Vegan Bulgogi is a vegan twist on traditional Korean BBQ beef with portobello mushrooms. Marinated in a sweet and spicy Bulgogi sauce, this vegan bulgogi recipe is delicious in a sandwich, served with rice, or on top of greens!
I love mushrooms because they absorb flavors like a sponge, and their meaty texture is the perfect vegan meat substitute for any dish. The portobello mushrooms are thinly sliced and marinated in a sweet and sassy Korean marinade, seared and stacked on a toasted bun with vegan kimchi mayo, pickled red onions, lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes. This vegan bulgogi recipe is perfect for a sandwich, bowl, salad, or straight from the pan!
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What is Bulgogi?
Bulgogi, or Korean beef barbecue, is undoubtedly one of the most quintessentially Korean dishes there are: gorgeously thin slices of ribeye, tenderloin, or sirloin marinated in a savory-sweet sauce and quickly cooked over flame. Bul, meaning “fire,” and gogi, meaning “meat,” originated in Korea’s Goguryeo era (the 1st century BCE to the 7th century CE).
This vegan bulgogi recipe is a version of this meaty Korean dish made with portobello mushrooms instead of meat and layered on a sandwich for a savory, hearty meal.
Vegan Bulgogi Ingredients
- Portobello Mushrooms: I used large portobello mushrooms, removed the gills, and cut them very thin.
- Gochujang Sauce: Gochujang, a fundamental ingredient in Korean cooking, is a thick and spicy-sweet crimson paste made from red chile pepper flakes, glutinous rice.
- Asian Pear: Also known as apple pears, nashi, and oriental pears, Asian pears are not a cross of apples and pears but are closely related to European pears (the ‘regular’ pears). Asian pears are more expensive than regular pears and apples because they are much more difficult to grow.
- Garlic: I prefer fresh garlic cloves for the best flavor.
- Ginger: I also prefer to use fresh ginger as opposed to ginger spice when possible.
- Maple Syrup: Maple syrup adds a sweetness to the marinade, which compliments the pear.
- Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds an umami flavor.
- White Onions: White onion, although strong in flavor, deepens the flavor of the other ingredients in the marinade.
- Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar adds acid to the marinade and additional flavor.
Vegan Bulgogi Ingredient Substitutions
- If mushrooms aren’t your thing, you can use soy curls, eggplant, tofu, or jackfruit.
- Red pepper flakes, Sriracha, harissa, and chili paste substitute Gochujang sauce.
- Any pear works if you can’t find an Asian pear. Or use an apple. Leave the skin on.
- One clove of garlic equals about ⅛th of a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- When a recipe calls for fresh ginger, the easiest swap is ground ginger, as it’s the same ingredient in a different form. Still, it’s important to remember that ground ginger is much more potent. If you swap it 1:1, your dish might have more heat and earthiness than expected. Instead, for every 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger called for, use ¼ to ½ teaspoon of ground ginger.
- Agave or date syrup substitutes maple syrup in recipes.
- Tamari or liquid aminos substitute soy sauce in recipes.
- Yellow onions substitute white onions. Although they are a little sweeter, they work well.
- Champagne vinegar is similar to rice vinegar in sweetness and flavor.
Vegan Bulgogi Sandwich Ingredients
- Ciabatta Buns: We are blessed with a vegan oil-free bakery in Phoenix called Noble Bread that is sold at farmers’ markets, local stores, and restaurants. Similarly, check your fresh bakery for oil-free homemade bread.
- Lettuce: I used little gem lettuce because I prefer the small leaves which tuck perfectly inside the bread of a sandwich.
- Tomatoes: I like Roma tomatoes, which are the perfect-sized tomato slices for sandwiches.
- English Cucumbers: I cut the cucumber slices on an angle to make them thin and sandwich-worthy!
- Cilantro: Cilantro gives the sandwich an earthy flavor.
- Pickled Red Onions: Pickled red onions are tangy and sweet and perfect for this vegan bulgogi sandwich.
- Kimchi Mayo: Kimchi mayo combines cashew mayo, vegan kimchi (not all kimchi are vegan, so check the label), and a small amount of Gochujang sauce.
Vegan Bulgogi Sandwich Ingredient Substitutions
- Choose any bread of bun preferred. Or, use a lettuce wrap or collard green for a bread-free option. I like bulgogi tacos, too, so corn tortillas are also a great option.
- Any lettuce works well. Or, if you want a peppery flavor, swap out the little gem lettuce for arugula.
- Vine tomatoes taste great on a sandwich as well.
- Instead of cucumber, zucchini slices work well as a substitute for cucumber slices.
- If you don’t like cilantro (some people taste soap when they eat it), skip it or swap it out for parsley or basil. I love basil!
- Although I love this kimchi mayo creation, you can also use a smear of cashew mayo without any spice.
How to Make Vegan Bulgogi
Marinating the Mushrooms
- It all begins with the mushrooms! Remove the gills and stems from the portobello mushrooms.
- I use a small spoon to scrape away the gills.
- Slice the mushrooms into thin slices (as thin as you can).
- In a blender, combine the garlic, ginger, onions, soy sauce, Asian pear (skin and all), rice vinegar, and maple syrup.
- Blend until smooth.
- Add all the thinly sliced mushrooms into a container or plastic/silicone bag.
- Pour all the marinade into the container with the mushrooms.
- Seal and toss the container around, coating the mushrooms with the marinade.
- Place into the refrigerator and allow to marinate overnight for the best results.
Vegan Kimchi Mayo
- Squeeze the kimchi to remove any excess liquid.
- Add the kimchi, cashew mayo, and gochujang sauce into a small cup blender, and blend until smooth.
- Place in a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Sandwich
- Slice the ciabatta rolls in half and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper of a silicone baking mat.
- Toast in the oven using the broiler for 3 minutes, until the bread is lightly toasted.
- Prepare the pickled red onions in advance, or slice raw red onions thin.
- Cut the tomatoes into thin slices.
- Remove the little gem lettuce leaves, cutting the bottom cores from the leaves.
Cooking the Vegan Bulgogi
- Heat a wok or large skillet on medium high.
- DO NOT dump the entire contents of the container of mushrooms.
- Instead, using tongs, remove the mushrooms, shaking away any excess marinade.
- Add all the mushrooms into the pan/wok, and cook until the marinade is gone and the mushrooms brown.
- If the mushrooms begin to stick, add a SMALL amount of marinade to release the stuck mushrooms.
- Cooking takes 5-7 minutes.
Making the Bulgogi Sandwich
- Spread each side of the toasted buns with vegan kimchi mayo.
- Add a generous portion of bulgogi mushrooms on one side of the bread.
- Add the lettuce, tomato slices, pickled red onions, and cilantro on the other side of the bread.
- Place the two sides of the sandwich together.
Other Serving Suggestions
- Instead of making a sandwich, make a wrap using a collard green or lettuce wrap.
- Try lavash bread or a whole-grain tortilla.
- Make a bowl with brown rice, bulgogi mushrooms, and the toppings for the sandwich, but in a bowl.
- Make Korean tacos with corn tortillas and the toppings for the sandwich, diced instead of sliced.
- Add the vegan bulgogi ingredients to a bowl of lettuce for a salad.
- I serve this sandwich with spicy coleslaw.
Recipe FAQs
Bulgogi is a Korean dish that means fire meat.
Bulgogi is mildly sweet, savory, and smoky from the soy, ginger, and garlic marinade.
This vegan bulgogi recipe can be made with various substitutes for beef, such as mushrooms, eggplant, soy curls, jackfruit, or vegan meat substitutes, such as Beyond Meat Steak Tips or similar vegan meat products.
Tips
- Large portobello mushrooms work the best, but medium sized portobello mushrooms work well.
- Although the amount of mushrooms seems excessive, mushrooms contain a lot of water, and the marinade shrinks the mushrooms, reducing the amount significantly.
- Marinating overnight is highly recommended for the best flavor, but three hours will suffice.
- When cooking the mushrooms, remove the mushrooms from the marinade and shake any excess marinade from the mushrooms. DO NOT dump the entire contents of the container in the pan. This prevents soggy mushrooms.
Enjoy this vegan bulgogi recipe as a sandwich, lettuce wrap, bowl, or Korean tacos.
Suggested Vegan Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Bulgogi
Vegan Bulgogi is a vegan twist on traditional Korean BBQ beef with portobello mushrooms. Marinated in a sweet and spicy Bulgogi sauce, this vegan bulgogi recipe is delicious in a sandwich, served with rice, or on top of greens!
Instructions
Marinated Mushrooms
-
Clean the portobello mushrooms by removing the stems and gills. I use a small spoon to scrape away the gills.
-
Slice the mushrooms into thin slices (as thin as you can).
-
In a blender, combine the garlic, ginger, onions, soy sauce, Asian pear (skin and all), rice vinegar, and maple syrup.
-
Blend until smooth.
-
Add all the thinly sliced mushrooms into a container or plastic/silicone bag.
-
Pour all the marinade into the container with the mushrooms.
-
Seal and toss the container around, coating the mushrooms with the marinade.
-
Place into the refrigerator and allow to marinate overnight for the best results.
Kimchi Mayo
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Squeeze the kimchi to remove any excess liquid.
-
Add the kimchi, cashew mayo, and gochujang sauce into a small cup blender, and blend until smooth.
-
Place in a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Sandwich
-
Slice the ciabatta rolls in half and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper of a silicone baking mat.
-
Toast in the oven using the broiler for 3 minutes, until the bread is lightly toasted.
-
Prepare the pickled red onions in advance, or slice raw red onions thin.
-
Cut the tomatoes into thin slices.
-
Remove the little gem lettuce leaves, cutting the bottom cores from the leaves.
Cooking the Bulgogi Mushrooms
-
Heat a wok or large skillet on medium high.
-
DO NOT dump the entire contents of the container of mushrooms.
-
Instead, using tongs, remove the mushrooms, shaking away any excess marinade.
-
Add all the mushrooms into the pan/wok, and cook until the marinade is gone and the mushrooms brown.
-
If the mushrooms begin to stick, add a SMALL amount of marinade to release the stuck mushrooms.
-
Cooking takes 5-7 minutes.
Making the Bulgogi Sandwich
-
Spread each side of the toasted buns with vegan kimchi mayo.
-
Add a generous portion of bulgogi mushrooms on one side of the bread.
-
Add the lettuce, tomato slices, pickled red onions, and cilantro on the other side of the bread.
-
Place the two sides of the sandwich together
Other Serving Options
-
Skip the bread and use a lettuce wrap, collard green, or tortillas for Korean tacos.
-
Instead of making a sandwich, serve the vegan bulgogi recipe with rice and add the toppings for the sandwich to make a bowl.
Hi! My name is Kathy, I am a retired high school English teacher & vegan enthusiast and blogger. My entire blog is fully plant-based vegan. I truly believe what we eat & how we live determines our health & the preservation of our planet! 🙂