Bulgogi sauce is a versatile and flavorful sauce and marinade that’s an essential ingredient in Korean cuisine. And thanks to our easy recipe you can start recreating dishes from your favorite Korean restaurant.
Known for its sweet, smoky, and slightly tangy taste, this delightful sauce is often referred to as an Asian or Korean BBQ sauce, but its so much more!
I love to use it as a basting sauce for grilled and roasted meats. Brush the sauce on during the last few minutes of cooking to create a sweet and caramelized glaze.
It also makes a delicious dipping sauce for tempura meats and veggies,
The savory umani flavor adds a depth of flavor to dishes like our Korean Beef Bulgogi and makes the perfect stir fry sauce for many of your favorite Korean dishes.
Making your own Bulgogi sauce at home couldn’t be easier, allowing you to enjoy the authentic flavors of Korean cuisine anytime
Ingredients to Make Bulgogi Sauce
Gather the ingredients needed to make our Korean Bulgogi Sauce recipe. In culinary terms, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into “Everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also helps ensure you have all of the ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
What is gochujang paste?
Gochujang is a fermented red chili paste. It’s made from Korean red chili flakes, glutinous rice, fermented soybean powder, barley malt powder, and salt.
If your local grocery store doesn’t stock gochujang paste, look for an Asian grocery store or Korean market, you’ll find what you’re looking for there. You can also find it online at Amazon and Walmart.
Although we prefer using Mirin to make the recipe you can substitute rice wine vinegar. Mirin adds a subtle sweetness to the umami flavors while the more acidic rice wine vinegar adds a tangy, sour flavor.
How to Make Bulgogi Sauce
- Add the soy sauce and brown sugar to a small bowl.
- Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Add the sesame oil, mirin, grated pear, minced garlic, grated fresh ginger, and black pepper to the bowl.
- Mix well to combine all the ingredients.
- Add the gochujang paste and sesame seeds to the mixture.
- Whisk together until thoroughly combined.
Transfer the sauce to a jar or an airtight container and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. For best results let the sauce sit overnight. This allows the ingredients time to marry, giving the different flavor and aroma compounds time to mingle and develop more seasoned notes.
Whether you use our Bulgogi sauce to baste your grilled or roasted meats, as a marinade, or a stir-fry sauce, I know after one taste, it’s going to be love at first bite!
Store the sauce refrigerated in a glass jar or airtight container for up to one week. Stir it well before using, as the ingredients will settle to the bottom. The sauce can be stored in a freezer-safe container for up to two months.
Recipe FAQ’s
Although Korean pears are the first choice to make this classic dish, you can use any variety of pear or apple to make the recipe.
Translated from Korean, bulgogi (불고기) means “fire meat.” TIt got it’s name thanks to the cooking process, where sliced marinated beef is cooked over an open flame.
Although it’s often referred to as a barbecue sauce, its more of a marinade or base for stir-fry. It does have many of the same ingredients, but Korean BBQ sauce is sweeter, spicier and tangier that bulgogi sauce.
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Bulgogi Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup soy sauce regular or low sodium
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- ¼ cup mirin
- ¼ cup Asian pear grated – or regular pear or apple
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger grated
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoon gochujang Korean red chili paste
Instructions
- Add the soy sauce and brown sugar to a small bowl. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved
- Add the sesame oil, mirin, grated pear, minced garlic, grated ginger, sesame seeds, and black pepper to the bowl Mix well to combine all the ingredients
- Add the gochujang paste and whisk together until it is thoroughly combined.
- Transfer the sauce to a jar or an airtight container and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. For best results let the sauce sit overnight to give the ingredients time to combine and the flavors to build.
- The Bulgogi sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week in an airtight container. Make sure to give it a good stir before using, as some ingredients may settle over time.
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