Bulgogi Fried Rice

This Bulgogi Fried Rice with beef and kimchi is phenomenal. It comes together in less than 30 minutes and is one of my favourite rice dishes to eat on repeat. The marinated beef is full of flavour and elevates this bulgogi-style Korean fried rice to a whole new level. Topped with a fried egg, spring onions, nori, and flavoured with gochujang to give it that spicy kick and red colour, it's bound to become one of your go-to weeknight meals.

I don't know about you but after a long day of work, all I want is a comforting bowl of food that tastes incredible and takes no time to make. Well, this Bulgogi Fried Rice is exactly that.

Using leftover rice and veggie scraps from your fridge is a great way to clear out any leftover vegetables or ingredients, and this beef and gochujang fried rice dish is the perfect opportunity to make a hearty meal from a selection of ingredients.

The bulgogi marinated beef strips become so tender, sweet, spicy, and full of flavour once fried, and pair perfectly with the jasmine rice, kimchi, carrot, fried egg, and any other ingredients that you want to add to your dish.

WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE

• QUICK - One of the main things I love about this dish is that it's perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner when you have NO time. Using leftover or microwavable rice removes a cooking element, making it a fuss-free recipe, and then all you've got to do is marinate the beef for as long as you'd like (you could even prepare it in advance so you have one less step to do), fry everything together, and voila, you've got yourself an incredibly delicious, easy meal ready in less than 30 minutes!
• BURSTING WITH FLAVOUR - If you've never tasted Korean ingredients before, you are seriously missing out. Gochujang, kimchi, and bulgogi-style seasonings are honestly so tasty. I've created a really simple marinade that adds so much flavour into the beef. The whole dish is a feast for the senses, I really hope you like it!
• MEAL-PREP - One of my favourite things about cooking is a dish that can be meal-prepped or stored for a following lunch. This recipe is perfect for that. You can prepare the dish in advance, make 2 or 3 portions, place them in an air-tight container, and whack them in the fridge (for up to 3 days) until you want to eat them.

Fancy some more Korean-inspired recipes? Why not check out my Korean-style rice balls, Korean-style butter beans, or my Gochujang feta pastries!

WHAT IS BULGOGI?

Bulgogi (Korean beef barbecue) one of the most popular Korean dishes. It literally translates to "fire meat" and is made up of thin, marinated slices of beef, grilled on a barbecue or on a griddle pan. It typically has a soy sauce and gochugaru type marinade with grated pear in the mix to help tenderise the meat, however, for this recipe, I used grated apple instead which worked so well.

Bulgogi is often served with rice and an array of side dishes including kimchi, lettuce, leafy vegetables and many more options. It's become really common to go out for Korean barbecue, so you may already know this, but, customers in Korean BBQ restaurants are seated at a table with a grill in the centre of the table (kind of like how the Austrians do fondu or the Chinese eat hot pot). Raw and marinated pieces of beef or other types of meat are brought to the table and the customers cook the meat to their desired preference on the griddle pan in the middle of the table. It's such a fun and different kind of way of eating compared to your average restaurant experience.

This bulgogi-style fried rice is inspired by the marinade, flavours and process on how to make bulgogi. This is not an authentic dish, but is highly inspired by Korean bulgogi and is honestly one of the best things I've made recently.

Here are some great bulgogi-inspired recipes from other food bloggers that I love:

• Beef Bulgogi Burgers by Jenn Segal
• Bulgogi-Inspired Tacos by Ashley, Eat Figs, Not Pigs
• Bulgogi Stew by Maangchi

WHAT IS KIMCHI?

If you've never tried kimchi, you're seriously missing out. It's an absolute classic Korean side dish (banchan)! It consists of salted and fermented vegetables, commonly using Napa cabbage and Korean radish with a selection of seasonings including gochugaru, spring onions, garlic, ginger, and pear.

You can serve it on its own, as a side dish, or eat it in stir fries (like this one), soups, on toast, in pastas, the options are endless!

WHAT TYPE OF RICE DO I USE?

For stir fries using rice, you always want to use leftover, day-old, or dry cooked rice. Why you ask? Because you need the rice to be completely dry and lacking in moisture. If you use recently cooked rice or wet rice, it will just decompose while you fry it, making more of a paste rather than a solid fried rice dish.

So, I personally used long-grain jasmine rice for this recipe. You can either cook it in advance, or you can use microwavable rice, which is what I did. It's such a great option for when you're short on time and need rice asap!

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

SOY SAUCE: For this recipe, you want to use light soy sauce, not dark soy sauce. This is because dark soy sauce has a higher sodium content and is stronger in flavour. The light soy sauce adds a wonderful saltiness to the dish and umami flavour, combining really well with the gochujang and sweet ingredients.

BROWN SUGAR: Because we are using soy sauce and gochujang which are both spicy and salty ingredients, we need a sweet ingredient to balance out the flavours. You could use white sugar, honey, or agave syrup if you like, but I like using brown sugar as it brings a more caramel-like flavour to the dish.

RICE WINE VINEGAR: You can either use rice wine vinegar or mirin, it's up to you! We add rice wine vinegar to balance out the flavours, but also to tenderise the meat!

APPLE: For this recipe, you'll need to grate your apple as you don't want any chunks of apple in your marinade. The sweetness helps tenderise the meat, and also provides a really lovely fruity flavour that elevates the flavour of the beef.

GARLIC: I've used 5 garlic cloves in total for this recipe, 2 for the marinade and 3 for the fried rice. Make sure these are medium-sized cloves. If they're large, then maybe reduce the number by a couple of cloves. Mince or finely chop the garlic. You could also use garlic powder, but the flavours of the dish won't be as fresh.

GINGER: I love adding ginger into marinades, and this one is a must. Fresh ginger is such a wonderful addition to this bulgogi marinade. Simply grate a chunk of ginger or finely chop it and add it into your marinade bowl.

GOCHUJANG: This is a Korean fermented red pepper paste and it is an absolutely essential ingredient for any Korean-style cooking fan. You can buy it at your local Asian supermarket.

KIMCHI: One of my favourite fermented ingredients to use in cooking is kimchi. You can get all kinds of kimchi too, as well as make it from scratch! I've used a jarred kimchi from my local supermarket, but I'd highly recommend going to your local Asian supermarket for the best quality versions. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, try making it yourself, it's much easier than you think!

CARROT: For a bit of colour and crunch, carrot is always a good ingredient to have in stir fries. I've just julienned my carrot, but feel free to dice them too.

RED PEPPER FLAKES: Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru) are a great chilli flake to use in everyday cooking. It's much weaker than your average chilli flakes, and has a much more smoky flavour to it.

SESAME OIL: To balance out all the sweet, salty, and tangy flavours, sesame oil brings a wonderful smokiness and nuttiness to the mix.

SUGAR: Once again, this is optional, but I always feel adding a bit of sweetness to a dish like this just takes it to a whole new level. Feel free to use honey, agave, or any other kind of sweetener you'd like.

JASMINE RICE: Either you can make homemade jasmine rice the day before, place it in a Tupperware and leave it in the fridge for a night, ready for the next day. Or, you can do what I did and go to your local supermarket and buy a microwavable bag of jasmine rice which is perfect for this bulgogi stir fried rice.

SPRING ONION: Not only is spring onion (scallions) great for a bit of colour, it's also a lovely oniony flavour that you miss if you don't have it. I like to really finely slice my spring onions and sprinkle them across the final dish.

EGG: This is totally optional but I love a fried egg on top of a rice dish. You could do a boiled egg too or even poached, but fried has that crispy bottom that goes so well with this bulgogi fried rice.

NORI: Also known as sushi seaweed, nori is a great salty and crackly addition to this rice dish. I just like to get a sheet of nori and then rip it up into little pieces and sprinkle it all over the dish.

BEEF: Ribeye, fillet, sirloin, or tenderloin are the recommended cuts, but if you're cooking on a budget, try flank steak or skirt steak with a bit more time to marinate the beef. Look for a hunk of meat with nice consistent marbling throughout. This beautiful marbling paired with the mouthwatering marinade is what gives you that melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. You will want to cut the meat, against the grain, into thin slices so that the meat can soak up all of the flavours of the bulgogi beef marinade. I used fillet for this recipe, but as I mentioned, feel free to use a cut that you have access to.

BULGOGI FRIED RICE INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

SOY SAUCE: For a gluten-free alternative, use Tamari sauce, which is a wheat-free soy sauce. Coconut aminos, made from coconut sap, provides a slightly sweeter and milder flavour, making it an excellent soy sauce substitute for those avoiding soy or gluten.

BROWN SUGAR: Replace brown sugar with coconut sugar for a similar sweetness and caramel-like flavour. Alternatively, use maple syrup or honey for a natural sweetener. Adjust the quantity based on your preferred level of sweetness.

RICE WINE VINEGAR: If you don't have rice wine vinegar, try substituting with apple cider vinegar for a mildly fruity undertone. White wine vinegar and mirin are two other suitable options. Add a pinch of sugar to mimic the slight sweetness of rice wine vinegar.

APPLE: To replace the sweetness and a hint of tartness and sweetness from apple, consider using pear, especially Asian pear, which is commonly used in Korean cuisine. Alternatively, use unsweetened applesauce or a bit of honey to achieve a similar balance of flavours.

GARLIC: Garlic powder can be substituted for fresh garlic. Use ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder for every clove. Alternatively, roasted garlic paste provides a milder, slightly sweet garlic flavour.

GINGER: Ground ginger can be used as a substitute for fresh ginger. Use ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger for every tablespoon of fresh grated ginger. Ginger paste or ginger powder are convenient alternatives, offering a slightly different but complementary flavour.

GOCHUJANG: If gochujang is unavailable, mix equal parts of Sriracha sauce and miso paste for a blend of heat and umami. Add a pinch of brown sugar to replicate gochujang's sweetness. Adjust the spice level according to your preference. It won't taste like gochujang, but it will give the dish a unique, spicy, umami-filled flavour that you're bound to love!

KIMCHI: If you don't have kimchi, try using sauerkraut for a tangy fermented cabbage alternative. While the flavours are different, sauerkraut provides a similar fermented crunch. Alternatively, experiment with other fermented vegetables for unique flavours. If you don't want to use fermented ingredients, then feel free to add in some extra vegetables like pak choi, Chinese cabbage, or peas.

CARROT: Thinly sliced bell peppers or zucchini (courgette) can substitute for carrots, providing a crunchy texture and vibrant colour. Julienne the vegetables for a visually appealing presentation. Alternatively, use daikon radish for a mild, slightly peppery flavour.

RED PEPPER FLAKES: Gochugaru has a very distinctive flavour profile, but if you don't have access to them, then I'd recommend using chilli powder, chilli flakes, or paprika as an alternative.

SESAME OIL: Peanut oil or almond oil are great alternatives. If you don't have either of those oils, then you could use sesame paste or tahini. Add a little bit at a time, and taste as you go!

SUGAR: Use honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar as natural sweeteners. Coconut sugar is a good alternative for a slightly caramel-like taste. Adjust the quantity to match the desired level of sweetness.

JASMINE RICE: Replace jasmine rice with any long-grain rice like basmati or medium-grain rice like sushi rice. Each type will give the dish a slightly different texture, so choose based on your preference. Make sure that the rice is cooked and left in the fridge for at least a few hours so that it has dried out. Any neutral, unflavoured microwavable bag of rice is good.

SPRING ONION: Chives or green onions can replace spring onions. Both options provide a mild onion flavour and a pop of colour.

BEEF: If you're not a fan of beef, then feel free to use chicken breast or pork belly. Marinate the meat in the same way as the beef and then fry until tender and cooked through, around 10-15 minutes. For a vegetarian or vegan option, substitute beef with tofu, tempeh, or seitan. Marinate the tofu or tempeh in a blend of soy sauce, garlic, and ginger for a meaty flavour. Alternatively, use meat alternatives made from plants, such as textured vegetable protein (TVP) or plant-based ground meat.

BULGOGI-STYLE FRIED RICE RECIPE VARIATIONS

Vegan Bulgogi Fried Rice: Replace beef with marinated tofu cubes or tempeh. Press the tofu to remove excess moisture, then dice it into small pieces. Marinate in a mixture of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and a touch of sesame oil. Pan-fry until golden and crispy. Alternatively, use tempeh, which has a naturally nutty flavour. Add colourful vegetables like bell peppers, broccoli, and snap peas for added texture and nutrition. Ensure the soy sauce used is vegan-friendly, and opt for a vegan kimchi brand. Top the fried rice with chopped green onions and sesame seeds for garnish.

Dairy-Free Bulgogi Fried Rice: This version omits any dairy products. Ensure the kimchi you use is dairy-free; most traditional kimchi recipes are dairy-free, but it's always best to check the label. Additionally, check the labels of soy sauce and gochujang to ensure they don't contain any dairy-derived ingredients.

Gluten-Free Bulgogi Fried Rice: To make this dish gluten-free, start by using gluten-free soy sauce (Tamari sauce) or coconut aminos as a substitute. Confirm the gochujang you use is gluten-free, as some varieties may contain wheat. Use gluten-free tamari-based hoisin sauce or make a homemade gluten-free version. Opt for gluten-free kimchi, as some brands might use gluten-containing additives. For the crispy fried egg on top, ensure the soy sauce used in the egg marinade is also gluten-free.

These variations allow you to enjoy the rich flavours of Bulgogi Fried Rice while catering to different dietary needs. Feel free to mix and match ingredients to create a personalised version that suits your taste preferences and dietary requirements!

HOW TO MAKE BULGOGI FRIED RICE: STEP BY STEP

STEP 1 : MARINATE THE BEEF

• First up, you want to slice your beef into thin strips, cutting against the grain.
• Next up, in a medium-sized bowl, combine all of your marinade ingredients to make a lovely sauce.
• Place your beef into your marinade and give it a good mix so all the beef is coated.
• Marinate this for up to a day, but no shorter than 15 minutes.

STEP 2: MAKE YOUR FRIED RICE SAUCE

• In a small bowl, combine your fried rice sauce ingredients including your garlic cloves, gochujang, kimchi, red pepper flakes, soy sauce, sesame oil, black pepper, and sugar. Give it a good mix and then have a little taste. It should be sharp, sweet, spicy, and tangy all at once!
• Set that aside while you fry your beef.

STEP 3: FRY YOUR BEEF

• Place a non-stick frying pan on medium heat and drizzle with a teaspoon of oil.
• Add in your marinated beef (don't pour in the sauce as this causes the beef to stew).
• Fry for 5 minutes or until the beef is golden brown and tender.
• Remove the beef and set it aside on a plate while you begin frying your rice.

STEP 4: STIR FRY YOUR RICE AND COMBINE TO ENJOY

• In the same pan, pour in your leftover or microwavable rice.
• Next, add in your sauce, veggies, and beef. Stir thoroughly to combine. Taste and season accordingly.
• Meanwhile, in another pan, fry an egg.
• Once everything is ready to go, serve up your bulgogi fried rice and top with your fried egg, nori sheets, and spring onions. Enjoy!

WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR LEFTOVER BULGOGI-STYLE BEEF AND KIMCHI FRIED RICE

• Storage: Store leftover Bulgogi Fried Rice in an airtight container in the fridge. Ensure the container is sealed tightly to maintain freshness. Properly stored, it can last in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Heating: To reheat Bulgogi Fried Rice, use a non-stick pan or wok over medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent sticking and ensure even heating. Alternatively, reheat it in the microwave, covering the dish with a microwave-safe lid or damp paper towel to retain moisture. Heat in 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval until thoroughly heated.
• Freezing: If you want to freeze your Bulgogi Fried Rice for future meals, let it cool completely first. Transfer it into a freezer-safe, airtight container. Seal the container tightly. It can be frozen for up to 1-2 months. To defrost, transfer the container to the fridge overnight. Reheat following the methods mentioned above. Be aware that the texture of certain ingredients might change slightly after freezing.

RECIPE FAQS

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