HelloFresh Bulgogi Sauce Recipe

If you’re in the mood for Korean, Hello Fresh Bulgogi Beef might just be the thing. Tangy and effortlessly tender beef with rich, deep flavors of the bulgogi — that’s an unforgettable experience.

However, if you want to experience the same juicy and huge flavors on anything you cook, we’ve got just the recipe for you.

Bulgogi Sauce is a Korean marinade, usually associated with BBQ dishes, that brings a perfect balance of savory and sweet to anything you cook or pair it with.

So today we’re cooking this Hello Fresh Bulgogi Sauce Recipe, that is sooo much better than the one from the bottle.

How to Make Hello Fresh Bulgogi Sauce

Bulgogi consists of the words bul and gogi — meaning fire and meat, respectively — and refers to any meat cooked over a grill or fire. The flavor profile of the Bulgogi Sauce is similar to the teriyaki sauce, but it usually doesn’t contain any alcohol like mirin or sake.

Still, as long as you have most of these basic ingredients on hand, you’ll be able to make this exquisite Korean sauce at home.

With basically only 8 ingredients you will get the Hello Fresh Bulgogi Sauce to use as a marinade or sauce, on anything from beef and pork, to rice, noodles, and even burgers. And you can make exactly how much you need, not to clutter the bottles in the fridge.

Let’s see what you need for the Hello Fresh Bulgogi Sauce Recipe and how easy it is to scale it up.

Ingredients:

(3 servings)

• 6 tbsp Kikkoman soy sauce
• ¼ cup pear juice
• 3 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 ½ tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
• 1 ½ tsp ginger (freshly chopped)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 spicy red pepper, minced (optional)
• black pepper to taste 

Instructions:

Many store-bought sauces include gluten and preservatives, and the best thing about this Hello Fresh Bulgogi Sauce recipe is that you can avoid all that by making it yourself. Additionally, you can get all of the ingredients at any grocery store. There’s nothing too fancy about them.

Strange, right, considering the Hello Fresh Bulgogi sauce tastes so utterly good?

There really is nothing too complicated in this recipe, you just have to mix all the ingredients together. You can even tweak the flavors in so many ways to suit your palate!

Step 1:

Heat a medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the soy sauce, pear juice, and brown sugar. Cook for a few minutes until the sugar melts.

Mix in some minced garlic and ginger, stirring for another minute or two.

Note: make sure not to overcook the Bulgogi Sauce, since it can become too think.

Step 2:

Remove from the heat and add the sesame oil and the rest of the ingredients. Let it cool down and use it as a marinade or dipping sauce.

Literally, that’s it.

Not too much effort for a restaurant-level Bulgogi Sauce, right?

Ingredient Substitution

Hello Fresh Bulgogi Sauce is a delicious blend of complex flavors. While the soy sauce adds a tasty umami flavor, pear juice and sugar add in some nice sweetness. At the same time, ginger and garlic add even more complexity to the Bulgogi.

With not so many ingredients, there seems to be no room for adjustments, or is there?

Consider these substitutes for your Bulgogi Sauce.

Honey

With a few simple recipe modifications, honey is a perfectly suitable replacement for brown sugar in your Korean Bulgogi Sauce. However, because of the liquid nature of this sweetener, you’ll need to take into account the extra moisture and the cooking time.

So, replace the brown sugar with the same amount of honey, but mind the cooking time. You might need to reduce it by a few minutes since honey caramelizes way quicker than brown sugar.

Apple or pineapple juice

Traditionally, the Bulgogi sauce is made with Korean pears. Since that’s something you can’t easily find, pear juice is used in this recipe.

Still, if that’s not an option for you, you can go with apple juice. It is widely used as a pear juice substitute since it matches its taste and sweetness. The same for pineapple juice.

It will taste a little different, but this replacement also serves as a tenderizer for your Bulgogi and adds the required sweetness to the sauce.

Olive oil

Sesame oil adds an authentic earthy and nutty flavor to the sauce. So instead, we’d suggest using some other nut oils, like walnut oil.

But since that might not be a common thing stored in your pantry, the best substitute for sesame oil would be olive oil. In fact, it has an impressive nutrient profile and many potential health benefits.

So, just use an equal amount of olive oil instead of sesame oil. But opt for light olive oil, with a milder and more neutral flavor.

What to Serve with Hello Fresh Bulgogi Sauce

The versatility of the Bulgogi sauce makes it a perfect dipping sauce or marinade to pretty much anything you want to add some sweet and savory notes to.

And although the most attention goes to the traditional Bulgogi beef, it doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun. Anything from noodles and rice to burgers and fish will taste better with Bulgogi sauce.

Try serving it with these side dishes and you won’t be able to go without Bulgogi anymore.

Stuffed peppers

Adding Bulgogi to stuffed peppers will add a fun Korean twist to the traditional Mexican dish. It might seem unconventional, but this pairing actually works out very well when you think about all the flavors.

The peppers are filled with rice, meat, and Mexican spices, providing a tasty contrast to the savory and sweet flavors of the Bulgogi. So, try skipping the traditional stuffed peppers seasoning and replacing it with the bulgogi. You’ll be surprised!

Baked potatoes

Potatoes are the universal accompaniment for any dish, and baked potatoes are no exception. Besides, if you’re looking for a more familiar dish that goes well with Bulgogi Sauce, potatoes are an absolute win.

They are an ideal base for virtually any dish. The fluffy insides of perfectly baked potatoes are just begging to be loaded with some flavors. So, just sprinkle some of the Bulgogi Sauce on the baked potatoes.

Or, if you decide to go with the Bulgogi beef, scoop some of it on top of the potatoes. It will taste nice and comforting.

Kimchi fried rice

Kimchi fried rice is a classic side dish that pairs well with anything Korean, including Bulgogi Sauce. The humble fried rice is turned up by the combination of the kimchi juice and spicy flavors of the Bulgogi.

Just drizzle some of the Bulgogi Sauce on top of your kimchi fried rice. It is a taste to die for. So, don’t miss it!

How to Store Hello Fresh Bulgogi Sauce

Like with any other sauce, Hello Fresh Bulgogi Sauce tastes better freshly made. However, it’s totally ok if you decide to make a large batch of it to store for later.

All you need is to know how to store Bulgogi Sauce safely, so you can enjoy it for months to come.

Before storing, always allow the sauce to cool down to room temperature.

Store Hello Fresh Bulgogi Sauce in a Fridge

To store Bulgogi Sauce in the fridge, just pour it into an airtight container or a jar and cover it with a lid. It will last for about a week, but you’d better use it sooner.

Any longer than a week and the flavors from the garlic and ginger will start to degrade.

Store Hello Fresh Bulgogi Sauce in a Freezer

The freezer will make your Bulgogi Sauce last longer. But it’s better to opt for a freezer-proof Ziploc bag here. Make sure to remove all the air from the bag and seal it to store for up to 2 months.