Pork belly is a cut of meat sourced from the belly of a pig. Since it is a boneless and fatty cut, pork belly can absorb all the delicious flavors of spices and marinades to produce finger-lickin’ good succulent meals. It is a popular ingredient in cuisines around the world but it’s especially divine in Korean cuisine with all its sauces and condiments.
If you’ve managed to get your hands on this wonderful cut of meat, give these Korean pork belly recipes a try. They’re bursting with flavor and will make for some nutritious, delicious meals to whip up for your family.
1. Air Fryer Korean Pork Belly
Crispy on the outside and perfectly tender on the inside, this air fryer pork recipe will quickly become a favorite with meat lovers. You use skinless pork belly and season it only with yellow mustard and sea salt. Cook in the air fryer for about 30 minutes and slice them up to serve with green lettuce leaves or rice and kimchi for a filling meal.
2. Bossam – Korean Boiled Pork Belly Wrap
Refreshing and scrumptious, these pork and cabbage wraps make for the perfect meal to enjoy with your family. It’s a restaurant-worthy dish that combines crispy, pickled napa cabbage with spicy kimchi salad and juicy pork belly to create a medley of flavors and textures. Make the ssam (wrap) with cabbage stuffed with the kimchi and pork belly and serve with some sesame seeds on top.
3. Crispy Korean Pork Belly Sandwiches
Korean pork belly in sandwiches? Can’t get better than that! This sweet-savory delight gives you perfectly crispy and juicy meat as the pork belly is smoked whole. It also has some heat and smokiness from the addition of various seasonings as well as gochujang. These sandwiches taste particularly divine when topped with honey mustard and green onions.
4. Spicy PorkBelly Bulgogi
The term “bulgogi” literally means “fire meat” and this recipe lives up to that name. Fat slices of pork belly are coated with an incredible marinade of grated Korean pear, onion, gochujang, gochugaru, mined ginger, garlic, soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, and sugar. Marinade for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight. Broil them until you see crisp, charred edges. Cut them up and serve with lettuce wraps or ssamjang for dipping!
5. Pork Belly Kimchi Bowls
Need a super quick pork belly recipe that is just as delicious? This pork belly kimchi bowl will have everyone salivating! Just stir fry slices of pork belly until caramelized and then add kimchi, sugar, onion, and gochujang and cook for another minute. Pile it on top of warm rice and serve!
6. Korean-Inspired Pan-Grilled Spicy Pork Belly
Even though this Korean-inspired dish doesn’t use a tabletop grill, the meat comes out perfectly tender and juicy! The trick is to simmer the pork belly in water until it is soft, and then marinate it with herbs, spices, and seasonings to prepare it for grilling on a cast iron skillet. Serve it with rice topped with scallions and toasted sesame seeds.
7. Korean Kimchi Stew with Pork Belly and Tofu (Kimchi-jjigae)
This hearty stew is the epitome of comfort food. Make this classic kimchi jjigae by browning pork belly until it begins to crisp around the edges and then simmering it with other ingredients like fish sauce, onion, kimchi, sesame oil, soy sauce, and tofu. You can serve it alongside rice garnished with chopped scallions and toasted nori to enjoy.
8. Korean Pork Belly with Gochujang Glaze & Asparagus
This Korean pork belly recipe gives you a taste of heaven in every bite. All you need to do is boil pork belly cubes, cook them again in a wok, and then coat them with a gochujang-based glaze made with brown sugar, gochujang, mirin, and soy sauce. You can serve it over boiled rice with fresh, vibrant asparagus, French or runner beans, or even snap peas for a complete meal.
9. Korean Style Pan-Fried Pork Belly
This flavorful dish is quick and easy to make and is brimming with sweet and savory flavors. Simply marinate pork belly slices with minced garlic, ginger, honey, Korean hot pepper paste, sesame oil, soy sauce, and toasted sesame seeds, then pan-fry them until cooked through. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve!
10. Korean Style Spicy Pork Belly
This wonderful dish will be a game-changer for BBQ nights! It’s made by marinating, then cooking pork belly to infuse it with rich flavors. Serve it on top of rice spread over a lettuce leaf. Top it off with some green onions and sesame seeds for extra flavor and crunch.
11. Samgyupsal Gui (Grilled Pork Belly)
Grilled pork belly with no marinade is incredibly popular in Korea and super easy to make. It calls for grilling shaved pork belly to create a delicious, melt-in-your-mouth dish! You can serve it in lettuce wraps topped with sliced scallions oil to create a balance of flavors and add texture to the dish.
12. Samgyupsal Sukju Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Pork Belly and Bean Sprouts)
This dish is so scrumptious that you can’t help but go back for seconds! The crunchy bean sprouts and the tender, melt-in-your-mouth slices of pork belly go wonderfully together. Seasoned simply with onion, garlic, soy sauce, and scallions, this dish is bursting with flavor. You can also add in veggies like carrots and bell pepper to give your dish a pop of color.
13. Sticky Korean Pork Belly with Quick Cucumber Kimchi
This quick and easy gourmet dinner comes together in just 30 minutes! To make, cook pork with sticky chili sauce and sesame seeds until it has a sticky glaze. It is paired with a refreshing cucumber kimchi salad prepared with cucumber, baby bok choy, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, white vinegar, and chili flakes. Serve the pork belly on rice with the cucumber kimchi and enjoy!
14. Sweet & Spicy Korean Pork Belly Udon Soup
This soup will warm you up on those chilly winter nights. It requires a lot of ingredients, but the results are definitely worth all the extra effort and then some! You can also customize it to complement your spice preferences. Assemble the bowl with udon noodles, crisped pork belly, and broth, and add your favorite toppings.
