Korean Beef Bulgogi Stir-Fry (Printable)

Tender beef strips marinated in a flavorful Korean bulgogi sauce with fresh onions, carrots, and mushrooms.

# Ingredient List:

→ Beef

01 - 1.1 lb flank steak or sirloin, thinly sliced against the grain

→ Marinade

02 - 4 tbsp soy sauce
03 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
04 - 1 tbsp sesame oil
05 - 2 tbsp mirin or rice wine (optional)
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
08 - 1 pear or apple, grated (optional, for tenderizing)
09 - 2 green onions, finely chopped
10 - 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste) or 1 tsp chili flakes (optional)

→ For Cooking

12 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
13 - 1 onion, thinly sliced
14 - 1 carrot, julienned
15 - 3.5 oz mushrooms, sliced
16 - 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
17 - Additional green onions, sliced, for garnish

# Directions:

01 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, mirin, garlic, ginger, grated pear or apple, green onions, black pepper, and gochujang until fully blended.
02 - Add the thinly sliced beef to the marinade, tossing to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 15 minutes or up to 4 hours for enhanced flavor and tenderness.
03 - Preheat a large skillet or wok over high heat, then add vegetable oil, swirling to coat the surface.
04 - Add the marinated beef to the skillet and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until browned and nearly cooked through, stirring frequently.
05 - Incorporate sliced onion, julienned carrot, and mushrooms. Continue stir-frying for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables soften and beef is fully cooked.
06 - Taste the mixture and modify seasoning if necessary according to preference.
07 - Remove from heat and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and additional green onions on top before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when it actually takes less time than ordering takeout.
  • The marinade does all the heavy lifting, transforming simple beef into something impossibly tender and flavorful.
  • It works for practically any occasion—quick weeknight dinner, impressing someone new, or meal prepping for the week ahead.
02 -
  • Slice your beef against the grain or it will be chewy no matter what; take two seconds to figure out which direction the muscle fibers run before you slice.
  • The pear or apple seems optional but it's actually a game-changer for natural meat tenderizing, especially if you only have time to marinate for 15 minutes.
  • Don't walk away when you're stir-frying; the vegetables go from perfectly tender to mushy in about thirty seconds if you're not paying attention.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry pan for just a minute before the end—it wakes them up completely and makes them taste twice as nutty and important.
  • If you end up with extra marinade after the beef is cooked, let it reduce in the pan for a minute and use it as an extra glaze to spoon over everything at the end.

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