7 Meaty, Meatless, and Flavor-Packed Korean BBQ Recipes

Barbecue is, without a doubt, one of the most popular elements of Korean cuisine. It is a major part of the US’s Korean restaurant scene, which includes up to 7,000 eateries across the country. Like most barbecue, Korean barbecue is traditionally meat-heavy. But if you want all the texture and flavor without the animal products, many recipe creators can help you achieve just that. Find out how to make delicious Korean barbecue with plants below.

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What does Korean barbecue consist of?

Much like Texas barbecue or Tennessee barbecue, Korean barbecue revolves heavily around meat. In traditional restaurants, cuts of beef, pork, chicken, and sometimes seafood are usually grilled in the center of the table, before they are shared alongside side dishes like kimchi, potato salad, pickled radish, and dipping sauces like ssamjang. The latter is a thick savory paste made with fermented soybeans, gochujang, garlic, and sesame oil.

Vegan Korean barbecue restaurants are hard to come by, but it is possible to get all the signature flavors of a barbecue-style meal at home using plant-based ingredients like vegan meat, mushrooms, tempeh, and tofu. The key is to have the right marinades: Gochujang or Doenjang-based sauces can bring the rich, umami taste of barbecue to a variety of ingredients. Miso, soy sauce, ginger, and kimchi are also key for piling on the flavor. 

How to make Korean barbecue with vegan ingredients: 7 recipes to try

RELATED: Trying the Kimchi Diet? These 7 Dishes Pack the Flavor and Benefits

Nava Atlas

1 Vegan Korean BBQ Bowls With Kimchi

From the Plant-Powered Protein cookbook comes this super tasty, protein-packed vegan dinner with bold Korean barbecue flavors. The dish features meaty beef crumbles, fresh vegetables, kimchi, and spicy sriracha mayonnaise, but it’s easily customizable. If you prefer to keep your meals completely whole food-based, for example, pulled mushrooms or jackfruit in place of the crumbles would also work deliciously.
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Wade Hammond

2 Vegan Spicy Korean BBQ Tofu Satay

Satay is one of the most popular street foods in Indonesia, and the method of grilling meat goes perfectly with the flavors of Korean barbecue, as this recipe from the Fusion Food in the Vegan Kitchen cookbook demonstrates. Ideal for an appetizer or full meal when paired with rice, the skewers are a little spicy, easy to make, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
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3 Vegan Korean Bulgogi Mushrooms

This plant-based twist on Korean bulgogi from Vegan Asian: A Cookbook is packed with flavor and meaty texture, thanks to the mix of tender king oyster mushrooms, gochujang, Asian pear, and fresh ginger. For a full meal, serve it with rice or noodles, or for an extra kick, pair it with a spicy cucumber salad or kimchi fried rice.
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Rabbit and Wolves

4 Vegan Crispy Korean BBQ Tofu

Tofu is an incredibly versatile plant-based ingredient, it can be soft, chewy, or deliciously crispy, just like it is in this tasty Korean barbecue recipe from Rabbit and Wolves. It’s a feast for the tastebuds, thanks to the perfect mix of sweet, spicy, and tangy. “Super easy, super crispy, super spicy, super amazing,” declares recipe developer Lauren Hartmann. “So dang good.”
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The Curious Chickpea

5 Vegan Korean BBQ Burgers

These juicy burgers are the perfect mix of protein-packed meaty tempeh, umami-rich, tangy kimchi, and smoky Korean barbecue sauce. Delicious with a side of sweet potato fries or a leafy salad, they’re about to become your new burger go-to. “It might just be the perfect, dreamy burger,” says Eva Agha, recipe creator and founder of The Curious Chickpea.
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VegKit

6 Korean BBQ ‘Ribs’

It might not look like it, but these ribs aren’t made with meat. They’re actually a combination of enoki mushrooms, jackfruit, and wheat gluten, but they have a deliciously juicy and meaty bite. The bold flavor comes from ingredients like tahini, beer, and red miso paste. This dish offers “a thoroughly rewarding cooking experience complete with the satisfaction of tearing apart your set of ribs and eating them ‘bones’ and all,” notes the recipe blog VegKit.
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My Quiet Kitchen

7 Korean BBQ Tempeh

This dish from My Quiet Kitchen also combines an Indonesian favorite, tempeh, with the flavors of Korean barbecue, and the results are delectable. The flavor comes from a tantalizing mix of ingredients like maple syrup, sriracha, ginger root, garlic, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. “Ready in 30 minutes, it’s perfect for weeknights and is also great tossed on the grill for your next cookout,” says recipe developer Lori Rasmussen.
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Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England’s southern coast.