Korean Beef Bulgogi with Sweet-Savory Pear Marinade
By Emma Collins
Serve this Korean beef bulgogi for a quick dinner with rice or lettuce wraps. Thinly sliced ribeye cooks into tender, caramelized beef after soaking in a sweet-savory marinade of soy sauce, Asian pear, ginger, garlic, brown sugar, honey, mirin, and sesame oil.
The pear, onion, garlic, and ginger are blended smooth with soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, brown sugar, honey, mirin, and black pepper, creating a marinade that clings to the beef. Thinly sliced ribeye and onion are tossed with it, then marinated for at least two hours. The recipe also calls for toasted sesame seeds and green onion to finish the cooked beef.
Use a hot skillet and cook the beef in portions so the slices have room to sear rather than steam. The meat should caramelize around the edges and lose its pink color quickly, usually after three to four minutes. Crowding the pan is the main trouble spot because it prevents browning, while overcooking can leave the thin ribeye dry or burnt.
Bring the beef straight to the table with rice, or set out lettuce and perilla leaves for wraps with kimchi and ssamjang. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container or frozen, then warmed on the stove or in a covered microwave dish. Add the green onion and sesame seeds just before serving for their freshest texture.
Why you'll love this recipe
- It feeds a small family well with rice or lettuce wraps, while the savory-sweet beef lets everyone build a plate their own way.
- Busy weeknights work here because the active cooking takes about 15 minutes once the ribeye has finished its longer marinade.
- Picky eaters can start with plain rice and beef, then add kimchi, lettuce, sesame seeds, or green onion as they like.
- The blended pear, onion, ginger, and garlic marinade coats every thin slice, giving the beef balanced sweetness, saltiness, and aromatic depth.
- Cooking in batches rewards the effort with browned, caramelized edges instead of steamed meat, making a skillet dinner feel like Korean barbecue.
- Leftover bulgogi stays useful for later rice bowls or wraps because it can be refrigerated or frozen and warmed before serving.
Ingredients
- •1.5 lb boneless ribeye (very thinly sliced)
- •1 small yellow onion (5 oz, thinly sliced)
- •0.5 cup soy sauce
- •1 tbsp sesame oil
- •2 tbsp light brown sugar (packed)
- •1 tbsp honey
- •2 tbsp mirin
- •0.25 tsp black pepper
- •1 small Asian pear (6 oz, peeled, cored, and chopped)
- •0.5 small yellow onion (quartered)
- •5 cloves garlic (roughly chopped, about 2 tbsp)
- •1.5 tsp ginger (peeled and roughly chopped)
- •1 tbsp cooking oil
- •1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (for garnish)
- •2 stalks green onion (chopped, for garnish)
- •rice (for serving)
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, combine the thinly sliced beef and sliced yellow onion.
- 2
Add the soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, honey, mirin, black pepper, Asian pear, quartered yellow onion, garlic, and ginger to a food processor or blender.
- 3
Process the marinade until smooth.
- 4
Pour the marinade over the beef and toss to coat evenly.
- 5
Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
- 6
Heat the cooking oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
- 7
Add the beef in portions and cook for 3-4 minutes, until cooked on both sides, without overcrowding the pan.
- 8
Transfer the cooked beef to a serving plate and continue with the remaining beef.
- 9
Top with green onion and toasted sesame seeds, then serve with rice.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
682
Protein
52g
Fat
38g
Carbs
36g
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