Korean Beef Bulgogi with CSA Veggies

This easy Korean-inspired ground beef bulgogi is a flavorful weeknight meal that comes together in no time. Traditionally, bulgogi—often translated as "fire meat"—is made with thinly sliced, marinated beef and a delicious blend of sweet and savory ingredients like soy sauce, Asian pear or apple, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. The result is an incredibly rich, satisfying dish packed with bold flavor.

While this isn't a traditional bulgogi recipe, it's a simple, CSA-friendly version that celebrates seasonal vegetables and everyday ingredients. Instead of thinly sliced steak, I use ground beef for a more affordable and approachable meal that's perfect for busy weeknights. It's also a wonderful way to put those farm-fresh vegetables from your CSA box or farmers market haul to good use.

The combination of savory beef, crisp-tender vegetables, and the classic sweet-and-salty bulgogi-inspired sauce creates a healthy, satisfying meal that feels special without requiring a lot of time in the kitchen. If you're looking for new ways to enjoy local produce while getting dinner on the table quickly, this recipe is for you.

It's packed with flavor, adaptable to whatever vegetables are in season, and guaranteed to become a regular in your weeknight dinner rotation. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Korean Beef Bulgogi with CSA Veggies

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients

Bulgogi Sauce (don't skip the onion and apple!)

  • 1/4 of a small yellow onion, minced

  • 1/2 of a small red apple, grated

  • 3 cloves of garlic or garlic scapes, minced

  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger,

  • 2 1/2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce or Tamari

  • 1 Tablespoon sesame oil

  • 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar

  • 1 Tablespoon maple syrup or honey

Bowls

  • 1 bunch of spinach (or two big handfuls)

  • avocado oil for the pan

  • 1 head of broccoli, cut into very small florets

  • 1 pound lean ground beef

  • 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots

  • 1 small bunch of salad turnips, thinly sliced into rounds

  • 1 cup minced cilantro

  • Cooked with rice for serving

  • sesame seeds for serving

  • Kimchi for serving

Drizzle Sauce

  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce or Tamari

  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil

  • 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey

  • 2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar

Preparation

  1. Prepare the sauce by blending all the ingredients together with a stick blender or upright blender. Taste for seasonings and adjust if needed.

  2. Chop your spinach and keep it to the side. Heat a large cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Once hot add a drizzle of avocado oil. Add the spinach and wilt it for a minute or two. Use tongs to remove the spinach from the pan and keep to the side. Add a little more oil to the pan and add your diced broccoli. Brown the broccoli on all sided until crips and tender (we like a little char on our broccoli). Remove the broccoli from the pan and keep to the side. Add the ground beef to the pan and use a wooden spoon to break up the meat a bit. Once cooked through drizzle in the Bulgogi sauce. Add the spinach and broccoli back to the pan with the beef and heat through.

  3. While the meat and veggies cook prepare the drizzle sauce by whisking together all the ingredients. Set aside.

  4. Divide cooked rice between four bowls. Top with the beef, spinach and broccoli. Add shredded carrots, thinly sliced turnips, kimchi and cilantro to the bowls. Drizzle with the "drizzle sauce" and sprinkle each bowl with sesame seeds and serve.

Notes

Use this recipe as a guide and adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary

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