OMG. This might just be my new desert island food.
This Bulgogi Fried Rice with Beef & Kimchi is just… it’s so… it’s… it’s… it’s SO DARN GOOD. Leftover rice fried up with many yummy flavours and topped with juicy grilled steak that’s spent a good amount of time soaking in the most amazing sweet & salty marinade. It’s the only thing I want to eat from now until possibly forever… or at least next week.
Self-Indulgent foodie Chatter…
I know I always say that “bread & cheese” is my favourite food, but I think sweet & salty is my favourite flavour. I don’t know what the rules are and if we’re even allowed to have both but until I’m told differently, this is my position.
A good piece of beef marinated in a sugary marinade develops the most delicious, crispy charred bits when it’s cooked and I just absolutely adore that. Perhaps it’s reminiscent of my childhood when my Dad would sometimes cook dinner and to him “cooked” always meant “charred beyond all recognition” – also when I learned that ketchup solved many such problems. I also learned that random testing of the smoke alarms in our house was unnecessary because all we had to do was wait for my Dad to cook toast. The point is, a little char is good. Normal food turned to charcoal? Not as good.
bulgogi fried rice with beef & kimchi, the details…
There are a couple of make ahead elements to this recipe, but they are quick & easy and require little more than turning on the rice cooker and mixing up a few marinade ingredients. And you can do them day before.
First, you’ll marinate the beef. I used a rib-eye this time, but sirloin is also good, or flank, or even filet if you’re feeling fancy. the marinade is made of soy sauce, brown sugar, gochujang, mirin and sesame oil. Mix it up, add the steak, let it sit. For an hour or for the night.
Next, cook the rice. You can do this the day before or the morning of. Or, if you’re me, you can cook it later in the afternoon, spread it on a baking sheet and throw it in the fridge for a bit. Ok, ok, the freezer… sometimes I forget to plan alright?
Ready to eat? cook the steak. Grill it however you normally would. On the BBQ, in a grill pan, in cast iron, whatever works. Just be sure not to burn it because the marinade is sweet. I like it cooked medium-rare.
While the steak rests start to fry the rice. Heat up some oil with some onion & garlic, add in the magical Korean ingredients Gochujang & Kimchi, then add in the rice and season with soy sauce and sesame oil.
And finally… Eat! Dish up the rice, slice up the steak and pile it on top or chop it and mix it in. Sprinkle over some toasted sesame seeds & sliced green onions and serve with extra kimchi.
Recipe ingredients, tips, substitutions:
Beef – I used a nice, big, grass-fed rib-eye steak for this recipe, but I’ve also made it with sirloin and it’s just as delicious. Flank steak is also good, but many other cuts will work too, especially with a longer marinating time to tenderize them.
Rice – I’m a big fan of short grain rice, either brown or white, but any leftover cooked rice works.
Kimchi – I absolutely love the salty, funky flavour of kimchi and what it adds to this dish, but you can leave it out if it’s just not your thing. Maybe use a little chopped cabbage instead for crunch. Not sure about Kimchi? Read this.
Soy Sauce – regular soy sauce is what I use, but feel free to use light if you prefer.
Brown Sugar – I like to use dark brown sugar because of its rich flavour, but light brown works too.
Looking for more easy, flavour packed dinner recipes? Try these…
Recipe-ish…
Bulgogi Fried Rice [Beef & Kimchi]
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs steak sirloin, flank, rib-eye
For the Marinade:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp mirin
- 1 Tbsp gochujang
- 2 tsp sesame oil
For the Rice:
- 3 Tbsp oil
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tbsp Gochujang
- 1/2 cup Kimchi chopped
- 4 cups Cooked rice cooled
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
For serving:
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- Kimchi
Instructions
- Mix all the marinade ingredients together and add in the steak. Marinate at least one hour and up to overnight.
- Cook the steak on a grill and cook to medium-rare.
- To make the rice add the oil to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the garlic and cook for one minute.
- Stir in the Gochujang and the Kimchi, stir until heated through.
- Add in the rice, soy sauce and sesame oil.
- Cook, stirring often, until well combined and heated through.
- Thinly slice the steak and add into the rice. Optionally, you can chop the steak into smaller pieces to mix into the rice.
- Top with sesame seeds and green onions and serve with extra kimchi.
Let me know what you think below and if you like this Beef Bulgogi Rice with Kimchi Recipe you must try my Dragon Chicken Recipe or my Ginger Beef Recipe. Both are super tasty.
