Quick Korean Bulgogi with Ground Pork

Name: Quick Korean Bulgogi
Prep time: 7 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: ¼ cup brown sugar (packed); ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce; 2 teaspoons sesame oil; ½ teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes (or more to taste); ¼ teaspoon ground ginger (or 2 teaspoons fresh, minced); 2 cloves garlic (minced); 1 1/2 pounds ground pork; 2 green onions (thinly sliced); ¼ teaspoon sesame seeds; 4 servings rice (cooked)

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Quick Korean Bulgogi with Ground Pork turns simple ingredients into a sweet, savory dinner in less than 15 minutes. Delicious simply served over rice or folded into fresh lettuce wraps. This one is on the weekly rotation at my house!

Serving of Quick Korean Bulgogi with rice and broccoli in a bowl.

Quick Korean Bulgogi and Rice

When I say "quick" I mean on the table in fifteen minutes.

This Korean Bulgogi is easy, delicious, and inexpensive to make in one pan with ingredients you likely already have.

I like that using ground meat saves me money as ground is typically the cheapest cut with no waste and very little effort.

If it's too hot/not hot enough for you, adjust the amount of crushed chili flakes or add a squirt of sriracha. This recipe allows you to make adjustments easily to meet your needs.

Bowl of Quick Korean Bulgogi with a fork.

Pro Tips

Don't over-stir the ground pork or beef as it cooks. The little bit of browning in the pan creates a deep flavor.

After adding the sauce ingredients, just heat through. Don't overcook it or it will dry out and trust me. You want the sauce...

Ingredients

This seems like sort of a long list of ingredients for such an easy recipe. Sometimes sauces are like that. But don't let it intimidate you. You got this!

brown sugar - brings the sweet for this dish. You may reduce the amount called for to adjust for your preferences. I won't be mad.
reduced-sodium soy sauce - this brings plenty of salt flavor to the dish and the umami we all crave.
sesame oil - this is a little bit of a specialized ingredient, but I can find it in my local store. In my opinion, it's an essential ingredient.
crushed red-pepper flakes - add more if you like it a bit spicier
ground ginger - I use fresh ground ginger when I have it, but dried ground ginger works just fine. I included measurements for both.
garlic- everything is better with garlic
ground pork - I used ground pork this time, but ground beef is perfect too. You can't beat the price and ease of using ground meat. Plus, no need for marinating time.
green onions - bring on that little touch of freshness
sesame seeds - brings some texture and beauty
Optional-- Crunchy Chili Onion from Trader Joe's adds a little welcome heat to my bowl.

How to Make Quick Korean Bulgogi

Stir together brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and ginger to create the sauce.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Add ground pork and cook until browned.

4. Stir in sauce mixture and turn down your heat to medium heat.

5. Cook for only about 2 minutes or until well combined and heated through. Avoid cooking too long as you don't want to evaporate too much of your sauce.

6. Serve over rice and garnish with chili onion crunch, green onions, sesame seeds, and even cashews, if desired.

Substitutions & Additions

High Protein Bulgogi - Use ground beef, chicken or turkey instead of ground pork, if desired. Up the protein content by adding in some scrambled eggs and cashews.

To make a complete meal, I like to add some veggies in when I add the sauce. Consider adding vegetables such as:

bite sized broccoli
julienned carrots

Then serve with:

bamboo shoots
water chestnuts
kimchi
cashews for a little extra crunch and richness
fresh diced cucumber

You can also throw in some Air Fryer Broccoli. It's simple to throw together and is done just as quickly as the Bulgogi.

FAQ

What to Eat with Quick Korean Bulgogi

Steamed white rice is a fast and easy side dish that pairs beautifully with the sweet, sauciness of this recipe.

I find that cooking brown Jasmine Rice in my Instant Pot yields the best results. And I always make some extra so I can easily make Rice Pudding with Sweetened Condensed Milk the next day for dessert.

Minute rice is certainly a good choice here too. Heck, I even use the microwave pouches of rice when I'm in a real hurry.

How do I make Bulgogi Rice Bowls?

Simply layering the Bulgolgi and rice in a bowl and top with toppings of your choice.

How do I Reheat Rice?

Put an ice cube in with your rice and Quick Korean Bulgogi when reheating in the microwave. It works magic on the rice!

Storage

Put leftovers in a covered dish and refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Leave a Review

Lastly, if you made Quick Korean Bulgogi following this recipe, please let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and/or giving a rating!

I love hearing from you! I'll do my best to respond to each comment.

And of course, if you do make this recipe, tag me on Instagram! Seeing your photos is my favorite thing!

Chuckie Hessong