Spicy, sweet, and savory Vegan Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef) made with soy curls. This meatless version of a traditional Korean beef dish is so easy to make and just as tasty as the real thing. Oil-free and easily made gluten-free.
I LOVE Korean food! And, before going vegan I ate more than my share of it.
One of my all-time favorite dishes was bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef). So, eventually, I knew I would have to find some way to make a healthy plant-based version of it. And, I think I’ve succeeded.
I wouldn’t say this recipe is authentic but I think it meets all the criteria I was missing: spicy, savory, sweet, and just plain good. And, the soy curls are the perfect replacement for the meat. Almost too perfect.
All you need are 10 wholesome and simple ingredients and about 15 minutes of your time to make one of the best meals of your life. And, I’d be willing to bet no one would ever guess it’s vegan.
This recipe is an easy and excellent mid-week meal. Serve it with some Instant Pot brown rice and a side oil-free roasted asparagus.
Table of Contents
What Is Bulgogi?
Bulgogi literally means, fire meat. Bulgogi or Korean BBQ Beef is often made of thin marinated strips of sirloin or ribeye and cooked on a barbecue or stove-top griddle.
It is usually served over or with a side of rice and accompanied by various side dishes like egg soup and Kimchi.
Sometimes it is served with a side of lettuce which is used to wrap a slice of the cooked meat, with a dab of ssamjang, rice, and other veggies like radishes, carrots, and cucumber.
It’s very easy to make this delicacy plant-based by replacing the meat with a number of vegan options. Soy curls, extra firm tofu, or even portobello mushrooms are excellent options. You could also make a ground beef replacement using TVP which works very well.
Regardless of your meat replacement choice, the most important part of this recipe is the bulgogi sauce. The combination of savory, sweet, and hot flavors is what brings this recipe to life.
🥘 Ingredients For Vegan Bulgogi
This recipe is so easy to make and requires just 10 simple ingredients. And, it’s completely oil-free.
- Soy Curls: I think this is one of THE best meat replacements I have ever found. It’s whole soy beans, loaded with protein, and has the best texture.
- Onion: when sautéed with this recipe it adds a depth of flavor and adds a sweet smoky element as well.
- Soy Sauce: the salty and savory element of this recipe. Be sure and use low-sodium soy sauce if possible.
- Sweetener: most recipes use sugar or brown sugar. But, pure maple syrup is a great replacement and keeps it natural.
- Rice Vinegar: less acidic than some other vinegars and adds a mellow, sweet flavor to marinades. I would not recommend using apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.
- Ginger: for adding brightness and depth of flavor. I used ground ginger but you could use fresh ginger if your prefer.
- Garlic: minced garlic is very important flavoring element especially in recipes that use marinades.
- Spice: red pepper flakes black pepper are used for “heat” in this recipe.
- Cornstarch: blend this with the marinade and it will act as the thickening agent as the liquid heats up.
- Kitchen Bouquet Browning & Seasoning Sauce: This is how I got the rich brown color on the soy curls. Kitchen Bouquet is a combination of mixed vegetable stock, spices and herbs and has a savory flavor. It’s also very low in sodium. This is completely optional but I love the coloring.
How To Make Vegan Bulgogi
- Place the soy curls in warm water and let them soak for 5-7 minutes. Set aside and preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. While the soy curls soak and the pan heats up whisk all of the marinade ingredients together and set aside. If you prefer a smooth consistency in the marinade simply add the marinade ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend.
- Once the soy curls are done soaking, drain, and set aside. You could also lightly squeeze them to remove extra moisture if you wish.
- Sauté the onions until they are soft and lightly caramelized. Use 1-2 tablespoons of water or low-sodium vegetable broth to prevent sticking if needed. Add the soy curls to the skillet, lightly toss with the onions, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Pour the marinade over the soy curls, stir until everything is evenly coated, and the sauce begins to thicken. Lower the heat, add the Kitchen Bouquet, and cook for 2-3 more minutes stirring occasionally.
- Serve over cooked rice and garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
That’s all there is to it!
Serving Suggestions
The most common way to enjoy vegan bulgogi is over rice and topped with scallions or chopped green onions then garnished with sesame seeds.
Add a savory vegetable to the side like Kimchi and it is absolutely amazing!
Here are a few other options you should try…
- Lettuce Wraps: wrap in romaine or butter lettuce with rice and carrots.
- Vegan Bulgogi Tacos: place the vegan Korean bbq beef in your favorite wrap and top with cucumber and pickeled radishes for an amazing meal.
- Bulgogi Bowl: Rice ain’t yo’ thang? No sweat. Enjoy this vegetarian Korean beef in a bowl with some steamed broccoli. Perfect!
There’s no limit to what you can do with this recipe so get creative and “WOW” everyone with your mad skills.
Additions and Substitutions
- Meat Replacements: soy curls, extra-firm tofu, mushrooms, jackfruit, or TVP
- Spice: I like using red pepper flakes. But, some other options for more flavor and heat would gochujang or chili garlic sauce.
- Sweetener: Brown sugar, organic cane sugar, or even a blended pear are great alternatives.
- Make It Gluten-Free: Replace the soy sauce with low-sodium tamari to make it completely gluten-free.
Leftovers and Storage
You can store leftovers in a sealed or airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
How do I know? We’ve had this recipe for five days straight. Yes, it’s that good!
More Easy Vegan Soy Curl Recipes
I hope you enjoy this vegan Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef). Please leave a comment below with a star rating. And, be sure and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #shaneandsimple. I want to see your work. Enjoy!
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Vegan Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef)
Spicy, sweet, and savory Vegan Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef) made with soy curls. This meatless version of a traditional Korean beef dish is so easy to make and just as tasty as the real thing.
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 2 cups of soy curls
- ½ medium onion, thinly sliced
Marinade
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce (use tamari to make gluten-free)
- 3 tablespoons of maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
- 2 teaspoons Kitchen Bouquet Browning & Seasoning Sauce
Instructions
- Place the soy curls in warm water and let them soak for 5-7 minutes. Set aside and preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. While the soy curls soak and the pan heats up whisk all of the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Once the soy curls are done soaking, drain, and set aside. You could also lightly squeeze them to remove extra moisture if you wish.
- Sauté the onions until they are soft and lightly caramelized. Use 1-2 tablespoons of water or low-sodium vegetable broth to prevent sticking if needed. Add the soy curls to the skillet, lightly toss with the onions, and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Pour the marinade over the soy curls, stir until everything is evenly coated, and the sauce begins to thicken.
- Lower the heat, add the Kitchen Bouquet if using, stir and coat evenly, and cook for 2-3 more minutes stirring occasionally.
- Serve over cooked rice and garnish with chopped green onions and sesame seeds.
Equipment
Kitchen Bouquet & Browning Sauce
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Notes
Meat Replacements: soy curls, extra-firm tofu, mushrooms, jackfruit, or TVP
Spice: I like using red pepper flakes. But, some other options for more flavor and heat would gochujang or chili garlic sauce.
Sweeteners: Brown sugar, organic cane sugar, or even a blended pear are great alternatives.
You can make this recipe gluten-free by swapping out the sauce and using low-sodium tamari.
- Prep Time: 10 mins.
- Cook Time: 15 mins.
- Category: Vegan Main Dishes
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Korean
- Diet: Vegan
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup
- Calories: 151
- Sugar: 14.5 g
- Sodium: 494.7 mg
- Fat: 3.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 2.9 g
- Protein: 8.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: bulgogi, Korean bbq beef, vegan bulgogi, vegetarian Korean beef, fire meat, Asian inspired
OMG…..so good! Served it to my carnivore eating kids and they said they would pay for that!!!
Wow, that a great compliment! Thank you so much.
Absolutely delicious 😋
Thank so much for all you do! I share these dishes with my carnivore friends and they eat it all!!😃
★★★★★
Wow, that’s awesome! Thank you so much.
Shane, this is a winner!
I had to order soy curls from Amazon just for recipe. It came together quickly. I doubled the sauce and it was perfect. I cooked some veggies (mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, and edamame). It’s a keeper. Thank you!
★★★★★
AWESOME!!! It’s one of our faves as well.
OMG…….YUM!!!! This is delicious and so easy. I will make this over & over. I might need to order the 12 pound box of soy curls!
Thanks Shane, another winner!
★★★★★
This has become a favorite of my almost plant based husband (he struggles to stay away from meat). He said if I hadn’t told him it wasn’t meat he wouldn’t have known. The flavor is out of this world!!! I looked everywhere for soy curls here in Austin and couldn’t find them anywhere, finally ordered them from Amazon. Glad I got the multi pack because I’ve made it once a week since you shared it. Thank you again!
★★★★★
Very easy to make, delicious. I’ll make it again Didn’t miss meat at all
★★★★★
Never cooked with soy curls, chose this recipe. If you didn’t know, you’d think it was chicken. Very easy and phenomenal. I’ll definitely make this again
★★★★★
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
That must have been hydrating instead of dehydrating ofcourse!
UGH! Yes, thank you!
Thank you Shane, for this incredible tasty and simple recipe!!! I soaked the soy curls in vegan bouillon with some tamari for one hour. Didn’t use the Kitchen Bouquet for the don’t sell this overhere. And I used the broth from dehydrating the soy curls to dilute the incredible sauce. Delicious!!!!
★★★★★
Not my usual cuisine but wanting something different I made it. Didn’t have red pepper flakes so I used chili powder. Winner!! Thank you, Shane.
★★★★
I just mixed up my sauce ingredients and then read later in the recipe that the Kitchen Bouquet is added after the sauce. Hope it will be ok. I’m so excited to try it!
It will be fine. The kitchen bouquet is really just for color.
hmmmm I want to try this one. what if you subbed a brown soup concentrate – just a bit for the kitchen bouquet? like the better than bouillon brand dark broth concentrate? I might try that and see. taste it before and after….
There’s really no need to sub. All the kitchen bouquet really does in darken the soy curls. Doesn’t really do anything in the sense of flavor.
My husband served in the U.S. Armed Forces in South Korea and fell in love with the native-made Bulgogi there. He was disappointed that he never found a good replacement in the states. Well, I made this soy curls Bulgogi recipe for dinner and he was blown away. He said it tasted just like the Bulgogi he ate in S. Korea. We both love the rich flavor and texture of the soy curls! Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe!
★★★★★
I had been using a lentil Bulgogi recipe and this beat it by far! I changed out the powdered ginger for fresh and it is fantastic. Thank you!
★★★★★
Wow! My skeptical husband just gave it a 2 thumbs up and said he wouldn’t mind having it again! High praise!
The soy curls themselves don’t have a whole lot of taste, until you add the very fabulous sauce. The texture is a little chewy, more like meat, less like tofu. Thank you!
★★★★★
Oh wow, this is amazing! I have made three of your recipes thus far, Shane, and all have been just fantastic. I love how you are able to cook without oil, and low levels of salt and sugar, and find the way to make things taste so good. I’m definitely going to be exploring more recipes on your website!
★★★★★
Thank you so much.
Any suggestions on what to use instead of the Banquet browning sauce?
Hi, Mark! It doesn’t affect the flavor and it is purely for color. So, from that standpoint, you could just leave it out. As far as a replacement, I’m really not sure what would a replacement be for browning sauce. Hope this helps.
This is the first time using any of your recipes, I had a bag of soy curls in my pantry for a few months not really knowing how to fix them, so I decided to make this recipe and I’m so glad I did! Wow what a winner! I’m definitely going to make more of your recipes and will put this recipe on our rotation.
★★★★★
That’s so great and I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. It’s one of our faves as well!
Shane, every recipe of yours I’ve tried has been a winner! This one did not disappoint. It was my first time making or eating soy curls, and they were great! Everyone in our family loved this dish, which is pretty much unheard of:-) I’ve made it as-is and also made it with 1 1/2 x marinade and added broccoli and shiitake mushroom. I use a little less maple syrup than is called for but that’s just personal preference. Thanks for another tasty and healthy recipe!
★★★★★
My pleausre, thank you, and Happy Thanksgiving:)
Made this last night – simple and delicious! Thanks, Shane.
★★★★★
I’ve made this before and while making it tonight again, I realized (too late) that the kitchen bouquet is not part of the original sauce and should be added later. Hopefully it won’t matter, but maybe it should be clarified in the recipe.
★★★★★
I just served this to a group of vegetarians and meat eaters. Everyone >> and I mean 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 << loved it! This was my first time making "beef" soy curls, and it won't be the last. Yummy. 😋
★★★★★
Jane, that is so great!!! Thank you for sharing.
Delicious! My kids loved the “chicken”. This will be a staple at our house. I subbed Worcestershire sauce for the browning and seasoning sauce. Thank you for sharing, Shane!
★★★★★
This recipe was fantastic. The whole family loved it.
★★★★★
Question: is it 2 cups uncooked or 2 cups cooked Soy Curls?
Uncooked.
I finally ordered soy curls because I wanted to make vegan jerky. Before I got around to that, I needed a quick dinner and had all the ingredients for this recipe, plus I added some rehydrated shiitake mushrooms. I wasn’t sure what my omnivore spouse who is not often a fan of my vegan recipe remakes would think, but there were no questions about what protein was used and seconds were eaten. A true win! Thanks for the great recipe.
★★★★★
This is delicious! The only change I made was I subbed mushroom powder for the kitchen bouquet seasoning! Great recipe! Thanks Shane!
Can the marinade for the vegan Korean BBQ be doubled w/ this recipe?
Sure.
I have made this recipe as written (with the exception of the Kitchen Bouquet as I don’t have any) a couple times and both my omnivore partner and I really enjoy it. We just returned from a week long camping and cycling trip with all omnivores. We were each responsible for one supper. I made a double batch of this, froze it, and had it in our little RV freezer until it was my day to cook. I served it over brown rice alongside a Thai style salad. Everyone raved over the Bulgogi and the omnivores could not believe it wasn’t meat. Everyone had seconds!
I have only made a few of your recipes so far, and will be trying out more, but in the meantime, this is my favourite vegan meal.
PS: the Bulgogi froze very well and the texture after thawing and reheating was just the same as when made and served fresh.
Kate, thank you so much for sharing and I’m so glad you enjoyed it. It’s one of our faves as well.
Holy cow Shane! Heard your interview with Rip Essylstein. Never bought soy curls before, but I love Korean! This recipe is the bomb! I added mushrooms, zucchini, and diced peppers. Threw spinach in the bowl with the rice, and there was plenty of sauce to go around. Will make this again for sure, thank you!!
★★★★★
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed it.
This was amazing!! Very flavorful. I didn’t have maple syrup so I used brown sugar and it worked great! Didn’t use the browning sauce bc I didn’t have that either. One note is that I should’ve used half the amount of red pepper flakes. It was a little too spicy for me but my husband loved it! Just a preference. Will definitely be revisiting this recipe again. Love your blog and Instagram page.
★★★★★
Love this recipe !!! So satisfying with rice!!
★★★★★
Another easy to prepare, delicious winner!
★★★★★
This is easy, flavorful, and a great addition to my rotation of Shane and Simple recipes! Thank you SO MUCH for these recipes that are just like your business name’s sake…simple! I am a faithful follower of all things from you.
★★★★★
Shane, you.nailed it! This is the best, most authentic oriental recipe ever. I accidentally soaked the soy curls 30 min, best they were perfect texture. I doubled the recipe and sautéed 2 cups of diced peppers (green,yellow, red) and served over rice. I’ll be sure next time to have scallions on hand to top it off. Thank you for all your amazing recipes
★★★★★
We had this last night. Fantastic! I didn’t have any Kitchen Bouquet so I substituted vegan worcestershire sauce. We’ll be having this often. Thanks, Shane. Have a Merry Christmas!
★★★★★
This recipe was delicious and so easy to make! I also love that the dish was oil-free.
Thanks!
★★★★★
Spicy, sweet, and savory Vegan Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef) made with soy curls. This meatless version of a traditional Korean beef dish is so easy to make and just as tasty as the real thing. Oil-free and easily made gluten-free.
★★★★★
Thanks for reminding me that I need to just bite the bullet and order a big box of Soy Curls. They’re not in stores locally. This looks like the perfect weeknight meal with a side of whatever veggie is in season.
It’s my job, Laura. I’m not just here for recipes, I also read minds. LOL!!! Hope you enjoy it. We’ve had it for 5 nights straight…you know, for testing purposes.
Blessings,
shane
★★★★★