Korean beef tacos are a delightful fusion of flavors, bringing together the best of Mexican and Korean cuisines. For those who enjoy the bold taste of Mexican food and the unique flavors of Korean dishes, these tacos offer the perfect combination.
This tasty treat features Mexican corn tortillas filled with Korean-style ingredients like bulgogi and kimchi, creating a mouth-watering blend of international tastes. Interestingly, this delicious creation originated in Los Angeles, USA.
What started as a simple offering from a modest food truck has now become a global sensation. While you can easily find these tacos in many restaurants and cafes, there’s a special joy and satisfaction in making them yourself. This guide will help you create your own delicious Korean beef tacos at home.
Essential Tools for Making Korean Beef Tacos
Here is a comprehensive list of the tools you need to prepare this wonderful fusion dish. Some of them can be replaced with your creativity!
Ingredient List for Korean Beef Tacos
What ingredients do you think are necessary for this finger-licking combo of Mexican and Korean flavors? Scroll down to find out now!
Main Ingredients
Sauce and Other Ingredients:
How to Make Korean Beef Tacos: Step-by-Step
Look at the pictures! Is your mouth already watering, and your mind fixed on making these delicious bites? Let me help you with this instructive guide!
Step 1: Prepare the Marinade
Peel the garlic cloves and ginger. Then, press the former and grate the latter to prepare the marinade.
In a large bowl, whisk together:
Then, add 1 teaspoon of black pepper, most of the crushed garlic, grated ginger, and 6 tablespoons of hot water. Continue to mix vigorously.
Step 2: Marinate the Beef
Slice the beef into thin strips before transferring them into a food container.
Pour the marinade over the beef and stir well. Put on the lid and move the container to the fridge. Leave it there for 4 to 24 hours. The longer you let it refrigerate, the more tender and flavorful the beef will get.
Step 3: Cook the Beef Bulgogi
Heat a large skillet on the stove over high heat (no oil needed). Pour both the beef and the marinade into it.
Leave the beef alone for about 2-3 minutes. After that, cook it for another 5 – 6 minutes with regular stirring. Stop now or continue browning the beef until all the liquid is gone.
Step 4: Whip Up the Taco Sauce
Add these ingredients to another bowl:
Mix well until creamy. If you want the sauce to be hotter, add more Sriracha sauce or another hot sauce of your choice.
Step 5: Prepare the Coleslaw and Tortillas
Mix shredded cabbage with finely chopped parsley to make a coleslaw. Season with lime juice and salt.
Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the tortillas on each side for about 1-2 minutes or until browned. This is an optional step because most store-bought tortillas are precooked and can be eaten straight away. But heating up the tortillas will improve their texture and flavor nicely.
Step 6: Assemble Korean Beef Tacos
Spread the creamy sauce on each tortilla, followed by the beef bulgogi and coleslaw. Add more sauce, plus fresh parsley or lime juice.
Serve immediately.
The Right Way to Store Korean Beef Tacos
This is the most important lesson: you should finish a complete Korean beef taco as soon as possible. You can keep them in airtight containers and refrigerate everything for a few days, but the quality will go down significantly.
If you plan to make these fusion tacos ahead, itโs best to store the ingredients separately. The bulgogi, tortillas, sauce, and veggies can be kept in the fridge for 3 – 5 days.
Meanwhile, freezing will extend their shelf life to 3 – 6 months (the mayonnaise-based sauce, however, will lose its creamy texture). When you want to savor the tacos, simply reheat everything, then assemble them as usual.
Itโs A Brave New Taco!
Thatโs the end of yet another great culinary discovery. Are you confident to try your hands with this finger-licking type of taco yet? Put on your apron, and show your friends the beauty of cultural integration in cooking.
Please share this post with your friends, and make the world a better place to eat good food! I bet you canโt wait to renovate your Taco Tuesday with this insanely easy and convenient recipe. Tell me how it goes in the comment section!
I also love to hear your feedback, and other readers surely want to know about your tips on how to make this dish even more delicious. So go on and donโt hold back anything!
Korean Beef Tacos Recipe
Equipment
- Knife
- Chopping Board
- Whisk
- Bowl
- Container
- Fork
- Skillet
- Grater
- Garlic Press
- Kitchen turner
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak
- 4 tablespoons sesame oil
- 6 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 6 tablespoons soy sauce
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 tablespoon ginger
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons hot water
Creamy taco sauce:
- 0.5 cup cream
- 0.33 cup mayonnaise
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Others
- 12 small tortillas
- 0.75 pound purple cabbage, thinly shredded
- 0.75 pound white cabbage, thinly shredded
- 1 tablespoon of parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
- Peel and press the garlic. Peel and grate the ginger.
- In a large bowl, whisk soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and brown sugar together. Add black pepper, most of the crushed garlic, grated ginger, and hot water. Continue to mix vigorously.
- Slice the beef into thin strips and put them in a food container.
- Pour the marinade over the beef and stir well. Marinate the beef in the fridge for 4 to 24 hours.
- Heat a large skillet on the stove over high heat. Pour both the beef and the marinade into it.
- Leave the beef alone for about 2-3 minutes. After that, cook it for another 5 – 6 minutes, stirring regularly.
- Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, hot sauce, and the remaining garlic to another bowl. Mix well until creamy.
- Mix shredded cabbage with finely chopped parsley to make a coleslaw. Season with lime juice and salt.
- Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the tortillas on each side for about 1-2 minutes or until browned.Spread the sauce, beef bulgogi, and coleslaw on each tortilla. Top with more sauce and parsley. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- The total time is for preparing 6 servings.
- The longer the beef sits in the marinade, the better it will taste. But the marinating time shouldnโt exceed 24 hours.
- Most store-bought tortillas are precooked, so you can skip toasting them.
- You can add more hot sauce to the taco sauce if you like spicy food.
- In case you want to save the tacos for later, store the ingredients separately and donโt assemble the dish immediately.
Nutrition
Mia Dimitrova
Content Writer
Expertise
Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Food Styling, Food Photography, Culinary Storytelling, Cooking-video Maker, European Food Content Creator, Bulgarian Food Evaluation Expert
Education
Sofia University โSt. Kliment Ohridskiโ
Completed a thesis titled โBulgaria on a Plate: A Photographic Journey through our Gastronomic Legacy.โ
European Culinary Arts Academy
Maria Dimitrova, or Mia, is a Contributing Writer from Sofia, Bulgaria. Her work beautifully intertwines the rich flavors of Bulgarian and European dishes with their visual storytelling, capturing the soul of each cuisine. Through engaging content and stunning photography, Maria explores the intricate relationship between food’s aesthetic appeal and cultural history.
Specializing in home cooking, food styling, and photography, she brings European culinary traditions to life, offering a unique glimpse into Bulgaria’s gastronomic heritage. Maria’s expertise highlights her deep appreciation for culinary art and invites her audience to embark on a flavorful journey through Europe’s diverse food landscape.