KOREAN HOME COOKING

Cucumber Bulgogi Rice Bowl (오이불고기덮밥)

Name: Cucumber Bulgogi Rice Bowl (오이불고기덮밥)
Prep time: 195 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 215 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: Thinly sliced beef chuck: 14 oz (400 g); Korean cucumbers: 2 1/2 (500 g); Cooked short-grain rice: 3 bowls (about 600 g); Pasteurized egg yolks: 3 (about 54 g); Water, for brine: 4 1/4 cups (1 L); Fine salt, for brine: 1 tbsp (15 g); Potato starch: 1 1/2 tbsp (12 g); Soy sauce: 4 1/2 tbsp (67 ml); Doenjang: 1 tbsp (18 g); Sugar: 1 1/2 tbsp (19 g); Asian pear juice: 6 tbsp (90 ml); Minced garlic: 1 1/2 tbsp (22 g); Toasted sesame oil: 4 tbsp, divided (60 ml); Mirin: 3 tbsp (45 ml); Allulose or honey: 1 1/2 tbsp (22 ml); Neutral oil, sesame seeds, pepper: As needed (As needed)

오이불고기덮밥 · Oi Bulgogi Deopbap

Marinated beef and lightly cooked cucumber meet over rice with a glossy doenjang-soy sauce and rich egg yolk.

Total time215 minYield3 servingsDifficultyModerate

Editorial guidance updated September 16, 2026 · Not a claim of kitchen testing

Cucumber bulgogi over rice topped with a bright egg yolk

Finished dish from the official Altoran recipe video ↗

QUICK ANSWER

What to know before you cook

Marinated beef and lightly cooked cucumber meet over rice with a glossy doenjang-soy sauce and rich egg yolk.

Cucumber Bulgogi Rice Bowl (오이불고기덮밥) takes about 215 minutes and makes 3 servings. It is rated moderate and the finished dish is not spicy. Serve gochujang or sliced chile on the side.

The key cooking cue: Cook cucumber briefly; its fresh crunch is the point of the pairing.

WHY THIS DISH MATTERS

A little cultural context

Deopbap means food served over rice. Adding quickly fried cucumber turns familiar bulgogi into a summer-friendly one-bowl meal with a fresh, juicy contrast.

INGREDIENTS

What you'll need

Both systems are shown so you can cook without converting.

IngredientUSMetric

Thinly sliced beef chuck14 oz400 g

Korean cucumbers2 1/2500 g

Cooked short-grain rice3 bowlsabout 600 g

Pasteurized egg yolksOptional3about 54 g

Water, for brine4 1/4 cups1 L

Fine salt, for brine1 tbsp15 g

Potato starch1 1/2 tbsp12 g

Soy sauce4 1/2 tbsp67 ml

Doenjang1 tbsp18 g

Sugar1 1/2 tbsp19 g

Asian pear juice6 tbsp90 ml

Minced garlic1 1/2 tbsp22 g

Toasted sesame oil4 tbsp, divided60 ml

Mirin3 tbsp45 ml

Allulose or honey1 1/2 tbsp22 ml

Neutral oil, sesame seeds, pepperAs neededAs needed

COOKING WEBTOON

Cook it panel by panel

A quick visual memory guide for the whole recipe.

6 cute steps

1
Brine the beef
20 minutes
Dissolve 1 tablespoon salt in 1 liter cold water. Soak the sliced beef in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, drain, and pat thoroughly dry.
2
Marinate
2 to 3 hours
Mix soy sauce, doenjang, sugar, pear juice, garlic, 3 tablespoons sesame oil, mirin, allulose, pepper, and sesame seeds. Coat the beef and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
3
Salt the cucumber
5 minutes
Thinly slice the cucumbers, toss with 1 teaspoon additional salt, and rest 5 minutes. Squeeze dry.
4
Cook separately
9 minutes
Stir-fry cucumber with 1 teaspoon sesame oil over high heat for 60 to 90 seconds; remove. In the same pan, cook the drained beef in two batches for 3 to 4 minutes each.
5
Gloss the sauce
2 minutes
Return all beef and cucumber to the pan. Mix potato starch with 2 tablespoons cold water, drizzle it in, and toss for 1 minute. Finish with the remaining sesame oil.
6
Build the bowls
2 minutes
Spoon over hot rice and top each serving with a pasteurized egg yolk and sesame seeds.

AI-assisted illustration. Follow the written recipe below for exact measurements, doneness, and food-safety details.

DIRECTIONS

How to make it

01
Brine the beef · 20 minutes
Dissolve 1 tablespoon salt in 1 liter cold water. Soak the sliced beef in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, drain, and pat thoroughly dry.
02
Marinate · 2 to 3 hours
Mix soy sauce, doenjang, sugar, pear juice, garlic, 3 tablespoons sesame oil, mirin, allulose, pepper, and sesame seeds. Coat the beef and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
03
Salt the cucumber · 5 minutes
Thinly slice the cucumbers, toss with 1 teaspoon additional salt, and rest 5 minutes. Squeeze dry.
04
Cook separately · 9 minutes
Stir-fry cucumber with 1 teaspoon sesame oil over high heat for 60 to 90 seconds; remove. In the same pan, cook the drained beef in two batches for 3 to 4 minutes each.
05
Gloss the sauce · 2 minutes
Return all beef and cucumber to the pan. Mix potato starch with 2 tablespoons cold water, drizzle it in, and toss for 1 minute. Finish with the remaining sesame oil.
06
Build the bowls · 2 minutes
Spoon over hot rice and top each serving with a pasteurized egg yolk and sesame seeds.
Cook's noteCook cucumber briefly; its fresh crunch is the point of the pairing.

COOK WITH CONFIDENCE

Fix common problems

Use the symptom, likely cause, and rescue step while you cook.

Beef steams in the pan

Likely causeWet meat or too much marinade crowded the skillet.

How to fix itDrain before cooking and work in batches. Refrigerate during both brining and marinating.

Cucumber becomes soft

Likely causeIt cooked alongside the beef for too long.

How to fix itStir-fry cucumber briefly, remove it, and return for the final toss. Use a cooked egg if you do not want the optional pasteurized raw yolk.

SHOP & SUBSTITUTE

Cook it anywhere

Ingredient swaps

Korean cucumberUse Persian cucumbers; English cucumber also works if seeded.

Asian pear juiceUse apple juice or grated ripe pear.

Pasteurized egg yolkTop with a jammy fried egg.

Korean pantry guide

Doenjang →된장 · doenjang

Korean fermented soybean paste adds savory depth to the sweet bulgogi sauce.

Search: Korean fermented soybean paste doenjang

🍚

Serve it with

Baechu kimchi
Chilled radish soup
Seasoned seaweed

🌶️

Spice level

Not spicy. Serve gochujang or sliced chile on the side.

♨️

Storage & serving

Refrigerate beef and cucumber separately from rice for up to 3 days. Reheat the beef quickly; add fresh egg only when serving.

REAL COOK QUESTIONS

Good questions, clear answers

Short answers for substitutions, heat level, make-ahead cooking, and serving.

What can I substitute for Korean cucumber in Cucumber Bulgogi Rice Bowl (오이불고기덮밥)?

Use Persian cucumbers; English cucumber also works if seeded.

Is Cucumber Bulgogi Rice Bowl (오이불고기덮밥) spicy?

Not spicy. Serve gochujang or sliced chile on the side.

Can I make Cucumber Bulgogi Rice Bowl (오이불고기덮밥) ahead of time?

Refrigerate beef and cucumber separately from rice for up to 3 days. Reheat the beef quickly; add fresh egg only when serving.

What should I serve with Cucumber Bulgogi Rice Bowl (오이불고기덮밥)?

Serve it with Baechu kimchi, Chilled radish soup, Seasoned seaweed.

# bulgogi bowl# cucumber# deopbap# doenjang

Cucumber Bulgogi Rice Bowl (오이불고기덮밥)

What to know before you cook

A little cultural context

What you'll need

Cook it panel by panel

Brine the beef

Marinate

Salt the cucumber

Cook separately

Gloss the sauce

Build the bowls

How to make it

Brine the beef · 20 minutes

Marinate · 2 to 3 hours

Salt the cucumber · 5 minutes

Cook separately · 9 minutes

Gloss the sauce · 2 minutes

Build the bowls · 2 minutes