BULGOGI RICE BOWL
Vegan Bulgogi Rice Bowl, made with plant-based “beef” and cauliflower tossed in sweet & spicy Bulgogi sauce, served with rice, kimchi, carrots, and cabbage.
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Bulgogi is an amazing dish. It’s salty, spicy, sweet, and full of that oh so satisfying umami flavor. I find it incredibly versatile as well. Bulgogi sauce can go on meat of course, as traditionally made. But it’s also amazing on vegan meat alternatives, veggies, noodles, just served over rice…or in this case a delicious, filling Bulgogi Rice Bowl.
In bulgogi sauce you find your usual Asian sauce suspects, such as soy, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger. But what gives bulgogi its unique flavor is pear! The addition of pear gives the dish a fresh, sweet flavor.
VEGAN MEAT
Bulgogi is traditionally made with beef. So to stick to the original flavor profile, I swapped it out for a vegan ground-beef alternative. There are a couple of great options out there. Seriously, they really do taste insanely like actual meat! And the texture is amazing and it’s super high in protein! I used the Impossible brand when creating this Bulgogi rice bowl.
NOT INTO FAKE MEAT?
Now vegan meat alternatives, although delicious and rich in protein, are, at the end of the day, a processed food. So if you are trying to avoid processed ingredients, oils or extra fats, you can skip the vegan meat and swap it out for veggies, tofu, lentils or beans.
Mushrooms would be my vegetable of choice if making the swap. Their meaty texture and ability to absorb flavor makes them a great alternative to meat.
Looking to replace the protein? Swap out the vegan meat for tofu or edamame and create an equally delicious Bulgogi rice bowl!
THIS VEGAN BULGOGI RICE BOWL IS LOADED WITH VEGGIES
When making any dish, I do my best to include as many veggies as possible. Why? They are low in calories and high in fiber and nutrients! With them you can have a nice, full plate of food without going overboard on calories.
So for this dish I added my veg in several ways. First I added it to the bulgogi meat. Chopped up pieces of cauliflower is a great way to stretch out the meat element in a dish. Cauliflower has great texture and really takes on the flavor of sauces and ingredients it’s coupled with.
I also added veggies with the addition of a simple Asian slaw. Made with shredded cabbage, carrots, and a simple sauce, this slaw is a great way to bulk up a dish and add a bit more nutrients. Napa cabbage is high in vitamin C and fiber. Carrots come with its own bag of tricks, including fiber, potassium and vitamin K.
THE SAUCE
The Bulgogi sauce is the star of this show. Bulgogi sauce is a perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and savory.
SWEETNESS IN THE SAUCE
It traditionally contains various sweeteners, such as brown sugar. I always aim to lower or skip added sugar whenever possible. To do so in this dish I just added extra pear. Pear is important in giving Bulgogi sauce its unique flavor and is also responsible for some of the sauce’s sweetness. So instead of adding more sugar, I went with more pear.
MAKE IT MORE OR LESS SPICY
Traditionally, Bulgogi sauce has a bit of a spicy kick to it. The spicy element comes from the addition of chili flakes and Gochujang, a spicy paste used in Korean cooking. It is made from fermented soy beans, chili peppers, rice and salt. It is a delicious way to add spice to any dish, but it definitely has a kick.
If you are cooking for someone that can’t handle the heat, just add a touch of this to the dish and skip the chili flakes. If you and other guests like it spicy, add the Gochujang and chili flakes at the end after you have removed some of the mild version from the pan to feed those who can’t handle spice.
Want it spicier? Go heavy on the Gochujang and chili flakes or add some cayanne pepper, sriracha, or fresh chili peppers to the dish.
BULGOGI RICE BOWL
Ingredients
- 2 cups white rice, cooked Follow directions on packaging
- 1 cup Kimchi
- 2 sprigs of green onion, chopped thin for garnish
FOR BULGOGI "BEEF"
- 1 package of vegan ground beef I used Impossible
- 1/2 sweet onion, diced small
- 3 cups cauliflower, diced small
- 3 cloves of garlic, diced small
- 1/2-1 inch of fresh ginger, grated more or less to taste
- 1 pear, grated Asian Pear is preferred, but can use any pear
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Gochujang less if you want it less spicy
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes omit if you want it less spicy
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
- 1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil use toasted sesame oil for bolder flavor
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
FOR CABBAGE SLAW
- 1/2 bunch of Napa cabbage, sliced thin
- 2 large carrots, grated
- 3 tbsp sweet chili sauce You can find it in the Asian Isle
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
PREPARE RICE
- Cook you choice of white (or brown) rice by following directions on packaging
- You will want at least a half cup of cooked rice per person. 1 cup of uncooked rice makes about 3 cups cooked rice.
PREPARE THE BULGOGI MEAT
- Add chopped onions and vegan ground meat to a nonstick pan. You shouldn't need any additional oil because of the vegan meat, but add a touch of olive oil if needed.
- Cook the "meat" and onions over medium heat until its starts to brown. About 5 minutes.
- Grate ginger and chop garlic
- Add to pan with "meat" and onion
- Cook another 5 minutes
- Grate pear
- Add to pan
- Chop Cauliflower
- Add to pan
- Cook for another 2 minutes
- Add the rest of the ingredients for "Bulgogi Beef" and cook for another few minutes until cauliflower is tender, but not mushy
- Turn off heat and set aside
MAKE CABBAGE SLAW
- Cut Napa cabbage into thin slices
- Shred carrots
- Add sweet chili sauce and rice vinegar
- Stir until evenly combined and set aside
BUILD YOUR BOWL
- Place at least half cup of rice in bottom of each bowl (recipe serves 4)
- Top with 1/4 of Bulgogi Beef, Cabbage Slaw, Kimchi, and green onions
- Serve and enjoy!
