Bulgogi
Marinated grilled beef
Ingredients
- 600 g Beef flank steak
- 1 Asian pear
- 4 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Toasted sesame oil
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Neutral oil
- 3 Scallions (optional)
- 1 tbsp Sesame seeds (optional)
- 500 g Japanese short-grain rice (optional)
Method
- Rinse the rice and cook it in twice its volume of water, covered, until tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
- While the rice cooks, slice the beef paper-thin and grate the pear and garlic.
- Mix the marinade of soy, sesame oil, grated pear, garlic, and sugar, coat the beef, and rest 20 minutes.
- Sear the beef in a very hot pan in batches so it browns and caramelizes rather than steaming in its own juices.
- Toss through the scallions and sesame seeds off the heat.
- Serve with the rice.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Bulgogi
Bulgogi, literally fire meat, is one of Korea's most recognizable dishes: thin slices of beef marinated in a sweet, savory soy-and-sesame mixture, then cooked hot and fast. The cut here is flank steak sliced paper-thin, and the marinade leans on grated Asian pear, whose enzymes tenderize the meat while its sweetness balances the salt of the soy and the nuttiness of toasted sesame oil.
What you taste is caramelization: the sugars in the pear and marinade brown quickly against a screaming-hot pan, giving the beef charred, glossy edges and a deep umami savor cut by fresh scallion and sesame seeds stirred in off the heat. The key technique is searing in batches so the beef browns rather than steams in its own juices, which is where the flavor lives. Traditionally bulgogi is eaten with short-grain rice and often wrapped in lettuce with a dab of ssamjang, and it's a staple of Korean barbecue and family tables alike.
Bulgogi: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Bulgogi?
A serving has about 403 calories — 32.6g protein, 14.6g carbs, 24.7g fat, 2.4g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 32.6g of protein, roughly 32% of its calories.
Is Bulgogi gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Light soy sauce. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
How long does Bulgogi take to make?
About 35 minutes start to finish, but only around 17 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Bulgogi?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out scallions, sesame seeds, japanese short-grain rice — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Bulgogi make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.