Korean Beef Lettuce Wraps
Everyone will love these easy and delicious Korean beef lettuce wraps. The bulgogi marinade for the beef is packed with flavor and so easy to make. It's a great weeknight dinner option!
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 266kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound sirloin steak, thinly sliced about ⅛ inch thin
- Cooking oil for griddle
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 head Boston or bibb lettuce, leaves separated
- Kimchi for topping
- Sesame seeds for topping
- Sliced scallions for topping
Bulgogi marinade
- ¼ cup grated Asian pear, peeled see note for substitutions
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 2 scallions, sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Marinate the beef: In a resealable Ziploc bag, combine all the bulgogi marinade ingredients until evenly combined. Add the thinly sliced meat, making sure it’s evenly coated in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
- Cook the rice: Rinse the uncooked rice with water a few times (this will remove excess starch). In a rice cooker, combine the 1 cup of rice with 1 ⅓ cups of water. Cook according to rice cooker directions. Stovetop method: Combine rinsed rice with water and cover with a lid. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer (covered) for 20 minutes or until the water is fully absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Grill meat: Heat a large griddle or pan over HIGH heat with a little bit of cooking oil. Sear the marinated steak slices (shake off excess marinade) for about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Tip: Do not overcrowd the pan - this will keep the pan hot throughout for a good sear. Cook the beef in batches.
- Assemble: Add some rice on top of the lettuce leaves, then the cooked beef, kimchi, sliced scallions, and sesame seeds (or any toppings you may like). I like to serve this dish family-style and let everyone build their own lettuce wraps.
Notes
- Choice of steak: Sirloin or ribeye are my top choices. Don't use flank or skirt steak.
- Asian pear: It contains an enzyme that tenderizes meat very well. Asian pears actually look like apples and they look green-yellow on the outside. If your local grocery store doesn't carry it, try Asian grocery stores.
- Substitutes for Asian pear:
- Bosc pear: Find one that's on the softer side.
- Kiwi (peeled): Use only half of what the recipe calls for, and marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour max since it is a strong tenderizer.
- Leave out the pear: The soy sauce will help tenderize the meat a little, but not as well as the pear would.
- Lettuce: I like to use Boston or bibb lettuce. Other great options are butter lettuce, Green Leaf or Red Lead lettuce.
- If you have leftover cooked rice, this recipe would be great for it!
Disclaimer: Nutritional values are approximates only.
Nutrition
Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 877mg | Potassium: 520mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 12IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 3mg