Air Fryer Beef Bulgogi Bites

Name: Air Fryer Beef Bulgogi Bites
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 3
Cuisine: Air Fryer
Ingredients: 500 g beef sirloin or rump, cubed; 3 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp (27 g) brown sugar; 1 tbsp sesame oil; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated; 1 tbsp sesame seeds

Sweet-savoury Korean-style beef with caramelised edges.

Prep Time20 mins

Air Fry10 mins

Temp200°C / 400°F

YieldServes 3

Before You Start

Bite-sized beef in a classic bulgogi marinade of soy, sesame, garlic and a little pear or sugar for sweetness. The air fryer caramelises the edges fast, just like a hot grill, for sticky, savoury pieces.

Instructions

1
Mix the soy, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger. Toss the beef in it and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
2
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C / 400°F. Lift the beef from the marinade and lay in a single layer.
3
Air fry for 8 to 11 minutes, shaking halfway, until browned and caramelised at the edges but still juicy.
4
Scatter with sesame seeds and sliced spring onion.
5
Serve over rice or in lettuce cups.

Ingredients

500 g beef sirloin or rump, cubed
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp (27 g) brown sugar
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp sesame seeds

Air fryer tip

Cook at 200°C / 400°F and keep everything in a single layer so it crisps instead of steams. Tap any pantry ingredient above to convert between cups and grams.

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♨️ Air fryer notes

Cook at 200°C / 400°F and preheat for 2 to 3 minutes for the crispiest result.
Keep everything in a single layer with space around each piece. Overcrowding steams food instead of crisping it, so cook in batches if your basket is small.
Shake or turn halfway, and check a few minutes early, since air fryers cook faster than ovens and every model runs slightly differently.

💡 Cook's tips

Let the beef drip off excess marinade before it goes in, so it browns rather than steams.
Do not overcook. Beef bites are best a little pink and tender in the middle.

🔀 Make it your own

Add a spoon of gochujang to the marinade for heat.
Thread onto skewers with pepper and onion.

📦 Storing & reheating

Airtight in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat gently so the beef does not toughen. Good cold in salads too.

❓ Frequently asked

Do I need to marinate the beef?

At least 30 minutes makes a real difference to flavour and tenderness. Overnight is even better if you have the time.

What cut of beef works best?

A tender, quick-cooking cut like sirloin, rump or ribeye. Slice against the grain for the most tender bite.

Adapting your own recipe? Use the oven to air fryer converter for temp and time, or the recipe scaler to halve or double this.