Bulgogi Sauce (Easy Authentic Recipe) (2024)

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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

5 from 315 votes

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

Rate This Recipe

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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!

Bulgogi Sauce (Easy Authentic Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

What's bulgogi sauce made of? ›

It typically consists of soy sauce, sugar, mirin (sweet rice wine), sesame oil, garlic, and green onions, along with other ingredients such as ginger, pear juice, or rice wine vinegar. The sauce is used to flavor and tenderize thinly sliced beef that is then grilled, pan-fried, or stir-fried.

How long should bulgogi be marinated for? ›

How Long to do you marinate Bulgogi? If you choose to use flank steak or skirt steak, I suggest marinating the beef longer because these are tougher meats to start with. I would marinate flanks and skirt steak for at least 2 hours but overnight is best.

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.

How to use bulgogi sauce in jar? ›

How To Use It: To use this premade sauce, prepare your meat as desired (usually thinly sliced beef). Add enough bulgogi sauce to coat the meat and marinate at least 30 minutes to 1 hour or up to overnight before cooking on the grill or in a frying pan.

Is bulgogi sauce same as BBQ sauce? ›

It is sweet and savory and adds a vibrant flavor to any dish. Meishi Bulgogi sauce is a Korean style BBQ sauce for BBQs and grilling. Its an Ideal addition to your marinades or stir-fry's and makes a superb dipping sauce for burger and nuggets.

What is the taste of bulgogi sauce? ›

The flavor of bulgogi is savory, salty and sweet. Our recipe has a mildly sweet and salty flavor – more mild than other recipes or what you may have tasted from a Korean bbq restaurant.

What is the best meat for bulgogi? ›

In a perfect world, you'd want to marinate the steak—rib-eye or sirloin steak are the best cuts to use for this bulgogi recipe—a day before cooking. The marinade recipe varies by maker, but commonly features soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, black pepper, and sugar.

What cut of meat is used for bulgogi? ›

Ribeye Steaks: Bulgogi can be made with many cuts of meat, including ribeye, short ribs, sirloin, or tenderloin. Ribeye is ideal as it's well-marbled with fat, making it tender and tasty. Baking Soda: Tenderizes the beef and also helps with browning and caramelization.

What happens when meat is marinated too long? ›

Most recipes for marinating meat and poultry recommend six hours up to 24 hours. It is safe to keep the food in the marinade longer, but after two days it is possible that the marinade can start to break down the fibers of the meat, causing it to become mushy.

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 does bulgogi mean in Korean? ›

Bulgogi (불고기) is the name of a Korean dish, literally translating to “fire meat.” This famous Korean dish has existed for thousands of years, and it is now gaining popularity in Western countries like the United States and Canada.

What is special about bulgogi? ›

Bulgogi, or Korean beef barbecue, is undoubtedly one of the most quintessentially Korean dishes there are: gorgeously thin slices of ribeye, tenderloin, or sirloin marinated in a savory-sweet sauce and quickly cooked over flame.

What can I add to jar sauce to make it better? ›

A generous sprig or two of fresh herbs like basil, parsley, rosemary, or sage can all amp up the flavor of a jarred pasta sauce. Alternatively, some of those herbs, like parsley, sage, and rosemary, can be great minced up and gently fried into fresh olive oil before adding the sauce to the pot.

Can you eat jar sauce without cooking it? ›

According to question, You don't necessarily have to cook pasta sauce before eating it, especially if it's a pre-made or store-bought sauce that's labeled as ready to use. However, cooking the sauce can enhance its flavor and consistency.

How do you make jar sauce taste better? ›

Tossing in strips of basil, a sprig of thyme or some oregano can take your sauce to the next level. Although fresh herbs might pop a bit more, dried herbs and spices can work just as well. Sprinkling in some red pepper flakes, a pinch of parsley and a dash of salt and pepper can liven up your jarred pasta sauce.

Is bulgogi sauce the same as teriyaki? ›

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.

Is bulgogi sauce spicy? ›

What does it taste like? Savory soy umami, somewhat sweet and spicy*, nutty, garlicky with a touch of tartness. *The heat level is medium spicy. Adventurous eaters may not find it hot enough in which case, you can try dipping it in our gochujang sauce.

Is bulgogi sauce spicy hot? ›

The word bulgogi is derived from two Korean words; bul which means fire and gogi is the Korean term for meat. So a direct translation to bulgogi is fire meat. While this sauce can be made spicy and hot, the fire refers to the cooking method, as it's usually cooked over an open flame, or on a Korean Barbecue.

Is Korean bulgogi sauce spicy? ›

Bulgogi is a very well-known and old Korean dish of thinly sliced marinated meat quickly cooked over heat. Bulgogi made with beef is not normally spicy, the marinade is usually a bit sweet.

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