Bulgogi is a sweet and savory Korean dish. This keto Korean beef bulgogi removes the sugar, but keeps the absolutely delicious taste!

WHAT IS KOREAN BEEF BULGOGI
Korean beef bulgogi is a classic grilled Korean dish. The dish consists of thinly sliced pork or beef, which has been marinated and either grilled or cooked on a flat cooktop.
The dish can even be cooked like a stir fry, which is most popular in home kitchens.
When using beef, sirloin, ribeye, or brisket are frequently used. However, like this recipe, other cuts of beef (boneless beef short ribs, in our case) can be used to satisfy personal preference.
The dish originated from the northern areas of the Korean Peninsula but is a very popular dish in South Korea. Believe it or not, it can be found in upscale restaurants as well as local supermarkets as ready-to-cook kits.
WHAT DOES BULGOGI MEAN?
Bulgogi translates literally as “fire meat,” which comes from its preparation method. As mentioned above, the meat is traditionally cooked on a grill or a stove-top griddle.
KETO KOREAN BEEF BULGOGI INGREDIENTS
In order to make this delicious Korean dish, you’ll need to make sure you have the following ingredients on hand.
- 1 lb boneless beef short ribs
- 1/4 onion, sliced
- 1/4 cup liquid aminos
- 2 tbsp Lakanto Golden Monkfruit Sweetener
- use coupon code betterthanbreadketo for 20% off your order!
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp grated ginger, fresh
After you have all of this, you’re set and ready to cook!

HOW TO MAKE KOREAN BEEF BULGOGI
- Thinly slice the beef shortribs and add to a mixing bowl
- Add the rest of the ingredients into the bowl, mixing well
- Let the mixture sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes
- Heat a wok or skillet over high heat, then add avocado oil
- Make sure to coat the bottom well with the oil
- Add the beef mixture and begin to stir
- Cook until the beef is cooked and the sauce thickens
- Remove from heat and serve!
KOREAN BEEF BULGOGI WITH RICE
Most Asian-inspired dishes aren’t complete without either a side or bed of white or fried rice. The bad news is, of course, rice is incredibly high in carbs.
However, the good news is, cauliflower is a great rice substitute and can make this dish amazingly complete. Depending on what kind of mood you’re in, we have two cauliflower rice recipes you might be interested in.
Check out our Keto Cauliflower White Rice and Keto Japanese Fried Rice recipes to help make this dish even better!

DOESN’T TRADITIONAL BULGOGI USE PEAR AS AN INGREDIENT?
It does, in fact. However, pears are full of carbohydrates (around 30g per pear). While most recipes don’t call for a large amount of pear, keeping as many carbs out of a dish is always a top priority.
So, even though traditional recipes call for pear as an ingredient, we don’t use it here because of its sugar and carbohydrate content.
WHAT SIDES GO WELL WITH BEEF BULGOGI?
Besides the ever delicious white or fried rice, there are other great side dish recipes that pair well with this delicious dish.
- Low-Carb Spicy Roasted Broccoli
- Keto Japanese Onion Soup
- Keto Cauliflower White Rice
- Keto Japanese Fried Rice
For more ideas, you can check out our recipe index, or check out all of our side dish recipes.
TOOLS TO MAKE KETO KOREAN BEEF BULGOGI
Click on the links to see the items used in making this recipe. You can also find these products linked in the recipe below.
- Cast Iron Wok – Cast iron is sturdy, heavy-bottomed, and basically indestructible. Why does that matter for you? Well, that means it makes a GREAT material to make cookware out of. A cast iron wok (or regular steel wok) is an essential tool in your kitchen, especially if you are a lover of Asian cuisine. Their depth, sloped sides, and cook surface makes woks invaluable when it comes to cooking larger amounts of food or foods with sauce. If you don’t have a wok (cast iron or other), you definitely need to look into getting one soon!


Keto Korean Beef Bulgogi
Bulgogi is a sweet and savory Korean dish. This keto Korean beef bulgogi removes the sugar, but keeps the absolutely delicious taste!
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless beef short ribs
- 1/4 onion, sliced
- 1/4 cup liquid aminos
- 2 tbsp Lakanto Golden Monkfruit Sweetener
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp grated ginger, fresh
Instructions
- Thinly slice the beef shortribs and add to a mixing bowl
- Add the rest of the ingredients into the bowl, mixing well
- Let the mixture sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes
- Heat a wok or skillet over high heat, then add avocado oil
- Make sure to coat the bottom well with the oil
- Add the beef mixture and begin to stir
- Cook until the beef is cooked and the sauce thickens
- Remove from heat and serve!
Nutrition Information
Yield 3 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 628Total Fat 50gCarbohydrates 2gProtein 41g
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from an online food databse. All carbohydrate counts are calculated as net carbs instead of total. Net carb count excludes both fiber and sugar alcohols, because these do not affect blood sugar in most people. We try to be accurate, but feel free to make your own calculations.