Bulgogi Fries Recipe
Korean bulgogi fries topped with savory bulgogi-style ground beef, melty cheese, and kimchi—crispy, bold, and perfect for game day sharing.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
Bulgogi ground beef:
- 6 oz yellow onion thin sliced (about ½ large onion)
- 1 oz garlic cloves thin sliced (about 7 large cloves)
- 3-4 green onions
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 lb ground beef 90% lean
- ½ tsp coarse sea salt
- Splash Chinese cooking wine dry sherry, or gluten-free cooking sake
Bulgogi Sauce:
- 2.5 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 3 tbsp chicken stock
- ⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp coconut brown sugar
Slurry:
- 1 tbsp tapioca starch or potato or arrowroot
- 3 tbsp water
Other:
- 8 oz shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese or more, to taste
- 32 oz frozen fries of your choice
- Napa cabbage kimchi for serving
- Sprinkle Toasted white sesame seeds
- Sprinkle Gochugaru flakes optional
Instructions
- BEFORE YOU START: This recipe makes more bulgogi than fries by design. The dish is best with more fries and less beef, so save the extra bulgogi for other meals, such as rice bowls.
- Prep the aromatics: Thinly slice the onion and garlic. Dice the green onions into small rounds and separate the white and green parts. Set aside.
- Assemble the bulgogi sauce and slurry: Assemble the bulgogi sauce in a bowl (from dark soy sauce to coconut sugar). Stir well. In another small bowl, combine the starch and water to make the slurry.
- Crisp up the fries: Bake the fries according to the package instructions until crisp. Time this so the fries finish close to when the beef is ready, keeping them warm and crisp for assembling.
- Brown the beef: In a large (12-inch) sauté pan, preheat over medium heat until it feels quite warm. Add the oil and sliced garlic. Sauté quickly for 5 to 6 seconds. Add the ground beef and use a wooden spoon to break it into smaller bits. You should hear a sizzle—if not, increase the heat slightly. Season with salt and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes.
- Add onions and scallions: While the beef is still slightly pink, add the onion and continue sautéing until the beef is no longer pink, the meat is broken into finer bits, and the onion becomes soft and slightly translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Add the white scallion parts and a splash of cooking wine. Keep stirring and sauteing for another 3 minutes to reduce the moisture in the pan so that the meat is not too wet.
- Add sauce and thicken: Once the pan is no longer too watery, pour in the bulgogi sauce and distribute evenly. Stir the slurry again before adding it to the pan. Stir for about 30 seconds to thicken.
- Add cheese: Sprinkle in the cheese. Cover the pan and simmer over medium to medium-low heat until the cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.
- Assemble and Garnish: Transfer the fries to a large serving plate. Spoon the bulgogi over the fries, using only the amount you need. Save the extra beef for later. Garnish with scallion greens, sesame seeds, and kimchi. Serve immediately.
- Recommendation: Combine the beef and fries right before serving (and only the portion you plan to eat) to keep the fries crisp.
Notes
- Reduce moisture: Cooking off excess moisture from the ground beef helps keep the bulgogi from becoming too wet, which is important so the fries stay crisp.
- Less fat: Ground beef naturally releases fat. If you prefer a lighter dish, drain off some of the fat before adding the bulgogi sauce. Using lean ground beef also helps.
- Different protein options: You can substitute ground chicken (a mix of 50% lean and 50% dark meat) or extra-firm tofu. For tofu, press out excess water and crumble before cooking.
- Lighter fries options: I like using oven-baked fries, especially a mix of regular potato and sweet potato fries.
- Bulgogi make-ahead: You can prepare the bulgogi in advance, stopping before adding the cheese. Add the cheese only when you’re ready to serve.
- How to Assemble & Reheat on game day:
- Reheat the bulgogi in a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce if needed. A microwave also works—cover and heat in short intervals until warmed through.
- If the sauce feels too thin, thicken it again with a small amount of slurry.
- Once heated, add the cheese and finish the dish starting from the cheese-melting step.
- Storage: Store the fries and bulgogi separately. The bulgogi keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze bulgogi: Freeze the cooked bulgogi (without cheese) for up to 2 months. For faster thawing, store it flat in a freezer-safe bag rather than in a thick block.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 592kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 67mg | Sodium: 1160mg | Potassium: 747mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 233IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 225mg | Iron: 3mg
