Craving big Korean flavor but don’t have a Korean or Asian market nearby? This Sweet and Spicy Bulgogi Pork is a go-to dinner in Korean homes and a favorite on restaurant menus—but now you can recreate it at home using ingredients from your local grocery store. With just a little planning, you’ll be rewarded with a fast, flavorful, and totally satisfying meal for two. And don’t worry—I'll guide you through easy swaps for the harder-to-find Korean pantry staples so you can still enjoy the bold, comforting flavors of this dish without the extra shopping trip.
Pork Bulgogi (also called jeyuk bokkeum) is thinly sliced pork marinated in a garlicky, sweet, and spicy sauce, then seared and stir-fried with crisp-tender vegetables. It’s bold, savory, and just a little fiery. Perfect for spooning over rice, wrapping in lettuce leaves, or enjoying straight from the pan. While traditional Korean ingredients like perilla leaves, gochugaru and maesil cheong (plum extract syrup) bring authentic depth to the dish, I’ve included simple swaps that are easier to find at most grocery stores, especially if your access to specialty markets is limited. The key is marinating the pork overnight, so the flavor soaks in and every bite hits just right.
If you're already a fan of gochujang’s, smoky-sweet heat, don’t stop here. Try it in more of our keeper meals like Gochujang Chicken Tortellini, Turkey Bacon Avocado Sandwiches with Gochujang Mayo, Korean Lettuce Wraps with Spicy Peanut Sauce, or our favorite Turkey Avocado Burgers with Gochujang Mayo. Once you’ve opened that tub of Korean chili paste, you’ll want to put it on everything.
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Korean Spicy Pork Bulgogi Ingredient Substitutions
One of the biggest hurdles in making Korean dishes at home can be finding the ingredients. While some specialty items are worth the search, others can be swapped out with more familiar pantry staples—without sacrificing too much on flavor. Here are a few easy substitutions I’ve tested and loved, in case your local grocery store doesn’t carry traditional Korean ingredients:
Hard to find Korean Ingredient Substitutions
- Perilla Leaves: These mint-family leaves bring a green apple, minty, and citrusy note to Korean dishes. If you can’t find them fresh (they’re usually sold in big bundles at Asian markets).
Substitute: a mix of mint, spinach, and basil to mimic their layered flavor. It’s not exact—but it works beautifully, especially in wraps or as a garnish.
- Maesil Cheong (Green Plum Syrup): This sweet, slightly tart syrup is a common flavor booster in Korean marinades.
Substitute: maple syrup at a 1:1 ratio. It adds a similar sweet depth and worked really well in my testing.
- Gochugaru (Korean Red Chili Flakes): These flakes are fruity and smoky with a mild heat.
Substitute: If you can’t find them, a mild ground red chili powder (not cayenne) is a solid stand-in. Aim for one without added salt or other spices to keep the flavor clean.
- Pork for Bulgogi: Traditional cuts include pork cushion (a triangular boneless cut) or skinless pork belly for extra richness. But if those aren’t easy to find, pork tenderloin, sliced thinly across the grain, is a leaner and still delicious option.
- Gochujang (Korean Fermented Chili Paste): This staple is becoming much easier to find—I buy mine at Trader Joe’s! Look for the paste in a tub, not the jarred version, which is often a finishing sauce or seasoned marinade. The paste is what you want to create a more authentic bulgogi marinade.
- Everything Else: Garlic, fish sauce, lemon, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and ginger are all widely available and form the foundation of the marinade. You should have no trouble tracking those down!
See recipe card for quantities.
Sweet and Spicy Bulgogi Marinade for Pork Belly or Pork Tenderloin
Bulgogi, is a preparation with roots dating back over a thousand years and remains a go-to for busy Korean cooks for a reason. It delivers huge flavor with minimal effort, so long as you plan ahead. For this spicy bulgogi pork, all you need to do is soak thinly sliced pork belly or pork tenderloin in a bold, flavor-packed marinade. Then it’s ready to be quickly seared in a pan, often stir-fried with thinly sliced vegetables for a fast and satisfying spicy pork stir-fry.
The marinade for this sweet and spicy pork pulls double duty—it seasons and tenderizes. A generous amount of fresh ginger, acidity from lemon juice and white vinegar, and the saltiness of both soy sauce and fish sauce help break down the meat, making it more tender and juicier. Toasted sesame oil not only adds that signature nutty flavor but also promotes browning and keeps the pork from sticking in the pan. Sugar encourages caramelization, adding depth and color.
Of course, it wouldn’t be spicy pork bulgogi without heat. Gochujang brings its signature sweet-smoky burn, while gochugaru or ground red chili powder adds warmth and color. Minced garlic and black pepper round out the mix, making this marinade deeply savory with just the right amount of kick.
Three hours of marinating is enough to get great results. But when I can, I let the Asian marinated pork tenderloin or belly sit for a full 24 hours in the fridge. The longer it soaks, the more flavorful and tender the meat becomes. So when it hits the hot pan, it sears up golden, juicy, and irresistible.
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Sweet and Spicy Bulgogi Pork
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Ingredients
Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon gochujang paste
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons maesil cheong or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons goghugaru or ground red chili pepper
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Pork
- ½ pound thinly sliced skinless pork belly or pork tenderloin
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 carrot peeled and cut into 3-inch match sticks
- ¼ yellow onion sliced ¼ inch thick
- 2 scallions cut into 1 ½ inch lengths, white parts halved lengthwise
- 1 ounce perilla leaves or a mix of spinach mint and basil, sliced ½ inch thick (need cup amount)
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds toasted
For Serving:
- 1 cup short grain sticky rice or sushi rice
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 4 to 6 leaves of lettuce
Instructions
For the Pork and Marinade:
- Whisk all ingredient together in a large bowl. Separate slices of pork, pat dry with paper towels. Cut pork into rough 3 inch by 1 ½ inch pieces. Add the pork to the marinade and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours.
Cook Your Rice.
- Rinse your rice in a sieve until the water runs clear. Toss it in a saucepan with 2¼ cups of water, bring it to a boil, then cover and let it simmer on low for about 15 minutes. Once it’s done, take it off the heat, fluff it with a fork, and stir in some brown sugar and soy sauce. Cover it back up and let it sit for 10 minutes.
For the Korean spicy stir fry:
- Heat oil in 12-inch flat bottomed wok or 10-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add pork and cook, tossing constantly until any exuded juices have thickened and cling to the meat, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium high, add carrots and toss to combine. Add onion and cook, tossing constantly, until vegetables begin to soften, about 30 seconds. Add scallions and toss to combine. Turn off heat, add the handfuls of herbs and toss to combine. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with sesame seed. Serve with seasoned rice and leaf lettuce.
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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