Description
This Easy Ground Beef Bulgogi recipe is a quick and flavorful Korean-inspired dish featuring savory ground beef cooked in a homemade bulgogi sauce, served over white rice and topped with soft-boiled eggs, scallions, and sesame seeds. Perfect for a weeknight dinner, it combines sweet, tangy, and umami flavors in a simple skillet meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Bulgogi Sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
Ground Beef
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ small yellow onion, diced
Topping
- 1 tablespoon scallion, diced
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 4 large soft boiled eggs*
For Serving
- white rice, cooked, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare Bulgogi Sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, sesame oil, minced ginger, and garlic. Mix well until the sugar dissolves. Set the sauce aside to allow the flavors to meld.
- Cook Ground Beef and Onion: Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and diced onion. Cook until the beef is mostly browned and the onion is softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Some pink may remain in the meat at this point.
- Add Bulgogi Sauce and Simmer: Pour the bulgogi sauce over the beef and onions, stirring to combine thoroughly. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 6 to 10 minutes, allowing the flavors to deepen and the beef to cook through. Then remove from heat.
- Prepare Bowls with Rice: Divide the cooked white rice evenly into four serving bowls as the base for the bulgogi.
- Assemble the Dish: Spoon the beef mixture evenly over the rice in each bowl. Top each with diced scallions, sesame seeds, and one soft-boiled egg.
- Serve: Serve the bulgogi bowls warm, encouraging diners to mix the soft-boiled egg into the beef and rice for added richness.
- Soft-Boiling Eggs (Optional): To soft-boil eggs, place eggs in boiling water and cook for about 6 to 7 minutes. Then transfer to an ice bath immediately to stop cooking. Peel carefully before topping bulgogi bowls.
Notes
- Soft-boiled eggs add creamy richness that complements the beef perfectly.
- Adjust brown sugar amount if you prefer a sweeter or less sweet sauce.
- Use lean ground beef to reduce excess fat, or substitute with ground turkey for a lighter version.
- If unavailable, regular vinegar can substitute rice wine vinegar but will slightly alter the flavor profile.
- For extra texture, sprinkle additional toasted sesame seeds or chopped nuts on top.
Keywords: bulgogi, ground beef bulgogi, Korean beef recipe, easy bulgogi, ground beef recipe, Korean cuisine, weeknight dinner, quick dinner, bulgogi sauce, soft boiled egg