Bulgogi Sauce (Easy Authentic Recipe) (2024)

Learn how to make this easy and delicious bulgogi sauce and start making your Korean favorites at home! Sweet and salty, it works as a marinade, dipping sauce, or even a dressing!

Bulgogi Sauce (Easy Authentic Recipe) (1)

Coming from a half Asian background, it should come as no surprise that I have a slew of Asian inspired recipes.

What do Hunan chicken, tempura chicken, and black pepper Angus steak have in common? The key feature of all of them is the sauce used!

I know I shouldn’t play favorites, but we are obsessed with making beef bulgogi, especially for its sauce!

Table of Contents
  1. What does bulgogi sauce taste like?
  2. Ingredients needed
  3. How to make bulgogi sauce
  4. How to use this sauce
  5. Storage instructions
  6. More sauce recipes to try
  7. Frequently Asked Questions
  8. Bulgogi Sauce (Recipe Card)

What does bulgogi sauce taste like?

Bulgogi sauce is considered being the BBQ sauce of Asian and Korean cuisine. It’s sweet, smoky, and slightly tangy, and has a subtle spice hit thanks to the chili sauce. In many Korean restaurants, they actually serve this as a dipping sauce too!

Sure you could buy the pre-bottled kind, but where is the fun in that? Making your own is so easy.

Why this bulgogi sauce recipe will be a condiment staple:

  • Ready in seconds. No boiling, steaming, or caramelizing required- everything is whisked together in one bowl.
  • Authentic flavor. This sauce is sweet, it’s tangy, and it has some spice. Honestly, you’d think this was from a Korean restaurant.
  • Versatile. While this sauce is famous in beef bulgogi, it can also be used as a marinade or sauce too.

What we love about this recipe is just how easy is it to make. If you find yourself with a delicious cut of beef, pork, or chicken, simply slice it up and make this sauce and you’ll have dinner ready in minutes!

Ingredients needed

This recipe uses very simple and uses basic pantry ingredients. The only one you might need to hit up the grocery store for is the Gochujang, but it’s so popular, you’ll find it at any basic store or even online. Here is what you’ll need:

  • Soy sauce. Low sodium and gluten-free options work.
  • Brown sugar. Adds sweetness and balances out the salty and umami ingredients.
  • Sesame oil. A must for Asian marinade or sauces. A little goes a very long way, so try not to go overboard with it.
  • Pear. Finely grated to an almost mushy texture. If you can find it, you can also use pear juice.
  • Garlic. Freshly minced.
  • Ginger.
  • Gochujang. Very popular in Korean cuisine, this is their staple chili pepper sauce. If you can’t find this anywhere, you can use any chili sauce of choice.

How to make bulgogi sauce

Making this sauce is very simple.

All you do is whisk the ingredients together until combined. If you notice some separation, let it sit for half an hour.

Start by mixing the soy sauce with all the ingredients except for the grated pear.

Bulgogi Sauce (Easy Authentic Recipe) (2)

Next, gently fold through the grated pear until combined.

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How to use this sauce

If you’ve been to any Korean restaurant before, you’ll know that you can get all kinds of bulgogi based dishes, including chicken, seafood and tofu.

We love to use this sauce to marinate protein, like chicken breast, pork chops, or even steak.

You can also toss it through grain based recipes, like a fried rice, cauliflower fried rice, or even spicy noodles.

Oh, and if you are anything like me, use it to dip some sweet potato fries or zucchini fries in them.

Jazz up some noodles by making it the main sauce in a chow mein or noodle stir fry.

Storage instructions

  • To store: If you haven’t used the sauce to marinate beef or chicken (or any other protein), you can store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, for up to one week. Sometimes the sauce will thicken and if that happens, let it bring it to room temperature before using it.
  • To freeze: Place the sauce in a shallow container and store it in the freezer for up to two months.
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More sauce recipes to try

  • Eel sauce
  • Tempura dipping sauce
  • Potsticker sauce
  • Fry sauce

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Korean BBQ sauce the same as this sauce?

While Bulgogi sauce is sometimes considered to be a Korean BBQ sauce, their actual BBQ sauce is actually sweeter and doesn’t include any spice.

Where to buy bulgogi sauce?

Thanks to the popularity of Korean cuisine, most grocery stores sell pre-made bulgogi sauce. Alternatively, you can also buy it online.

Bulgogi Sauce (Easy Authentic Recipe) (5)

Bulgogi Sauce

Learn how to make this easy and delicious bulgogi sauce and start making your Korean favorites at home! Sweet and salty, it works as a marinade, dipping sauce, or even a dressing!

Servings: 8 servings

Prep: 1 minute min

Cook: 1 minute min

Total: 2 minutes mins

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Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients, except for the pear and Gochujang.

  • Fold through the grated pear until just combined. Add the gochujang and use immediately.

Notes

TO STORE: If you haven’t used the sauce to marinate beef or chicken (or any other protein), you can store leftovers in the refrigerator, covered, for up to one week. Sometimes the sauce will thicken and if that happens, let it bring it to room temperature before using it.

TO FREEZE: Place the sauce in a shallow container and store it in the freezer for up to two months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 68kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 5gSodium: 546mgPotassium: 44mgFiber: 0.2gVitamin A: 78IUVitamin C: 0.4mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 0.3mgNET CARBS: 5g

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Korean

Author: Arman Liew

Tried this recipe?Give us a shout at @thebigmansworld or tag #thebigmansworld!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsem*nt, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.

Bulgogi Sauce (Easy Authentic Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in bulgogi sauce for beef? ›

Is bulgogi sauce the same as Korean barbecue sauce? ›

Frequently Asked Questions. Is Korean BBQ sauce the same as this sauce? While Bulgogi sauce is sometimes considered to be a Korean BBQ sauce, their actual BBQ sauce is actually sweeter and doesn't include any spice.

What are the three types of bulgogi? ›

There are three types of bulgogi that are typically served at restaurants today – Gwangyang-style of South Jeolla Province, Eonyang-style of South Gyeongsang Province and last but not least, the Seoul-style.

What is the difference between bulgogi sauce and galbi sauce? ›

You might wonder what the difference is between bulgogi and kalbi sauces since both are essentially barbecue sauces. The big difference is really that the kalbi (or galbi as it's sometimes called) is made specifically for beef short ribs while bulgogi is most popularly made with thinly sliced beef.

Why does bulgogi taste so good? ›

The beef is marinated in a blend of soy sauce, sesame oil, onion, garlic, ginger, sugar, asian pear, and black pepper. It's marinated for several hours which flavors and tenderizes the meat. The flavor of bulgogi is savory, salty and sweet.

What is the difference between teriyaki and bulgogi sauce? ›

Bulgogi is a sweet, salty beef dish that is comparable to teriyaki but much more rich and flavorful. Whereas teriyaki is solely sweetened with sugar, bulgogi relies also on fruit sugar to add an extra depth of flavor.

What are the ingredients in Bibigo bulgogi sauce? ›

Ingredients: Chilli paste (corn syrup, WHEAT flour, water, hot chilli spice, defatted SOY bean powder, salt, WHEAT, rice flour, alcohol, flavour enhancer E621, malt (WHEAT)), sugar, water, high fructose corn syrup, pear concentrate (concentrated pear juice, water, acidity regulator E330), SOY sauce (water, defatted SOY ...

What 3 sauces are served at Korean BBQ? ›

At a typical Korean restaurant, sauce #1 (Ssamjang) is served in a small bowl for sharing, while sauces #2 (Sesame oil, salt, and pepper sauce) and #3 (Wasabi and soy sauce) are provided individually to each person. These sauces are usually refilled for free as needed.

What nationality is bulgogi sauce? ›

Bulgogi came from the Korean word bul-gogi (불고기), consisting of bul ("fire") and gogi ("meat"). The compound word is derived from the Pyongan dialect, as the dish itself is a delicacy of Pyongan Province, North Korea. The dish became popular in Seoul and other parts of South Korea, introduced by refugees from Pyongan.

What is traditionally served with bulgogi? ›

Bulgogi is typically served with steamed rice, lettuce wraps, chili sauce, and other traditional Korean accompaniments. Making bulgogi at home is surprisingly easy.

Why do Koreans eat bulgogi? ›

The dish is believed to have entered South Korea as a result of refugees fleeing Pyongan Providence after the liberation of the Korean Peninsula from the Japanese in 1945. After its introduction into South Korea, bulgogi became popular in Seoul and many other cities.

Can I use apple instead of pear for bulgogi? ›

Traditional bulgogi marinade calls for puréed or grated fruit such as kiwi, apple, or pear. Any type of pear will work with this recipe, but if you can access Korean pears (or another Asian pear variety), use those.

Do you use light or dark soy sauce for bulgogi? ›

Mix with rest of the ingredients and beef. Dark soy sauce is milder in saltiness than light soy sauce. If you only have light soy sauce, use a little less than recipe requires. Leave it to marinate for at least 1 hour, longer if you can.

Why is galbi so expensive? ›

As galbijjim is usually made from only the center part of ribs from a calf while the rib ends used to make soup stock, galbi was more expensive than other cuts of beef in South Korea, and has been regarded as a high-class dish.

What is a good substitute for beef in bulgogi? ›

Other beef substitutes: You may use half a bag (4 oz) soy curls, rehydrated. TVP also works, or sliced mushrooms. Jackfruit is also a good choice. For less sweet, feel free to adjust the sugar.

What does bulgogi contain? ›

Bulgogi generally refers to thinly sliced beef marinated in a sauce that is a mix of soy sauce, sugar or honey, sesame oil, garlic, onion, and often pureed Asian pear. Many Korean home cooks tend to marinate the beef overnight and then grill or stir-fry it with sliced onions, scallions, mushrooms, and other vegetables.

What are the ingredients in CJ bulgogi sauce? ›

Oligosaccharide, Water, Soy Sauce (Wheat, Water, Defatted Soybean, Salt, Seed Malt, Yeast Extract, Flavour Enhancer, Cooking Wine), Brown Sugar, Garlic, Onion Puree, Cooking Wine, Ginger Extract, Pear Concentrate, Leek, Fermented Soybean Concentrate, Solar Salt, Pineapple Concentrate, sh*take Mushroom Extract, Sesame ...

What are the ingredients in Daesang beef bulgogi marinade? ›

Brewed Soy Sauce (Soya, Wheat, Salt, Water, Glucose Syrup, Oyster Extract), Sugar, Fruit Puree (Pear, Apple, Kiwi, Pineapple), High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Garlic, Flavour Enhancer (Monosodium Glutamate, Disodium Guanylate, Disodium Inosinate),Salt, Red Wine, Stabiliser (Xanthan Gum), Black Peper, Citric Acid.

What is Korean red sauce made of? ›

A traditional Korean sauce, it has a bold sweet/spicy/umami flavor with an underlying funk. This delicious, distinctive taste comes from gochujang, a fermented Korean chili paste made from glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, red chili pepper flakes, and salt.

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