Bulgogi

4.55 from 22 votes
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Authentic and easy bulgogi recipe with sliced pork belly and Korean red chili paste. Bulgogi is great with steamed rice as a bulgogi bowl or wrapped with lettuce or Perilla leaves.

Bulgogi in a cast-iron skillet.
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Bulgogi Recipe

Bulgogi is a Korean marinated meat dish with Korean red chili paste.

This easy bulgogi recipe calls for gochujang, gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes), soy sauce, sugar, onion and scallions.

Learn how to how to make dwaeji bulgogi (aka jeyuk bokkeum) using pork belly (samgyupsal). You can also use pork shoulder, pork loin, beef or chicken for this authentic recipe.


What Is Bulgogi

Easy bulgogi recipe made with thinly sliced pork belly, with bulgogi sauce.

Korean Bulgogi is a marinated meat dish made with thin slices of beef, usually rib eye. It is no doubt one of the most well-known Korean dishes outside of Korea.

When it’s made with pork, it’s called dwaeji (pork) bulgogi. Unlike its beef counterpart, which is traditionally marinated in a soy sauce based sauce, pork is typically marinated in a spicy gochujang sauce.

Gochujang is a fermented red chili pepper paste made primarily with gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes), glutinous rice powder and fermented soybean powder.

It’s pungent, spicy, slightly sweet and salty. For an authentic Korean dish, there is simply no substitute for gochujang. Gochujang can be found in any Korean market or you can buy online!

The marinated pork can be either grilled or pan-fried. The best way to enjoy it is to wrap a bite-size piece in lettuce or a Perilla leaf and eat the whole wrap.

If you love fatty pork and spicy food, this is the perfect dish for you!


How To Make Bulgogi

Authentic Korean bulgogi, ready to serve.

It’s easy to make this recipe at home. It calls for very simple steps.

First, cut the sliced pork belly into bite-sized pieces. Next, combine all the sauce and marinade ingredients together.

Combine the pork, marinade sauce, onion and scallions together in a big bowl. Marinate the meat for at least an hour or best overnight.

To cook, just grill or cook on a skillet.


Frequently Asked Questions

What brand of Korean red chili paste (gochujang) should I use?

I recommend Chungjungwon (청정원), Haechandeul (해찬들) and Sampio (샘표) gochujang.

How do I make bulgogi bowl?

It’s very easy, just place fresh steamed rice in a bowl and top the rice with bulgogi.
You may serve bulgogi bowl with banchan (Korean side dishes) such as kimchi, Seaweed Salad, Asian cucumber salad and Korean spicy tofu.

How many calories per serving?

This recipe is 718 calories per serving.

Pork bulgogi marinated with bulgogi marinade.

What To Serve With This Recipe

Serve this dish with steamed rice and Korean side dishes. For a wholesome Korean meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on FacebookPinterest, and Instagram for new updates.


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4.55 from 22 votes

Bulgogi

Authentic and easy bulgogi recipe with sliced pork belly and Korean red chili paste. Bulgogi is great with steamed rice as a bulgogi bowl or wrapped with lettuce or Perilla leaves.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 people
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Ingredients  

  • 1 pound (500g) pork belly, or pork shoulder, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 – 3 stalks scallion, roots removed, cut into 2 inch (5 cm) lengths
  • 1 tablespoon oil

Bulgogi Marinade:

  • 3 tablespoons Korean red chili pepper paste*, gochujang
  • 1 tablespoon Korean red chili pepper flakes, gochugaru
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice wine, or mirin
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions 

  • Mix all the Bulgogi Marinade ingredients well.
  • Cut the pork belly into bite-sized pieces, about 2 inches (5 cm) in length.
  • Combine the meat, onion, and scallions with the marinade and mix well. Marinate for at least an hour, or preferably overnight.
  • Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Cook the pork slices until they are cooked through and slightly caramelized, turning them over once.
  • Dish out and serve immediately with steamed rice.

Notes

Recipe Contributor: Korean Bapsang
You may use thinly sliced beef to make beef bulgogi.
The quality and taste of commercially available gochujang (고추장) varies, depending on brands. Some of the major brand names available in the U.S. are Chungjungwon (청정원), Haechandeul (해찬들) and Sampio (샘표). Each brand makes different types of gochujang, depending on the types or origin of ingredients used.
Chungjungwon (청정원) is known for its Sunchang (순창) gochujang. Sunchang (순창) is a town that’s famous for making the best gochujang. Some brands note the level of spiciness on the package, e.g., No. 3 is medium hot and No. 4 is very hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 4people, Calories: 718kcal, Carbohydrates: 14g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 68g, Saturated Fat: 23g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g, Monounsaturated Fat: 32g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 82mg, Sodium: 577mg, Potassium: 367mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 8g, Vitamin A: 689IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 29mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About Rasa Malaysia

Bee is a recipe developer and best-selling cookbook author, sharing easy, quick, and delicious Asian and American recipes since 2006. With a strong following of almost 2 million fans online, her expertise has been featured in major publications, TV and radio programs, and live cooking demos throughout the United States and Asia.

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10 Comments

  1. Jaclyn says:

    5 stars
    I just made this for lunch today and it was absolutely delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe :)

  2. Ingrid says:

    I finally made the spicy pork bulgogi, family loved it. Will definitely be putting this recipe on my recipe list. Thanks so much for this recipe?.

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Thanks Ingrid.

  3. lene says:

    nice recipe. will try tonite for dinner

  4. Angela says:

    Hi
    May I know for the spicy pork bulgogi , how long does it take to cook the meat on the frying pan .
    Thanks

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      It will take a few minutes only.

  5. L says:

    If donโ€™t have Korean red chiliโ€™s and rice wine what to do and needs it ?

    1. joan says:

      Need recipes for king crab

  6. Yeh Ximin says:

    5 stars