Why you’ll love this beef bulgogi noodle recipe
In our humble opinion, there will never been enough quick, weeknight dinners, and this easy recipe has officially made it into our regular rotations. Ground beef is always a hit with our kids, and the bulgogi flavor really delivers for the grownups in the house, too.
If you’re getting tired of the same old, try these bulgogi noodles. They’re ready in under 30 minutes, and it’s a fun new way – at least new to us – to use ground beef. Feel free to add your favorite veggies to the mix – broccoli and snap peas are our go to mix ins, but this recipe is 100% complete without any additions.
Obviously, this dish is very loosely inspired by the traditional Korean dish, and we would be last to say it was even remotely authentic, but the flavors of bulgogi are here and we love them paired with ground beef and spaghetti. Don’t overthink it.
More weeknight favorites: pasta with broccoli / one pot taco spaghetti / white cheddar mac and cheese / lemon ricotta pasta
Ingredient notes:
- Ground beef – We used a 85/15 blend of ground beef for this recipe. If you have something leaner, you might want to add a bit more olive oil when cooking the beef.
- Brown sugar – You can use dark or light brown sugar for this recipe, but if you have dark, we highly suggest it for the depth of flavor it adds.
- Rice vinegar – Unseasoned, unsweetened (not sushi vinegar). You can also use champagne or white wine vinegar instead.
- Toasted sesame oil – We highly recommend toasted sesame oil because it adds so much flavor. If you can’t have sesame oil, swap it for another oil – preferably a nutty one.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Tips for making this recipe:
Mise en place. This is French for “everything in place” and it’s a great way to make sure your recipe turns out well. Get your ingredients prepped and make the sauce before you start cooking anything. This recipe cooks really quickly, so this ensures you won’t forget an ingredient and we think it actually makes clean up easier!
Use fresh garlic and ginger. We really recommend using fresh ingredients, and fresh garlic and ginger can make a huge difference in flavor. But, it’s also not worth stressing over either. We have definitely made this with jar-lic and dried ginger in a pinch.
The Pasta Twins always say save a little pasta water before draining your pasta. It helps your sauce bind to the pasta and it can help thicken or thin the sauce to your liking – thanks to the magic starches!
Frequently asked questions
More beef and pasta recipes: beef short rib ragu / white bolognese / deconstructed lasagna / ground beef stroganoff
Ground Beef Bulgogi Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- ½ medium onion (thinly sliced)
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup sliced green onions
- 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- toasted sesame seeds
- sliced green onion
Instructions
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, grated ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes (if using).
- Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining.
- Brown the beef. While the spaghetti cooks, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until no longer pink, breaking it into pieces as it cooks.
- Cook the veggies. Add the sliced onions and carrots to the other side and sauté for 2–3 minutes until softened. Stir together with the beef.
- Add the sauce. Add the green onion and bulgogi sauce into the skillet and stir until evenly coated. Allow it to simmer until heated through. Then, add the cooked spaghetti and toss to coat.
- Garnish and serve. Sprinkle sesame seed and additional green onion if desired. Serve immediately.
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