Bulgogi Meatballs (Easy Korean Beef Meatballs)

These Bulgogi Meatballs are packed with sweet and savory Korean bulgogi flavor, and they are easily made low carb and keto friendly with just a few tiny tweaks.

Foreground is a Korean beef bulgogi meatball held between two chopsticks with a garnish of scallions and sesame seeds. Background is a blue asian themed plate with rice and more meatballs on it.

Traditional Korean bulgogi is usually made with thinly sliced beef that’s marinated and quickly cooked. Applying those same flavors into meatballs, while not a necessary upgrade, is definitely a fun one.

The meatballs bake in the oven in about 15 minutes, and while they’re cooking you can whip up the quick bulgogi sauce in a blender and thicken it in the microwave (or on the stovetop if you prefer). Toss the meatballs in that glossy, garlicky sauce, sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds, and dinner is basically done.

Korean bulgogi meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet after being baked until golden brown.

Serve them over rice with a side of kimchi if you like, or over cauliflower rice if you’re keeping things lower carb.

Either way, prepare yourself for the moment when everyone at the table suddenly gets very quiet because they’re too busy eating to talk…

Enjoy the silence, because it means they are a hit!

Korean beef meatballs served over white rice with kimchi and chopsticks on the blue and white plate

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love These Bulgogi Meatballs

• Ready in about 25 minutes
• Oven baked (no frying required)
• Packed with sweet and savory Korean bulgogi flavor
• Easy to adapt for low carb or keto diets
• Great for weeknight dinners or meal prep

What Does Bulgogi Taste Like?

Bulgogi is one of those flavor combinations that hits every note at once.

You’ve got:

• soy sauce for saltiness
• garlic and ginger for bold flavor
• sesame oil for that signature aroma
• a little sweetness to balance everything out
• gochujang for gentle heat and umami depth

When all of that comes together, the result is a rich, savory, slightly sticky sauce that coats the meat beautifully.

For a more traditional bulgogi-style sauce, you can replace the brown sugar with ¼ cup finely grated Asian pear or apple. It adds natural sweetness and slightly lowers the carb count.

Lastly, if you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option than (suddenly very expensive) ground beef, you can substitute ground pork (my first choice) or ground turkey (a close second). The flavor profile will change slightly, but not enough to make a big difference.

Korean Beef Bulgogi Meatballs on a parchment lined baking tray before going into the oven to bake.

Tips for Perfect Meatballs

Don’t overmix the meat
Mix just until the ingredients are combined so the meatballs stay tender.

Use parchment paper
Lining the baking sheet prevents sticking and makes cleanup easier.

Bake on the top rack
This helps the meatballs brown slightly while they cook.

Let the sauce fully thicken
It should be bubbling and glossy before adding the meatballs.

These sweet and savory meatballs also make great leftovers and reheat beautifully for lunch the next day.

How to Make Bulgogi Meatballs Keto

This recipe is easy to adapt for keto or low carb diets.

To make a keto-friendly version:

Replace the brown sugar with your preferred keto sweetener
Use almond flour instead of breadcrumbs
Replace the cornstarch with 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
Serve the meatballs over cauliflower rice instead of white rice

You’ll still get all the savory bulgogi flavor without the extra carbs.

Final Thoughts

If you’re looking for something a little different from the usual meatballs and marinara situation, these Bulgogi Meatballs are a great place to start.

Big flavor, minimal effort, and very few complaints at the dinner table.

Always a win.

If you make these Korean bulgogi-inspired meatballs, let me know how they turn out in the comments!