Delicious vegan bulgogi recipe ready in just minutes! Jackfruit soaks up all the yummy flavors instantly without hours of marinating. Pair with jasmine rice, kimchi, and seared vegetables for a quick and excellent dinner. Vegan and gluten-free.
There is only ever one choice. Either you are living from your heart and moving toward your limitless potential, or you are continuing to live in fear and limitation.―
Discover the bold, savory flavors of Vegan Bulgogi, a plant-based twist on the classic Korean favorite. Tender, shredded jackfruit is marinated in a sweet-and-spicy blend of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and gochujang, then sautéed to perfection. Garnished with green onions and toasted sesame seeds, this vegan bulgogi is perfect over steamed jasmine rice or with your favorite veggies. Quick, flavorful, and satisfying, it's a delicious way to enjoy Korean cuisine at home-entirely plant-based and naturally gluten-free.
What is Bulgogi?
Bulgogi is thinly sliced, marinated meat grilled, roasted, or pan-fried, used in Korean cuisine. We also have this traditional beef bulgogi recipe for meat eaters.
Why you’ll love This Vegan Bulgogi Recipe!
Jackfruit replaces the meat in traditional Bulgogi- it shreds easily, has a tender texture, and a fairly neutral taste, allowing it to absorb the marinade’s flavor. Make sure to purchase jackfruit, packed in water, not in syrup. Drain and shred with your fingers.
Vegan Bulgogi Ingredeints
- Asian pear - Adds fruity sweetness and helps tenderize the marinade; can be replaced with a regular pear or apple.
- Soy sauce - Provides salty, savory umami depth; can be substituted with gluten-free liquid aminos.
- Brown sugar - Adds sweetness and helps with caramelization.
- Sesame oil - Gives a nutty, toasted flavor essential to Korean-style dishes.
- Garlic - Adds aromatic, savory depth.
- Fresh ginger - Brings warm, bright spiciness that balances the flavor.
- Gochujang - Adds Korean-style heat and umami; garlic chili paste works as a substitute.
- High-heat cooking oil - Used for sautéing and browning the jackfruit; avocado, peanut, or wok oil all work well.
- Green onions - Provide fresh, mild onion flavor and brightness.
- Toasted sesame seeds - Add nutty flavor and a bit of crunch.
- Jackfruit (packed in brine) - Shreds easily and absorbs the marinade, creating a tender, meat-like texture.
- Optional serving items: cooked rice, sautéed or steamed vegetables, kimchi, radishes - Round out the meal with heartiness, freshness, tang, and crunch.
How to make Vegan Bulgogi
Make the marinade. To make the flavorful Bulgogi Sauce, whisk together grated Asian pear, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and gochujang which will become the marinade for the jackfruit.
Combine. Carefully fold in the jackfruit until it is fully immersed in the bulgogi marinade.
Pan-sear. Heat a cast-iron or non-stick pan to medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of high heat oil, and using tongs, place the marinated jackfruit in the skillet, letting the excess marinade drip back into the bowl. Spread the jackfruit bulgogi evenly in the pan and let it cook without stirring for about 3-4 minutes.
Flip over, letting it brown a bit, about another 3 minutes, adding more oil if needed. Pour the remaining marinade and green onions into the pan stir and heat thoroughly for another minute.
How to serve vegan bulgogi
Serve the Bulgogi over cooked jasmine rice with your choice of veggies, kimchi and a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.
Storage
Leftover vegan bulgogi will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
More recipes you may like:
- 20 Buddha Bowls (Vegan & Plant-Based!)
- Vegan Chili Verde with Jackfruit
- Crispy Jackfruit Tacos
- Crispy Jackfruit Carnitas
Vegan Bulgogi Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 1x
- Category: vegan, Asian, dinner recipe
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Korean
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of Asian pear, grated (or sub regular pear or apple)
- 1/4 cup soy sauce (or GF liquid aminos)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated or minced
- 1 tablespoon gochujang pepper paste ( or sub garlic chili paste)
- 1 tablespoon high heat oil -peanut oil, avocado oil, wok oil, etc
- 2 green onions, finely sliced
- 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, toasted
- 20 oz can of jackfruit (packed in brine), drained and rinsed
Instructions
- In a bowl whisk together grated Asian pear, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and gochujang.
- Gently shred jackfruit, hands work best here. Add to the marinade and carefully fold in until jackfruit is fully immersed in the liquid.
- Heat a cast-iron or non-stick pan to medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of oil, using tongs, place jackfruit in the skillet, letting the excess marinade drip back into the bowl. Spread jackfruit evenly in the pan and let it cook without stirring for about 3-4 minutes. Flip over letting it brown a bit, about another 3 minutes, adding more oil if needed.
- Pour the remaining marinade and green onions into the pan stir and heat thoroughly for another minute.
- Serve over rice with veggies, kimchi and a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds.
Notes
Vegan Jackfruit Bulgogi is great in tacos, burritos, lettuce wraps, sushi, spring rolls and so much more!
Feel free to use the flavorful marinade for thinly sliced chicken or beef (for mixed-diet households).
Leftovers will last in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3/4 cup
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 8.1 g
- Sodium: 671.2 mg
- Fat: 9.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 10.6 g
- Fiber: 0.9 g
- Protein: 1.9 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Oh my this was good. I have not had jack fruit in years. The flavour and spice was so nice. Quick and easy to make. I had leftover rice so used that. I added sautéed broccoli, edamame, kimchi and radish. Super delicious .
Next time I’m going to try using soy curls as a sub for a little more texture.
Great to hear Daniella! Love that you are playing around with it.
So tasty, and simple to prepare! The recipe makes a small amount but with its spice level, a little packs a lot of flavor. I served it with rice, kimchi, radish, and steamed Japanese sweet potato. This recipe got my meat loving teenage boy’s approval.
Great to hear Lesli!
Do you have any recommendations for where to get jackfruit in water? All I can find is packed in brine. TY
Oh! Brine is what we meant. Recipe says that now. Sorry for the confusion!
I was a little skeptical about subbing jackfruit in bulgogi, but Sylvia’s recipes are always good, so thought I would give it a try. It was amazing!! I’ll definitely be making this again.
So glad you gave it a try Diana!
I made this with thin sliced elk back strap. It was a hit with the family. Definitely on the repeat list.
Oh nice! So glad you enjoyed.
Flavors are SO GOOD! Used oyster mushrooms instead of jackfruit (which isn’t my favorite). A total win for dinner.
Oh good to hear Leanne- love the mushroom idea!
Made Vegan Bulgogi Bowl first time for a dinner date with friends – wow, it came out better than I imagined! Wish I could share pics! 🙂 Highly recommended xx
Thanks Jess, so glad you enjoyed this!
So tasty. My partner and I LOVE beef bulgogi, but are trying to be healthier and eat less meat. This was a great alternative!
Great to hear Liz!
This is has become such a family staple! I’m curious if I could also use this recipe as a marinade for grilled chicken? The flavor is just sooo good!
Funny you should ask- we were just talking about that ourselves. Yes, I think so? And recipe coming soon!
Hi Sylvia,
If I accidentally got the syrup is it still salvageable to make or should I go back and get the water?
Hi Ashley, not sure what you are referring to here? Maybe the jackfruit? If so try rinsing it and add less sweetener into the dish.
Yes! The jackfruit. Thanks for deciphering that for me! I will give it a try ☺️
Oh great! Let us know how it turns out!
Even my meat-loving husband liked this! Delicious.
Great to hear!
Yum so good!! And so quick to make. I added some edamame to the mix for protein. And I served it over brown rice with some roasted Brussels sprouts, red pepper, and fresh avocado. Total deliciousness!
Sounds perfect Angeli- glad you liked it!
Does the jackfruit need to be rinsed a lot?
Just a little Linda. 🙂
would it be ok to omit the sugar? great recipe as always 🙂
You could, but I’m afraid it would make the flavors unbalanced. What if you cut back?
Is it okay to use fresh ripe jackfruit?
The canned jackfruit is from the young green fruit. The ripe fruit has a different, softer texture and sweeter flavor not as suited for this recipe.
Thanks for your quick reply and also i love your vegan recipes. So YUMMY❤❤❤
Made this for my family. I made it both as the vegan bulogi and one with thinly sliced bulogi meat. People ate seconds and thirds of both. I personally preferred the jack fruit version. I was sad that I didn’t have any leftovers for lunch.
I doubled this the first time I made it because I have such confidence in your recipes. The sauce flavors were fantastic. I can see making this with crumbled tofu, soy curls and tempeh as well. Very versatile recipe, will certainly be making it again and again.
all those sound like perfect variations Alysia. so glad you enjoyed!
Wow, this recipe opened up a whole new world for me! I thought jackfruit was this exotic thing that would take hours of marinating, and this recipe proved me wrong. Super easy, very accurate tasting, incredibly flavorful. This will be on repeat!
Great to hear and glad this worked for you!
oh my gosh- this was so easy and delicious! I happened to have everything in the pantry. perfect with kimchi and rice. thanks for the inspiration. I do eat meat but love my veggies and jackfruit is so fun!