Homemade Salmon Bulgogi Recipe

With a rich Korean marinade, this Salmon Bulgogi recipe is a delightful way to enjoy fresh seafood. This marinates for an hour, but cooks in only 20 minutes.

This year sure hasn’t been the year we expected, has it? For my family, it’s meant staying home, skipping vacations and trips to visit family, and reevaluating what risks we’re willing to take. Ultimately, the goal is for all of us to remain healthy.

But staying home doesn’t have to be a bore. In fact, with a little effort, you can take culinary trips to wherever you wish.

This dish, Salmon Bulgogi, reminds me of something we might find in a restaurant in Boston or New York.

The bulgogi marinade, typically used on beef, gives the salmon a rich, unique flavor. It’s made with Asian pear, onion, soy sauce, sugar, garlic and ginger.

Individually, all the flavors are bold. Together, they create a complex blend that makes this dish so unique.

And while the salmon does need to marinate for a while, it cooks so quickly. Ready in less than 20 minutes, it’s a quick and easy recipe for salmon lovers.

I love to serve this with rice or rice noodles, as well as sauteed greens (pictured: garlicky bok choy and zucchini) and avocado. A little diced mango is nice too. But you could also serve this with julienned carrots, thinly sliced scallions or sauteed cabbage.

What is an Asian pear?

Before we get to the Salmon Bulgogi recipe, there’s a key ingredient we need to discuss.

An Asian pear is a delicate fruit, often sold in a sleeve to keep it from becoming damaged. It comes from a pear tree that’s native to East Asia, and is known by many names including nashi pear, apple pear and sand pear. It’s flesh is crisp like an apple but with the familiar flavor of a pear.

In this marinade, it’s the secret ingredient that makes the bulgogi taste so exquisite and unique.

Ready to try this?

Then do it! If you have trouble locating the pear, ask your grocer. Or reach out to your network for help. Then have at it.