Bulgogi Kimbap is one of the most popular Korean seaweed rice rolls. It is easy to make, delicious to eat and beautiful to look at. It makes a perfect picnic food, lunchbox item and party food. Full of healthy and savoury flavour!
What is Bulgogi Kimbap or Gimbap?
Bulgogi Kimbap (불고기 김밥) is Korean seaweed rice rolls that are filled with Bulgogi (Korean marinated BBQ beef) and other vegetable fillings. These fillings typically include; carrots, blanched seasoned spinach, yellow radish pickles, perilla leaves and seasoned burdock root.
You could also add egg omelettes, but since Bulgogi Kimbap is already jam packed with protein, I normally don’t add it. Also, I prefer adding cucumber instead of spinach to save some cooking time.
There are many creative ways you can make Korean rice rolls and Bulgogi Kimbap is definitely one of my top 3 picks. It gives a more luxurious taste than other types of Kimbap simply because it has beef in it. 😉
If you don’t want to prepare Bulgogi yourself, you can even rely on a Korean BBQ marinade bottle or buy the ready to cook Bulgogi from a Korean grocery store. That is my cheating method. Lol. But I want to emphasise that Kimbap with homemade Bulgogi tastes best. (The picture above is made with homemade Bulgogi!)
Kimbap in Korea
In Korea, Kimbap is continuously evolving. It’s mainly to do with the filings. I haven’t tried many new varieties yet but next time I visit Korea I will be fully focused on educating myself to these new varieties! (So looking forward to it already!)
One unique thing about Kimbap is that, unlike sushi rolls that are often accompanied with soy sauce and wasabi paste, there is no Kimbap sauce. With so many different fillings inside there’s no need for the additional dipping sauce. It’s full of salty, sweet and savoury surprise!
I hope you enjoy my Bulgogi Kimbap recipe! You can also check out my other favourite Kimbap (Korean rice rolls) recipes from here.
Ingredients for Bulgogi Kimbap (yields 7 rolls of Kimbap, about 4 servings)
Main
- 7 roasted Korean seaweed sheets or sushi seaweed sheets
- 5 and 1/2 cups steamed short grain rice (*see note), cooled down
- 1 Tbsp roasted sesame seeds
- 14 Korean perilla leaves, stems removed
- 500g/1 pound Bulgogi (Korean marinated beef), cooked
- 7 Korean yellow radish pickle strips (*see note)
- 14 seasoned burdock root strips (*see note)
- 1 English or Lebanese cucumber (270g/10 ounces), seeds removed and julienned
- 1 medium carrot (220g/8 ounces), julienned (I used this mandoline slicer)
- 1 to 2 Tbsp sesame oil
Rice seasoning (Mix these in a small bowl and microwave it for about 30 seconds to dissolve the sugar. Alternatively you could use 3 Tbsp of pre-made sushi seasoning sauce)
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp white sugar
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
* 1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 Cup = 250 ml
**If you want to learn more about Korean ingredients, check my 30 essential Korean cooking ingredients list!
How to Make Bulgogi Kimbap
- In a large bowl, mix the steamed rice with the rice seasoning and roasted sesame seeds.
- Place one seaweed sheet on a bamboo (sushi) mat and thinly spread the rice on the seaweed sheet. (I covered about 90% of the sheet)
- Place the prepared ingredients on top of the rice (in the lower centre of the rice) in the order of perilla leaves, Bulgogi, yellow radish pickles, seasoned burdock root, cucumber and carrots.
- Once all the ingredients are set, lift the bottom end of the sushi mat to cover the ingredients. Once you cover them, roll up the seaweed to the top. (Paste some water or put some rice pieces at the edge of the seaweed sheet, if it doesn’t stick) Roll the sushi roll with the bamboo mat once more to give a firm shape. Repeat this process with the remaining ingredients.
- Once you finish rolling them, paste the sesame oil onto the rolls to give extra nutty savoury flavour and shiny look.
- Cut the Kimbap into bite size pieces and serve them on a plate. Or you can enjoy them sushi burrito style. Refer to the note below.
Note
- Rice – Short grain or medium grain rice is most suitable for Korean Kimbap. 3 cups of rice (based on the rice cup measurement: 1 cup = roughly 75% of 250ml ) results in 5 ½ cups of steamed rice (based on the standard measuring cup).
- For general guidance on cooking Korean steamed rice (short grain rice), check my “How to cook perfect Korean steamed rice” post. For my rice, I used the “sushi rice setting” from my rice cooker. Sushi rice is slightly drier than typical Korean steamed rice.
- Korean yellow radish pickles (Danmuji, 단무지) – There are two types of Korean yellow radish pickles available for Kimbap. One is whole yellow radish pickles, and the other one is ready to use yellow radish pickle strips. I normally buy the latter for convenience.
- Seasoned burdock root strips is a very common ingredient used in Kimbap. You can find ready to use seasoned burdock root strips in the fridge section at a Korean grocery store. I normally buy the package that combines yellow radish pickles in one pouch and seasoned burdock root strips in the other pouch. (Refer picture below.)
- You can also serve the Kimbap in a burrito style. Simply wrap around the Kimbap with a foil sheet and cut through a middle of the Kimbap roll. (Refer picture below)
Bulgogi Kimbap (Bulgogi Seaweed Rice Rolls)
Ingredients
MAIN
- 7 dried seaweed sheets
- 5 1/2 cups steamed short grain rice , cooled down, *see note above
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 14 g Perilla leaves , stems removed
- 500 g Bulgogi (Korean marinated beef) (1 pound), cooked
- 7 strips yellow radish pickle *see note above
- 14 strips seasoned burdock root *see note above
- 1 English or Lebanese cucumber (270 g / 10 ounces), seeds removed and julienned
- 1 medium carrot (220 g / 8 ounces), julienned (I used a mandoline slicer)
- 1 to 2 Tbsp sesame oil
RICE SEASONING (MIX THESE IN A SMALL BOWL AND MICROWAVE IT FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS TO DISSOLVE THE SUGAR. ALTERNATIVELY YOU COULD USE 3 TBSP OF PRE-MADE SUSHI SEASONING SAUCE)
- 3 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp white sugar
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the steamed rice with the rice seasoning and roasted sesame seeds.
- Place one seaweed sheet on a bamboo (sushi) mat and thinly spread the rice on the seaweed sheet. (I covered about 90% of the sheet)
- Place the prepared ingredients on top of the rice (in the lower centre of the rice) in the order of perilla leaves, Bulgogi, yellow radish pickles, seasoned burdock root, cucumber and carrots.
- Once all the ingredients are set, lift the bottom end of the sushi mat to cover the ingredients. Once you cover them, roll up the seaweed to the top. (Paste some water or put some rice pieces at the edge of the seaweed sheet, if it doesn’t stick) Roll the sushi roll with the bamboo mat once more to give a firm shape. Repeat this process with the remaining ingredients.
- Once you finish rolling them, paste the sesame oil onto the rolls to give extra nutty savoury flavour and shiny look.
- Cut the Kimbap into bite size pieces and serve them on a plate. Or you can enjoy them sushi burrito style. Refer to the note below.
Notes
Nutrition Info (per serving)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
