into ‘ribbons’. Simply keep peeling the carrot into thin strips until you have just a bit left (which you eat obvs).

Whisk together a quick sriracha mayo– mayo, sriracha, squeeze of lime, done.

Cook the rice or your grain of choice.

 Heat a cast iron grill pan or outside grill over medium-high heat and oil the grill grates by brushing with a little avocado oil. Using tongs remove the pieces of meat and let the excess marinade drip off. Place each strip on the grill in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes until there is deep brown caramelization on one side. Flip the pieces and cook another 1-2 minutes. Remove pieces to a plate and continue working in batches, if necessary, until all the meat is grilled.

Assemble! Layer together a bed of rice, bulgogi beef, veggies, avocado and spicy kimchi. Drizzle with sriracha mayo. Finish with green onions, sesame seeds and a squeeze of lime.

How to store:

Assemble the meat and rice into airtight containers and keep in the fridge for up to five days. Store the fresh components in a separate container in the fridge. When you’re ready for leftovers, warm the meat and rice in the microwave and then top with the fresh elements and sriracha mayo.

FAQ

If you love this recipe you’ll love these other Asian-inspired dishes:

Teriyaki Salmon Rice Bowl

Asian Chicken Salad with Crispy Wontons

Ramen Crunch Salad with Creamy Sesame Dressing

Easy Gochujang Fried Rice

Mongolian Beef

Watch How To Make Easy Beef Bulgogi Bowls:

Easy Beef Bulgogi Bowls

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• Author: Erica
• Prep Time: 4 hours marinate + 30 minutes active prep
• Cook Time: 7 minutes
• Total Time: 4+ hours marinate + 40 minutes active
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Entree
• Method: Grill
• Cuisine: Korean

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Description

Tender, flavorful strips of ribeye, rice, a rainbow of nutritious veg and drizzle of spicy mayo! You will want these beef bulgogi bowls in the constant dinner rotation.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

Meat

• 1.5lb ribeye (or top sirloin or flank steak)
• 1 inch knob ginger, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/2 cup canned pears, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce

Assembly

• 10 mini peppers or 1 sweet bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled into ribbons
• 1 english cucumber or 6 baby cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• pinch each of salt and sugar
• 1 cup finely shredded purple cabbage
• 1 avocado, cubed
• Kimchi
• Green onions
• Rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice or grain of choice
• For topping: sriracha mayo (see notes), squeeze of lime, sesame seeds

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Instructions

Meat and Marinade

1. Place the ribeye in the freezer for 30 minutes. When the meat is cold and very firm it will be easier to cut thin, uniform slices.
2. In a blender or food processor blend together the pears, ginger, garlic, soy sayce, brown sugar, sesame oil and chili garlic sauce.
3. Take the meat from the freezer and using a sharp chef’s knife, slice the ribeye into thin strips, cutting against the grain. Place the slices of beef in a gallon Ziploc bag, pour in the marinade, seal the bag and smoosh everything around to make sure each individual piece is fully covered in marinade. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
4.  Heat a cast iron grill pan or outside grill over medium-high heat and oil the grill grates by brushing with a little avocado oil. Using tongs remove the pieces of meat and let the excess marinade drip off. Place each strip on the grill in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes until there is deep brown caramelization on one side. Flip the pieces and cook another 1-2 minutes. Remove pieces to a plate and continue working in batches, if necessary, until all the meat is grilled.

Rice

Cook rice or grain of choice. I rinse 1.5 cups jasmine rice until the water runs clear. Combine rice and 2.75 cups water in a saucepan with a pinch of salt and dab of coconut oil. Bring to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and without removing the lid, let sit another 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Veggies

Thinly slice the cucumbers, peppers, green onions and cabbage. Toss the cucumbers with rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Use a vegetable peeler to shave the carrots into ‘ribbons’ if you’re fancy like that, adds to the visual appeal! Watch the recipe video to see how it’s done or simply chop or julienne the carrots.

Assembly

Layer together a bed of rice, bulgogi beef, veggies, avocado and kimchi. Drizzle with sriracha mayo. Finish with green onions, sesame seeds and a squeeze of lime. ENJOY!

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Notes

To make a quick sriracha mayo whisk together 5 tablespoons good quality mayo, 1 teaspoon sriracha and juice of 1/2 lime.

Other topping ideas: for even more ways to level up this bowl try adding a fried egg, bok choy, caramelized mushrooms or gochujang sauce

Nutritional information is only an estimate and may vary slightly based on type of ingredients used.

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Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/6 recipe of beef + 3/4 cup cooked rice + veggies
• Calories: 544
• Sugar: 14.8 g
• Sodium: 553.2 mg
• Fat: 18.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 64.9 g
• Protein: 30.9 g
• Cholesterol: 57 mg

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