Korean Beef Bulgogi with Rice and Cucumber Salad

What I like about this bowl is that nothing feels like filler.

The beef is thinly sliced, quick to cook, and gets that slightly caramelised edge once the marinade hits the hot pan.

The onions soften right into it, which means they end up tasting almost as good as the beef itself.

Then you’ve got plain rice underneath, which is exactly what you want when the sauce starts running down into it.

The cucumber salad is the sharp little reset button on the side. Cool, crunchy, tangy, and perfect between bites of the richer beef.

A few spring onions and sesame seeds over the top, and dinner is pretty much sorted.

Why You’ll Love It

• The beef cooks quickly and stays tender.
• The sauce is sweet, savoury, garlicky, and full of flavour.
• The onions soften into the beef and soak up all that sauce.
• Plain white rice is exactly what this needs.
• The cucumber salad brings freshness and crunch.
• It feels like a proper meal without needing a long ingredient list or a whole afternoon.

Ingredients

For the Bulgogi Beef

• 500g thinly sliced beef steak
  • sirloin, ribeye, rump, or frying steak all work
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 3 spring onions, sliced
  • keep a little back for garnish
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
  • for cooking
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes
  • optional
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

For the Rice

• 250g long grain or jasmine rice
• 500ml water
• Pinch of salt

For the Cucumber Salad

• 1 large cucumber
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced
• Pinch of chilli flakes
  • optional

A Few Notes Before You Start

If you can buy the beef already thinly sliced, perfect.

If not, pop it in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes first.

That firms it up enough to slice it thinly without wrestling with it.

You want narrow strips rather than chunky pieces.

That way the beef cooks fast, caramelizes nicely, and stays tender instead of turning chewy.

The cucumber salad can be made first and left in the fridge while everything else comes together.

That little bit of resting time actually helps.

How to Make the Rice

1. Rinse the rice

• Put the rice in a sieve or bowl.
• Rinse under cold water until the water runs clearer.

2. Cook it

• Add the rice, water, and a pinch of salt to a saucepan.
• Bring to the boil.
• Once boiling, cover with a lid and turn the heat right down.
• Cook for 12 minutes.

3. Let it steam

• Turn off the heat.
• Leave the lid on and let the rice sit for 10 minutes.
• Fluff with a fork before serving.

Plain rice is exactly right here.

No butter, no stock, no extras.

The beef has enough going on.

How to Make the Cucumber Salad

1. Slice the cucumber

• Thinly slice the cucumber into rounds.

If the cucumber is very watery, you can pat it lightly with kitchen paper, but I usually don’t bother unless it’s especially juicy.

2. Mix the dressing

• In a bowl, stir together:
  • rice vinegar
  • sesame oil
  • soy sauce
  • sugar
  • sesame seeds
  • sliced spring onion
  • chilli flakes, if using

3. Toss and chill

• Add the cucumber to the bowl.
• Toss well.
• Pop it in the fridge while you make the beef.

It should taste lightly tangy, a little nutty, and just sharp enough to wake the plate up.

How to Make the Bulgogi Beef

1. Make the marinade

• In a bowl, mix together:
  • soy sauce
  • dark soy sauce
  • brown sugar
  • honey
  • sesame oil
  • garlic
  • ginger
  • black pepper
  • chilli flakes, if using

2. Marinate the beef

• Add the sliced beef to the bowl.
• Toss well so every piece is coated.
• Leave it for at least 15 minutes.

If you have longer, 30 minutes is great.

You don’t need to leave it overnight.

Because the beef is sliced so thinly, it takes on flavour quickly.

3. Cook the onions

• Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat.
• Add the neutral oil.
• Add the sliced onion.
• Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until softened and lightly golden around the edges.

4. Cook the beef

• Add the marinated beef to the pan.
• Spread it out as much as you can.
• Let it cook without moving it too much at first so it can catch a bit of colour.
• Stir-fry for 4 to 6 minutes, until the beef is cooked through and caramelized in spots.

If your pan is small, cook the beef in two batches.

Crowding the pan will steam it, and that’s not what you want here.

You want sticky edges and a little colour.

5. Finish it

• Stir in most of the spring onions.
• Sprinkle in the sesame seeds.
• Give everything one last toss.

The pan should look glossy rather than watery.

If there’s too much liquid, let it bubble for another minute.

It will reduce quickly.

To Serve

• Spoon the rice onto plates or shallow bowls.
• Add a generous pile of the beef and onions alongside.
• Serve the cucumber salad on the side.
• Scatter over the remaining spring onions and a few extra sesame seeds.

That’s it.

Simple plate, big payoff.

Tips for the Best Bulgogi

Slice the beef thinly

That matters more than buying the fanciest cut.

Thin beef cooks quickly and stays tender.

Thicker strips can still taste good, but they won’t give you that proper bulgogi feel.

Don’t flood the pan

If too much beef goes in at once, it releases liquid and boils instead of browning.

A little space in the pan helps the edges caramelize.

Let the onions soften properly

The onions shouldn’t still taste raw and sharp.

They need a bit of time to sweeten and catch some colour.

They’re a big part of why the finished dish tastes full and savoury.

Keep the rice plain

This is one of those meals where plain white rice isn’t boring.

It’s necessary.

The beef is rich and salty-sweet, and the rice calms everything down.

Don’t skip the cucumber salad

It may look like the quiet side dish, but it pulls the whole plate together.

Without it, the meal can feel a little heavy.

With it, every forkful stays interesting.

Easy Swaps

If you want to tweak things a bit, here are a few easy changes:

• Swap cucumber rounds for thin cucumber ribbons.
• Add a little grated pear to the marinade for extra sweetness.
• Use red onion in the salad if you want more bite.
• Add shredded carrot to the cucumber salad.
• Use chicken thigh instead of beef if that’s what you have.
• Add a spoonful of gochujang to the beef if you want heat.

That said, I really like this exactly as it is.

Beef, onions, rice, cucumber salad.

No clutter.

Storage and Reheating

Fridge

• Store the beef in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Store the cucumber salad separately.
• Keep the rice in a separate container too if you can.

Reheating

• Reheat the beef in a frying pan over medium heat for a few minutes until hot.
• You can add a tiny splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.
• Reheat the rice in the microwave with a splash of water and a cover.

The cucumber salad is best served cold, straight from the fridge.

Q&A

What cut of beef is best for bulgogi?

Sirloin is a very safe choice.

Ribeye is lovely too if you want something a bit richer.

Rump works well as long as you slice it thinly.

Can I make this ahead?

Yes.

You can marinate the beef earlier in the day and make the cucumber salad ahead too.

Then dinner comes together fast in the evening.

Is this spicy?

Not really.

As written, it’s more sweet-savoury than hot.

The chilli flakes are optional.

Can I freeze it?

The cooked beef freezes well.

The rice freezes well too.

I would not freeze the cucumber salad.

That’s best made fresh.

Can I use microwave rice?

Yes, if you need dinner on the table quickly.

Freshly cooked rice tastes better, but microwave rice will absolutely do the job on a busy day.

Do I need dark soy sauce?

It helps with colour and depth, but if you don’t have it, use regular soy sauce and a touch less of it so the dish doesn’t get too salty.

Final Thoughts

This is the kind of meal that earns a spot in your regular rotation without asking permission.

It’s quick enough for a weekday, good enough for a proper sit-down dinner, and there’s nothing fussy about it.

You get tender beef, soft onions, fluffy rice, and that cold, crunchy cucumber salad that keeps you going back for another forkful.

And if you’re anything like me, you’ll tell yourself you’re saving some for later, then mysteriously end up scraping the plate clean instead.