Keto Beef Bulgogi
This Keto Beef Bulgogi recipe has all of the sweet, salt and umami flavor you love but without the blood sugar spike and crash. Traditionally, Korean beef bulgogi means "fire meat," referring to "the tradition of grilling marinated beef over charcoal". This Keto Beef Bulgogi recipe is designed for stovetop cooking in a skillet, requiring little preparation and offering endless adaptability. The sweet and salty marinade made blood sugar friendly, pairs well with beef, chicken, or pork. For a vegetarian option, consider using this bulgogi marinade with eggplant or tofu. Overall, it's a fantastic weeknight meal to add to your repertoire. Beef Bulgogi is a delicious Korean dish that is typically made with thinly sliced beef marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and other seasonings. It's then stir-fried or grilled to perfection, resulting in tender, flavorful meat that's perfect for serving over rice or alongside vegetables. The key to making a keto-friendly bulgogi, is to swap out the traditional sugar for a low-carb sweetener and serving the beef with konjac noodles instead of the traditional rice. These simple substitutions allow you to enjoy all the bold flavors of classic bulgogi without worrying about your carb intake. With over 30 grams of protein per serving and just 5 net carbs (including the spinach and noodles), this is a winner of a dinner!For this Keto Beef Bulgogi, the choice of beef cut is crucial. Trimmed hanger steak or boneless short ribs are preferred, but other tender cuts like skirt steak, top sirloin, and rib eye are also good choices. Putting the meat in the freezer for 20-60 minutes before slicing will keep it firm and easier to slice thin. Thinly slicing the meat is essential for quick absorption of the marinade. In a cast iron skillet, stir fry the marinated beef in batches over medium to high heat to achieve the desired crispy, brown pieces. Bulgogi marinade typically includes pureed or grated fruit like pear, kiwi or apple. We have a giant asian pear tree in our backyard so that is what I like to use but bosc or d'anjou will work just as well. Serve this Keto Beef Bulgogi with kimchi, spinach, and konjac noodles or serve in lettuce cups with shredded and fermented carrot and gojuchang.
Ingredients
Bulgogi Sauce
- 5 ½ tbsp tamari
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tbsp monkfruit brown sugar
- 4 ½ tsp sesame oil
- ¼ cup ripe pear, grated
- 1 ½ tsp gojuchang sauce
Beef Bulgogi
- ¾ pound skirt steak or cut of your choice
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup bulgogi sauce (that you just made!)
- ½ tsp avocado oil
- 1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
- ⅛ tsp sea salt
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For Serving
- 8 cup fresh spinach
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 packages konjac noodles
- lettuce leaves, optional
- grated or fermented carrot, optional
- kimchi, optional
- gojuchang optional
Instructions
- Wrap the beef in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for 20 minutes to an hour. Once firm, use a sharp knife to slice it into 1/4-inch strips. Sprinkle with baking soda and coat evenly, allowing the beef to sit for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. This will tenderize or “velvet” your meat just like they do in Chinese restaurants!
- While the sliced beef is resting, make your bulgogi sauce. In a jar, add tamari, rd pepper flakes, grated ginger, monk fruit, sesame oil, grated pear, and gojuchang. Mix well and set aside. Save any unused sauce in a small jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
- Rinse the sliced meat and pat dry. In a mixing bowl, add the sliced beef, along with the bulgogi sauce, oil, and onions, then season with salt and pepper. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes, or up to two hours so it can soak up the marinade. Once ready to cook, add avocado oil to your skillet and place it over high heat. Once hot, add the beef and cook for 1-2 minutes, until seared on all sides. Transfer to a plate and cover for 3 minutes.
- While the beef is resting, saute your spinach and garlic in the same pan.
- Remove the spinach and warm your drained konjac noodles in the same pan.
- Serve immediately over a bed of konjac noodles and enjoy!
- Bulgogi beef can also be served in lettuce cups along with a garnish of fermented carrots and kimchi.
Notes
If you like this dish, try my Miso Glazed Salmon, or my Gojuchang Chicken and Vegetables.
Nutrition
Calories: 297kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 31gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 1500mgPotassium: 935mgFiber: 6gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 7694IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 116mgIron: 5mg
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