This Bulgogi Fried Rice comes together in just 30 minutes. Day-old rice is pan-fried with tender bulgogi beef, fresh ginger, garlic, spicy kimchi and topped with a perfectly fried egg.
This recipe is great for busy weeknights when you’re looking for something quick and easy, yet loaded with delicious flavor.
Bulgogi Fried Rice takes the fried rice game to a whole new level. This fried rice is sweet, savory with a touch of spice and a whole lot of flavor. It's the perfect dish to use up leftover rice and adding plenty of vegetables for a well balanced meal.
It's great on its own as a main course or as a side dish. Your family will absolutely request it over and over again, I promise!
Looking for more Asian-inspired recipes, makes sure to try my Spicy Salmon Sushi Bake and Easy Garlic Chili Oil Noodles.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Perfect way to use leftovers- This fried rice is the best way to turns leftovers into a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
- Customizable- Grab whatever veggies you have inside your refrigerator and customize this fried rice with your favorite add-ins.
- Quick and easy- This fried rice is ready is just 30 minutes. It's the perfect meal when you're crunched for time.
What Is Bulgogi Beef
Beef Bulgogi is thinly sliced meat that is mildly sweet, savory, and marinated in soy, sesame, garlic and ginger. It is incredibly flavorful and melt-in-your-mouth tender. Typically grilled and served with rice, kimchi, a fried egg or for a healthy version, rolled up in lettuce cups.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes on the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Rice- I use long-grain Jasmine rice. Leftover rice from the day before works best.
- Oil- Use a neutral oil like vegetable or canola.
- Bulgogi beef- In this recipe, I use pre-marinated bulgogi beef. I am a big fan of Trader Joe's Bool Kogi but feel free to marinate your own beef.
- Vegetables- I used frozen peas and carrots. You can also use red bell peppers or Chinese broccoli.
- Aromatics- Use fresh ginger, garlic and green onions.
- Gochujang- A spicy paste used in Korean cooking, made from red chili pepper, fermented soybeans, rice, and salt. You can find this in asian markets or Amazon.
- Kimchi- I use the kimchi and the kimchi juice.
- Eggs- I fry an egg and place it on top of each bowl of rice. You can also scramble the eggs and add it directly into the rice mixture.
- Sesame oil- This oil has a nutty, earthy taste and is used more as a flavoring rather than for cooking.
- Soy sauce- I use low-sodium soy sauce.
Step By Step Instructions
STEP 1: Cook the bulgogi beef. You can grill or pan-fry the marinated meat. Best is over an open flame on a grill or cast iron grill pan. Stir-frying will also work. Cook the meat in a single layer until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.
Then, transfer the meat to the plate and let rest before cutting into thin slices.
STEP 2: Cook aromatics. In a large wok or non-stick skillet, heat the oil until hot. Then, add the ginger, garlic and gochujang. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
STEP 3: Add the rice. Next, add the rice and mix everything together to combine. Using your spatula, scoop and toss the rice for 1-2 minutes, breaking up any clumps if necessary.
STEP 4: Add the vegetables and seasonings. Add the carrots, peas and kimchi. In a small bowl, stir together the sesame oil, soy sauce and kimchi juice. Add to the rice mixture. Stir-fry for 1 minute.
STEP 5: Stir in the meat. Last but not least, add in the bulgogi beef, along with any juices left on the cutting board. Then, add sliced green onions. Season to taste with salt.
STEP 6: Garnish the rice. Top each bowl of rice with a fried egg. Garnish with sesame seeds, green onions and nori strips. Serve and enjoy!
Expert Tips
Use day-old rice. Using cold, day-old rice is the secret to perfect fried rice. Freshly cooked rice is often too moist and can lead to mushy fried rice. I also recommend using a long-grain rice such as Jasmine rice.
Turn up the heat. Fried rice needs to cook at a high heat so the rice gets crisp and caramelized. Be sure to frequently stir the rice so the bottom of the pan does not burn.
Avoid crowding. Make sure to use a large wok or stir-fry pan so the rice has enough room to crisp up. If you add too much rice, this will cause the rice to steam rather than fry.
FAQ
Use a high point smoke oil that is neutral in flavor like vegetable oil or canola oil. Always add the sesame seed oil towards the end to flavor the rice.
Kimchi is a combination of sweet, salty, and spicy. Kimchi is fermented cabbage with the addition of gochugaru, which gives it its spicy flavor.
If your final dish is soggy, your rice was probably too moist. It’s best to use day-old rice when making fried rice. Day-old rice absorbs more of the flavors and seasonings and prevents your dish from becoming soggy and mushy.
Storing and Reheating
Store the cooled bulgogi fried rice inside an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Reheating
Reheat this easy fried rice on the stove top with a little bit of oil or in the microwave. For best results, do not reheat the fried rice more than once.
More Recipes To Try
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📖 Recipe
Bulgogi Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 lb Bulgogi beef cooked and sliced into strips
- 1 tablespoon Canola oil
- 3 cloves Garlic finely minced
- 1 tablespoon Ginger peeled, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon Gochujang
- 3 cups Jasmine rice cooked and cooled
- 1 cup Kimchi roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon Kimchi juice
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon Sesame oil
- 2 Green onions sliced thin
- 1 cup Frozen peas and carrots
- Fried eggs (optional)
- Sesame seed for garnish
- Nori cut into strips
Instructions
- Cook the bulgogi beef. You can grill or pan-fry the marinated meat. Best is over an open flame on a grill or cast iron grill pan. Stir-frying will also work. Cook the meat in a single layer until cooked through, about 4-5 minutes. Then, transfer the meat to the plate and let rest before cutting into thin slices.
- Cook aromatics. In a large wok or non-stick skillet, heat the oil until hot. Then, add the ginger, garlic and gochujang. Stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the rice. Next, add the rice and mix everything together to combine. Using your spatula, scoop and toss the rice for 1-2 minutes, breaking up any clumps if necessary.
- Add the vegetables and seasonings. Add the carrots, peas and kimchi. In a small bowl, stir together the sesame oil, soy sauce and kimchi juice. Add to the rice mixture. Then, stir-fry for 1 minute.
- Stir in the meat. Last but not least, add in the bulgogi beef, along with any juices left on the cutting board. Then, add sliced green onions. Season to taste with salt.
- Garnish the rice. Top each bowl of rice with a fried egg. Garnish with sesame seeds, green onions and nori strips. Serve and enjoy!
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