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Beef Bulgogi Lettuce Wraps

Tender pear-marinated beef with caramelized edges meets cool lettuce, rice, bright pickles, kimchi, and savory ssamjang.

Bulgogi lettuce wraps filled with caramelized beef, rice, pickled vegetables, kimchi, and ssamjang on a platter.

These lettuce wraps turn bulgogi into a lively, assemble-at-the-table meal. The key is preparing every cool, crisp accompaniment before the marinated beef meets the skillet, because the cooking itself moves quickly.

Paper-thin starts with a brief chill

Partially firming the ribeye makes its soft grain easier to control under a sharp knife. Slice across that grain so the quick-seared strips stay tender; use the same approach for the leaner sirloin fallback.

A short marinade does enough

Grated Asian pear helps the salty-sweet marinade cling to every thin surface. A 20-minute rest is enough for these delicate slices, while sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and scallion build the familiar aromatic depth.

Paper-thin marinated beef sears in an uncrowded cast-iron skillet with caramelized edges. — Thin marinated beef strips sear in a single uncrowded layer on the hot skillet.

Space creates caramelized edges

Lift the meat from the marinade instead of pouring the liquid into the pan, then cook in batches. The dry, fiercely hot skillet can brown exposed edges rapidly while the thin slices remain juicy.

Balance every lettuce cup

Warm rice anchors the savory bulgogi, while drained radish and carrot add snap and acidity. Kimchi contributes fermented heat and ssamjang adds richness, so a modest amount of each keeps the wrap balanced and easy to fold.

A close lettuce wrap reveals glossy bulgogi, rice, crisp pickles, kimchi, ssamjang, scallion, and sesame seeds. — Caramelized bulgogi sits against crisp lettuce, glossy rice, and bright quick-pickled vegetables.

Beef Bulgogi Lettuce Wraps

4 servings

60 minutes total

Ingredients

•
• 1/2 Asian pear, peeled and finely grated
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp packed light brown sugar
• 3 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
• 1 tsp neutral cooking oil
• 1 cup thinly sliced daikon radish
• 1 cup matchstick-cut carrot
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 8 large butter lettuce leaves
• 2 cups cooked short-grain white rice, warm
• 1 cup prepared kimchi
• 1/3 cup prepared ssamjang
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

Chill and slice the beef
Chill the ribeye for 20 minutes until firm but not frozen, then slice it across the grain into paper-thin strips; treat sirloin the same way if using the fallback cut.
Look for: The beef is firm enough to slice cleanly and the strips are nearly translucent at their edges.
Marinate the beef
Mix the grated Asian pear, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and the white parts of the scallions, then coat the sliced beef and marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Look for: The sugar is dissolved and every strip of beef is glossy with marinade.
Quick-pickle the vegetables
Toss the daikon radish and carrot with the rice vinegar and kosher salt, massage briefly, and let stand while the beef marinates.
Look for: The vegetables begin to soften while retaining a crisp center.
Prepare the wrap fixings
Rinse and thoroughly dry the butter lettuce leaves, warm the cooked rice, and arrange the kimchi and ssamjang in separate serving bowls.
Look for: The lettuce cups are dry and flexible, and all accompaniments are ready before cooking begins.
Heat the skillet
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat for 3 minutes, add the neutral cooking oil, and swirl until the oil shimmers and just begins to smoke.
Look for: The skillet is ripping hot and the thin film of oil shimmers across its surface.
Sear the bulgogi
Lift half the beef from the marinade, let excess drip off, and sear in an uncrowded layer for 2 minutes, turning once, until browned at the edges; repeat with the remaining beef.
Look for: The beef has caramelized edges and no longer looks wet or gray.
Finish the beef
Return all the bulgogi to the skillet, toss for 1 minute with the scallion greens and toasted sesame seeds, then immediately transfer it to a serving platter.
Look for: The scallions wilt slightly and the beef remains juicy beneath its browned edges.
Build the lettuce wraps
Fill each lettuce leaf with warm rice and bulgogi, drain and add the pickled radish and carrot, then top with kimchi and a small spoonful of ssamjang before serving.
Look for: Each wrap has a balanced layer of rice, beef, crisp pickle, kimchi, and savory sauce.