Pan-Seared Korean Beef Bulgogi with Stir-Fried Spinach

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-30 · Updated 2026-06-30

Tender Korean-style marinated beef quickly pan-seared and paired with garlicky stir-fried spinach for a balanced meal. This Korean-inspired beef recipe, ready in about 50 minutes, pairs thinly sliced beef ribeye, soy sauce, brown sugar for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 370 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 lb thinly sliced beef ribeye
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 4 cloves, minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 stalks, thinly sliced green onion
• 8 cups (about 8 oz) fresh spinach
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp, for garnish toasted sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp, optional red pepper flakes

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Instructions

1. Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine 1 lb thinly sliced beef ribeye with 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp sesame oil, 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp grated ginger, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mix well and marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
2. Step 2: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the marinated beef in a single layer and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until browned and cooked through. Remove beef and keep warm.
3. Step 3: In the same skillet, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 4 cups fresh spinach (half the total). Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until wilted, then add remaining 4 cups spinach, 2 thinly sliced green onions, and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes if using. Cook an additional 1-2 minutes until all spinach is tender.
4. Step 4: Return beef to the skillet and toss with spinach mixture for 1 minute to combine and heat through.
5. Step 5: Transfer to plates and sprinkle 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds over top before serving.