Description
This Easy Beef Bulgogi Bowls recipe features tender marinated ribeye or top sirloin steak thinly sliced and cooked with a savory-sweet Korean-inspired sauce. Served over fluffy rice with fried eggs, fresh cucumber ribbons, and spicy kimchi, it delivers a perfect balance of bold flavors and textures in a hassle-free bowl meal.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Beef Bulgogi:
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 Tablespoons chili garlic sauce or Gochujang chili sauce, or more to taste
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons minced garlic
- 2 Tablespoons minced ginger
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced shallots
- 2 pounds ribeye or top sirloin steaks, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
- 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
For Assembling the Bowls:
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 4 fried eggs
- 1 cup homemade or store-bought kimchi
- 1 English cucumber, cut into ribbons
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, light brown sugar, sesame oil, chili garlic sauce or Gochujang, rice wine vinegar, minced garlic, minced ginger, and thinly sliced shallots. Whisk together until the sugar is dissolved and ingredients are well mixed.
- Marinate the beef: Add the thinly sliced ribeye or top sirloin steaks to the marinade. Toss to coat all pieces evenly. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours for more flavor penetration.
- Cook the beef: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the marinated beef in batches to avoid overcrowding. Cook the slices for about 2-3 minutes per side until nicely browned and cooked through, stirring occasionally for even cooking. Remove cooked beef from the skillet and set aside.
- Fry the eggs: In the same skillet or a separate pan, fry the eggs to your liking, typically sunny side up, to keep the yolks runny for mixing into the bowl.
- Prepare the bowls: Divide the cooked rice evenly among four serving bowls. Arrange the cooked beef bulgogi over the rice. Add a fried egg on top of each bowl. Garnish with kimchi and cucumber ribbons on the side.
- Serve and enjoy: Optionally, drizzle additional chili garlic sauce or sprinkle sesame seeds for extra flavor. Serve immediately while hot.
Notes
- Thinly slicing the beef very thin (1/8 inch) allows it to cook quickly and absorb the marinade better.
- If short on time, marinate the beef for at least 30 minutes, though longer marinating intensifies flavors.
- Gochujang chili sauce can be substituted with chili garlic sauce or adjust according to your preferred spice level.
- For a less spicy version, reduce or omit chili garlic sauce.
- Use day-old rice or freshly cooked rice that is slightly cooled for best bowl texture.
- Leftover bulgogi can be refrigerated and eaten within 2 days or frozen for longer storage.
Keywords: beef bulgogi, Korean beef bowl, bulgogi bowls, Korean recipe, easy bulgogi, marinated beef, rice bowl