Instant Pot Korean beef is an easy version of this classic dish. Everything cooks in one pot for minimal clean-up and is ready in about 30 minutes.
This month has just been crazy busy so far and I haven’t been able to spend as much time prepping or planning meals as I usually do. So we’ve been doing a lot of sheet pan, one pot, and Instant Pot meals.
My family loves Korean-style marinated beef. We often make bulgogi on the grill for BBQs and Korean beef bowls for meal prep.
Instant Pot Korean Beef
This Korean beef recipe cooks the beef in a sweet, savory, and slightly spicy sauce. Most of the Instant Pot Korean Beef recipes I came across use beef stew meat (chuck roast) which is then shredded after it is done cooking. However, I chose to use top sirloin because I wanted a beefier steak texture.
The beef soaks up the flavors of the marinade very quickly during the pressurized cooking. The end result is a very flavorful, Korean-inspired beef dish. I love easy Instant Pot recipes like this one – my Korean beef was ready before my rice had even finished cooking!
Ingredients
- Canola or olive oil
- Top sirloin steak cut into 1-inch cubes
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Light brown sugar
- Beef stock or beef broth
- Gochujang paste
- Cooking rice wine
- Minced garlic cloves
- Grated ginger
- Sesame oil
- Cornstarch and water slurry
- Thinly sliced scallions/green onions
- White sesame seeds
Ingredient Tips
- I used top sirloin steak but you can also try flank steak.
- Gochujang paste is a spicy, savory and sweet fermented Korean sauce. It is usually available at most grocery stores, though there will be more brands available at Asian grocery stores.
- You can taste the marinade and adjust as needed before adding it to the meat.
Instructions
Use the sauté setting on the IP to warm the oil. Once it’s hot, add the steak pieces and brown them for about two minutes. Turn off the sauté function.
Whisk the soy sauce, brown sugar, stock, gochujang paste, rice wine, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil in a bowl. Pour the sauce over the beef in the instant pot.
Secure the lid, close the steam valve, and set the IP to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. When it’s done, open the vent to do a quick release.
Once the steam is released, open the lid, stir the beef, and add the cornstarch/water slurry. Stir well to combine.
Turn the saute function on and stir until the sauce has thickened. Serve the Korean beef with rice (or cauliflower rice) and the sesame seeds and green onions sprinkled over the top.
Cooking Tips
The cooking times and measurements are based on the Instant Pot 7-in-1 Multi-Functional Pressure Cooker (6 Quart Version)*. Times may vary with other versions of the Instant Pot. If you have an 8 quart version, you will need to adjust (most likely double) this recipe to have enough liquid in the pot for your Instant Pot to pressurize.
Be sure to do a quick release and not a natural pressure release when the beef is done cooking. You need to release the steam right away so your beef doesn’t overcook.
More Easy Beef Recipes
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Instant Pot Korean Beef
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp canola or olive oil
- 2 lb top sirloin steak cut into bite-sized cubes
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup beef stock or broth
- 2 tsp gochujang paste
- 2 tbsp cooking rice wine
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp grated ginger
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 tbsp water + 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 scallions thinly sliced
- 2 tsp white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Add oil to the inner pot inside your Instant Pot. Set Instant Pot to saute function. Once oil is heated, add in steak and cook briefly to brown the exterior of the steak cubes (about 2 minutes). Turn off saute function.
- In a medium bowl, add soy sauce, brown sugar, beef stock, gochujang paste, rice wine, garlic, ginger, sesame oil. Whisk until evenly mixed. Pour over beef. Seal your Instant Pot. Set it on manual mode, high pressure, for 10 minutes.
- When Instant Pot is done, do a quick release (if you do a natural release, it will overcook the meat). While the Instant Pot is releasing, add cornstarch and water to a small bowl and mix until cornstarch is fully dissolved. When Instant Pot is safe to open, remove lid and stir meat a few times. Pour cornstarch water into potand immediately stir into the sauce. If you do not do this immediately, the cornstarch will cook and clump up. Set your Instant Pot on saute function again and stir until sauce has thickened (about 3 minutes). Garnish beef with scallions and sesame seeds. Serve with rice or similar rice substitute.
Notes
Additional Recipe Tips
- The cooking times and measurements are based on the Instant Pot 7-in-1 Multi-Functional Pressure Cooker (6 Quart Version).*
- I used top sirloin steak but you can also try flank steak.
- Gochujang paste is a spicy, savory and sweet fermented Korean sauce. It is usually available at most grocery stores, though there will be more brands available at Asian grocery stores.
- You can taste the marinade and adjust as needed before adding it to the meat.
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a professional nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
