Bulgogi Ground Beef

Ground beef is cooked in a skillet with garlic and onion, then combined with a sauce made from soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and often grated pear or apple. The mixture simmers briefly, allowing the meat to absorb the sweet and savory flavors. This preparation reflects the seasoning profile of Korean bulgogi, adapted for quicker cooking with ground meat.

As the sauce reduces, it coats the beef in a glossy layer while the sugars lightly caramelize. The meat remains tender as it cooks through, with the aromatics and seasonings evenly distributed. The technique emphasizes fast cooking and balanced flavor, producing a savory-sweet mixture with subtle depth from garlic, sesame, and soy.

Serve with Korean Cucumber Salad (Oi Muchim) and Korean Bean Sprouts (Kongnamul Muchim).

Print Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Beef

Asian

Korean

Servings: 3

Equipment

• skillet

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger
• 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• ½ cup soy sauce
• ⅓ cup light brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. mirin or rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper
• 6 scallions, chopped & divided
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Instructions 

Don’t Sleep

• Heat the skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add ground beef, stir, and break up until browned, 5-7 minutes.
• Pour off any excess grease.
• Add garlic, ginger, and sesame oil and cook to release aromas, 1-2 min
• Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, brown sugar, and red pepper.
• Add scallion whites and cook until sauce is reduced and absorbed by the beef.
• Top with scallions and sesame seeds.