Name: Vegan Bulgogi Buddha Bowl (high protein)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce; 2 tablespoon brown sugar; 2 tablespoon sesame oil; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 12 ounces Impossible meat; 1/2 cup finely chopped onion; 3 to 4 cloves garlic minced; 3 green onion, chopped and separate the white part from the green part; 2 small size carrots, grated; 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, for garnish; Cooked quinoa (Instruction on how to cook perfect stovetop quinoa, check this post); Persian cucumber, sliced; Cooked edamame; Fried egg (for vegetarian)

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Easy buddha bowl (high protein) with sweet and savory vegan bulgogi "beef" ground over quinoa. Perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner!

overhead shot of vegan buddha bowl with quinoa, vegan bulgogi, edamame, and cucumber slices.

This buddha bowl has made a frequent appearance on our dinner table for the last couple of weeks. My husband and I are trying to eat a little fewer carbs and a little more protein and this bowl checks all the boxes. Plus, this is such and quick and easy recipe that's perfect for a weeknight dinner!

What is bulgogi?

Bulgogi 불고기 is a very popular Korean dish. “Bul 불” means "fire" and “Gogi 고기” means "meat" in Korean. So technically, if you cook your meat on the fire, you can call it bulgogi.

But the most popular type of bulgogi is the dish with thinly sliced beef (usually, ribeye or sirloin) marinated in soy sauce. I have a seitan bulgogi recipe with homemade beef-flavor seitan if you are interested.

Today, I will be introducing you guys to a different version. This is my take on Korean ground beef bulgogi vegan style!

Impossible meat, green onion, onion, carrot, minced garlic, and bulgogi sauce in the bowl.

Which vegan/plant-based ground "beef" to use:

I am using Impossible meat in this recipe. I have experimented with Gardein's beefless ground and Beyond meat. But the texture of Gardein's product was too soft and Beyond meat has too strong of a flavor that interferes with bulgogi sauce.

What if I want to stick to whole foods?

I totally understand! Although I occasionally enjoy the flavor and texture of Impossible meat, it is a highly processed product. If you'd like to stick to whole foods, I recommend using crumbled extra firm tofu or mushroom. Both tofu and mushroom contain quite a bit of water. The key is to cook them until most of the moisture evaporates before you add the sauce.

How to make vegan bulgogi ground "beef"

Cook Impossible meat on a non-stick skillet without adding any oil until they are mostly no longer pink.
Add the aromatic vegetables.
Pour the bulgogi sauce over cooked "meat" and aromatic vegetables.
Add the rest of the vegetables.
Assemble high protein buddha bowl with quinoa, cooked edamame, and a fried egg if you are not vegan.

cooked impossible meat with green onion and onion in the pan.

After adding bulgogi sauce to the cooked "meat" and vegetables.

What makes this bowl high protein

One of the struggles I had when I first became a vegetarian was that I was hungry all the time. But when you eat a meal that's high in protein, it will definitely keep you full longer. Did you know:

Every cup of quinoa has 8 grams of quality protein
A cup of cooked edamame has 18.5 grams of protein
4 ounces of Impossible meat have the same amount of protein (19 grams) as ground beef
For vegetarians - Every egg has 6 to 8 grams of protein

Serving suggestions

Although the vegan bulgogi is packed with flavor, something fresh (like cucumber slices or radish) and/or something spicy can be a welcome topping and side dish. I recommend serving this buddha bowl with:

If you are a vegetarian, a fried egg on top of the buddha bowl is an excellent addition.

Did you enjoy this recipe? Make sure to check out my other flavorful vegan and vegetarian-friendly Korean recipes here!

two bulgogi buddha bowls - one with fried egg on top (for vegetarian) and one with edamame (for vegan).

Vegan Bulgogi Buddha Bowl (high protein)

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Easy buddha bowl (high protein) with sweet and savory vegan bulgogi "beef" ground over quinoa. Perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner!

Author: George
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Main course
Method: Stir fried
Cuisine: Korean
Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale

For the bulgogi sauce

4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 tablespoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the vegan bulgogi

12 ounces Impossible meat
½ cup finely chopped onion
3 to 4 cloves garlic minced
3 green onion, chopped and separate the white part from the green part
2 small size carrots, grated
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

For buddha bowl

Cooked quinoa (Instruction on how to cook perfect stovetop quinoa, check this post)
Persian cucumber, sliced
Cooked edamame
Fried egg (for vegetarian)

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Instructions

Mix together all the ingredients for the bulgogi sauce in a small bowl and set it aside.
In a skillet, add the impossible ground without any oil and cook until most of the grounds are no longer pink.
Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and white part of the green onion. Cook with frequent stirring until onion is slightly translucent.
Add the sauce to the mixture and stir to mix everything.
Once the sauce starts to bubble, add the grated carrots and green part of the green onion. Continue to cook until most of the sauce is absorbed.
Remove it from the heat and garnish it with toasted sesame seeds.
Assemble the buddha bowl. In a bowl, add the cooked quinoa, half of the vegan bulgogi grounds, cucumber, and cooked edamame. If you are a vegetarian, top the bowl with a fried egg.

Notes

This will keep in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days in an airtight container.
You can reheat it in the microwave or stovetop until heated through.