Korean Beef Tacos

5 from 3 votes

Korean Beef Tacos are a flavor-packed win! Juicy marinated beef, crunchy slaw, and a zesty Sriracha-lime sauce all tucked into charred tortillas.

Prep Time45

Cook Time15

Marinating Time1

Total Time2

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Korean Beef Tacos

Servings: servings (16–18 small tacos; 3 tacos per serving)

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $15.12

Equipment

Large food processor or blender
Large pan heavy, nonstick

Ingredients

Steak and Marinade

2 pounds flank steak
1 tablespoon ginger peeled and chopped
1/3 cup soy sauce not lite
1/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 lime
1 packed cup coarsely chopped yellow onion
1 packed cup coarsely chopped Fuji apple
4 cloves garlic

Quick Slaw (Optional—See Note 1)

4 cups finely shredded green cabbage
1 cup matchstick carrots
1 cup matchstick-cut cucumbers 2–3 Persian/Salad or 1 English cucumber
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro 1 bunch—stems and leaves; measure before chopping
1 lime
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce

Sauce

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons mayo I love Hellman’s/Best Foods
2-1/4 teaspoons Sriracha sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 limes
Salt and pepper

Tacos

Street-size flour tortillas plus cooking spray
Cilantro optional, for serving

US - Metric

Instructions

Remove flank steak from packaging and pat dry all over with a paper towel. If the steak is wider than 4 inches, cut in half lengthwise. Then, against the grain, very thinly slice the steak into small strips. Place all cut steak pieces in a large plastic bag. In a large/powerful food processor (or blender), add all the marinade ingredients. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice. Pulse to finely chop and break down ingredients until you have a thick paste. Pour over the steak and seal the bag without air. Massage the marinade into the steak and refrigerate for at least an hour up to overnight. (Even with just an hour of marinade, you’ll still get lots of flavor!)
While making the marinade, I also like to whip up the sauce so it can chill and get more flavorful. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon lime zest and 3 tablespoons lime juice. Stir briskly until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, but add to preference). Cover and store in the fridge until ready to eat.
Combine all the ingredients listed under “slaw” in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice. Toss gently with tongs until well combined. Toss a few more times and right before serving (see note 1).
Set out the beef 15–20 minutes before cooking (if it’s super cold, it will make the meat less juicy). Set a large, heavy, nonstick pan on high heat for about 1–2 minute(s) without adding anything. Cook the meat in batches: use tongs to grab some of the meat and marinade and add to the hot pan. Quickly separate the meat into an even layer (so meat is not overlapping). It should make a loud sizzle when added to the pan (how you know the pan is hot enough). Let the meat stand 2–3 minutes or until lightly browned, then flip and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 2–3 minutes or until beef is cooked and marinade has caramelized on the meat. Transfer to a plate, cover with foil, and quickly wipe down the pan with a paper towel and repeat until all the beef is cooked through.
Warm or char tortillas (see note 2). Add beef, slaw, and lots of sauce on top! Enjoy immediately.

Video

Notes

Note 1: If you don’t want to make the slaw, these tacos are still extremely tasty. I’d recommend just adding a handful of green cabbage (tossed in a little soy sauce) for some crunch.

Note 2: To char the tortillas: Spray both sides with cooking spray and char directly over gas flames for a few seconds, flipping with tongs until lightly charred and soft. Fold immediately in half and keep warm under a towel. Alternatively, warm in a skillet over medium heat in batches, flipping each side. Fold in half and cover with a towel to keep warm.

Storage: Store leftover Korean Beef Tacos in an airtight container. Keep the beef, slaw, and sauce separate from the tortillas. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat the beef and tortillas before serving.

Nutrition