Saucy, savoury, slightly spicy-sweet and totally delicious, this Lentil Mushroom Bulgogi is perfect quick dinner in under 30 minutes. It's easy to make and perfect to serve alongside some quick pickles, rice and Smashed Radish Salad.
QUICK LOOK: TL:DR
LENTIL MUSHROOM BULGOGI
- Prep Time 10 mins
- Cook Time 20 mins
- Total Time 30mins
- Servings 4
- Calories 329 kcal
- Key Ingredients brown lentils, mushrooms, ginger and garlic, soy sauce
- Dietary Info: vegan and easily made gluten free
- Tasting Notes: sweet and savoury with a hint of heat.
Why you'll love this recipe!
- Quick: takes under 30 minutes
- Easy sauce: once you know how to make the sauce it's so easy to make again!
- Spicy or not! adjust the heat level to your own taste buds
Jump To
Bulgogi sauce is a traditional Korean sauce, typically used on beef or other meats to marinade then cook over high heat or on a BBQ. In this recipe i've taken the absolutely addictive sweet and savory sauce and added it to rich mushrooms and lentils which have a great meaty flavor that pairs beautifully with the bulgogi sauce. Lentils are a great way to add fibre and protein to your meals, so if you want to cook with more lentils, check out my Greek Inspired Lentil Moussaka recipe, or for another super quick dinner, this Gnocchi Lentil and Tomato Casserole .
🍄🟫Lentil Bulgogi Ingredients
Find quantities, timings and nutritional info on the recipe card at the end of the blog post.
- Cooked Brown or Puy Lentils : either simmer some dry lentils in broth until tender or use pre-cooked lentils from a jar or packet.
- Fresh Mushrooms: Choose any of your favourite mushrooms. I used chestnut mushrooms (aka cremini or baby bella mushrooms) however shitake mushroom, oyster mushrooms or a combination of wild mushrooms would also be delicious.
- Green onions/ scallions and toasted sesame seeds to serve!
For the Bulgogi Sauce
- Pear or Apple: This serves as a sweetener. You can also use apple juice or maple syrup.
- Soy Sauce: for the deep savoury notes.
- Ginger and Garlic: The classic combination is so delicious in this sauce.
- Toasted Sesame oil: Just a hint gives a toasted delicious flavor that balances the ginger and garlic.
- Vinegar : Rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
- Cracked black pepper: for a little heat and spice
- Optional Gochujang: Gochujang is a spicy, firey Korean chili paste. I love to add it to soups and dressings. Add a little or a lot according to your taste preferences, or omit if you don't like heat.
See recipe card for quantities.
🌶️Substitutions & Variations
Here's how you can swap ingredients as needed
- No pear or apple-choose brown sugar, a little apple juice or maple syrup to sweeten the sauce in place of the grated pear or apple.
- Ginger & Garlic - instead of using fresh ginger and garlic, you can choose to use the pre-grated/pre-prepared stuff that comes in a jar or tube.
- Bulgogi Sauce- cheat and buy a bottle of bulgogi sauce from your favourite supermarket or asian market. Add a little gochujang and toasted sesame oil!
👩🍳Mushroom & Lentil Bulgogi Instructions
This recipe is super simple: Make the sauce while the mushrooms cook down.
- Step 1: Slice the mushrooms, then cook in an un-oiled pan until they release their juices and cook off the excess liquid. They will then start to caramelise on the edges and get all toasty and delicious.
- Step 2: While the mushrooms are cooking, make the bulgogi sauce by combining the grated pear or apple (or juice), grated ginger, minced garlic, soy sauce, vinegar and gochujang in a small pan, and gently boil down so it thickens.
- Step 3: Once the bulgogi sauce thickens a bit add in the toasted sesame oil.
- Step 4: Add the cooked lentils to the mushrooms, then pour over the bulgogi sauce. Cook a few minutes so the sauce soaks into the mushrooms and lentils.
Serve hot over rice, topped with toasted sesame seeds and green onions. Side dishes such as kimchi, Cucumber and Carrot Salad, and Green Beans in Gomae Sauce are make the perfect accompaniment.
Hint: Leave a little sauce aside when adding to the lentils, so you can add extra on top as you're eating, which is especially delicious if you have steamed vegetables on the side!
What to serve with Lentil Bulgogi
Traditionally beef bulgogi would be served over rice with a lot of vegetable side dishes. I like to serve it with some Charred Broccoli, perhaps with some Gomae Sesame dressing drizzled over it. Of course some seaweed sheets and kimchi are always delicious with any Korean meal
Louise's Top Tip
Make double or triple batch of the sauce and keep in the fridge for up to a week so you can have a quick dinner any time. It's also delicious served as a sauce in instead of the Teriyaki in this Teriyaki Tempeh recipe.
❓Lentil Mushroom Bulgogi FAQ
Add steamed rice to a bowl, then add your choice of meat or mushrooms and lentils cooked in bulgogi sauce. Serve with kimchi and other vegetable side dishes.
Bulgogi sauce can be made gluten free if the soy sauce is a gluten free soy sauce (aka tamari).
Store any leftover mushroom and lentil bulgogi in the fridge for up to 5 days. Keep fresh in an airtight container. The recipe can be frozen for up to 3 months and reheated to piping hot before eating.
Other Dishes to eat
Why not try one of these delicious Asian dishes to go along with the Lentil Bulgogi?:
ADD RECIPE BLOCK HERE
📖 Recipe
Lentil Mushroom Bulgogi
Equipment
- 1 small sauce pan
- 1 grater
- 1 large frying pan or skillet
Ingredients Note:
For accuracy, I measure all ingredients in metric as standard, then convert and test the recipe for American cup measurements etc.
(Heads up Aussie and UK readers- your measurements in cups are sometimes different, so please use metric or check you have the correct cup and spoon type!!)
Ingredients
- 250 g (1 ¼ cups) cooked puy or brown lentils
- 250 g (2 ⅗ cups) mushrooms (chestnut (UK) /Cremini/ baby bella )
For the bulgogi sauce
- 60 ml (4 tablespoon) soy sauce
- 80 g (4 tablespoon) pear - grated (or pear or apple juice.)
- 15 g (1 tablespoon) ginger (a thumb sized piece)
- 5 cloves garlic
- 30 ml (2 tablespoon) rice wine vinegar
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) toasted sesame oil
- 10 g (2 teaspoon) crushed black pepper
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) gochujang (korean red pepper sauce. OPTIONAL)
To serve
- 3 (⅓ cup) green onions (scallions)
- 2 tablespoon (2 tablespoon) toasted sesame seeds (or other seeds )
Instructions
- Slice the mushrooms and add to a dry frying pan. Cook down until they release their juiced and caramelize on the edges. Season with a little salt.
- While the mushrooms are cooking get on with making the bulgogi sauce.
Make the bulgogi sauce
- Finely grate the ginger and grate or finely chop the garlic.
- Grate the pear using the fine part of your box grater. You can also use pear juice or apple juice instead.
- Add the pear, ginger, garlic, ground pepper, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar to a small pan. Simmer until the pear dissolves and it tastes delicious -about 10 mins.
- Add gochujang sauce to taste (optional depending on how spicy you like your food)
- Add the sesame oil and mix.
To finish the dish
- Add a little oil to the now cooked mushrooms and return to the heat. S
- Stir in the cooked Puy or brown lentils and heat through.
- Stir through the bulgogi sauce and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes until it bubbles.
- Serve over rice with chopped green onions and topped with sesame seeds. Some kimchi is also a delicious idea!
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