Name: Korean Beef Tacos
Prep time: 4 h
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 4 h 10 min
Cuisine: Tacos
Ingredients: 1/4 cup soy sauce; 1/4 cup honey; 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil; 1/4 cup hot water; 4 garlic cloves, grated; 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 1/2 pounds skirt or flank steak, very thinly sliced against the grain; 12 corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade, warmed; 1 small head purple cabbage, thinly sliced; 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped; 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced; Sriracha-Lime Dressing; 1 lime, cut into wedges; 1/3 cup sour cream; 1/4 cup mayonnaise; 1 lime, juiced; 1 tsp garlic powder

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Korean beef with crunchy cabbage slaw and Sriracha dressing tucked in a warm tortilla… careful now because these Korean Beef Tacos are going to blow your mind.

What makes Korean Tacos Unique

It’s a fusion of Asian and Mexican cuisine that is simply stunning.

Especially when it involves Korean Beef, a mixture of thinly slices beef marinated in a delicious soy/sesame sauce and stir-fried into tender, juicy perfection. It’s amazing over rice, by itself, or

…. tacos.

YAS! I don’t know if you can feel the excitement but these Korean Beef Tacos deserve a victory dance! Excuse me- [insert happy dance]

Okay, I’m back.

But seriously, these Korean Beef Tacos are a must-have any night of the week (not just Tuesday). And if you’re planning for a Whole30, or trying to get your family on board with eating clean for 30 days straight, just swap out the flour tortillas for grainless and you’ll have a tasty clean meal that will blow them away.

image: Korean beef tacos on a plate with lime wedges

While all of the Taco Tuesday Cookbook recipes are amazing with a capital A, there is something about Asian fusion tacos that make we want to type in all caps. If you haven’t already, do yourself a favor and try those Asian Thai Ribs or Orange Glazed Mushroom Tacos. Out of this world!

I can’t wait to share my Sweet & Spicy Sriracha Chicken, those are coming soon (like next week but shhh! don’t tell).

image: beef tacos with red cabbage and avocado slices, and a small orange bowl of lime wedges

Korean Tacos Recipe

If Korean Beef sounds complicated to you, don’t be fooled this is one of those 20 minutes and done recipes, if you don’t count marinating time (I don’t since I usually prep the meat ahead).

What is the best cut of meat for beef tacos?

I prefer skirt steak tacos but you could swap it with flank, whichever works best for you. Whenever preparing a recipe that calls for sliced meat, make sure to slice against the grain. Why? Because both the cut of meat AND how you cut it determines how tender it will be once cooked.

No one wants to spend all their time chewing one bite, especially on Taco Tuesday so- slice meat against the grain. If you’ve never sliced meat this way, I’ll show you how to do that in this video.

After this step, combine the beef with the marinade and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. More marinating time = more epic flavor explosions.

Cooking is quick and easy, another reason this is one of my favorites.

Make sure the cast iron skillet is HOT, you should hear a strong sizzle as soon as the sliced steak touches the skillet. This will give them a nice sear and keep the meat tender, just like we love it!

image: two Korean beef tacos with a dish of lime wedges

Korean Taco Toppings

Asian tacos require two things: cabbage slaw and finger licking awesome sauce, we got both.

Oh, there is also sliced avocado and cilantro involved (can’t skip those) but let’s talk sauce.

You guys, this Sriracha Lime dressing is the stuff of legends. It’s smoky, tangy, and spicy if you’re all about the heat, add a little more Sriracha because I just Can’t. Get. Enough.

You better believe it’s also good on salads, sandwiches, grilled fish or chicken, and pretty much anything you’ll catch me eating for lunch or dinner.

Sorry to cut it short but enough talk! I’m ready for some tacos! Be sure to check out the entire Taco Tuesday series on my Youtube channel.

Korean Beef Tacos

Print Recipe

This recipe is from Laura’s Cookbook, The Taco Tuesday Cookbook.

Wait till you try these tacos – the Asian-flavorred beef coupled with the crunchy cabbage and fresh cilantro is a taste explosion waiting to happen with each bite.

Author: Laura Fuentes
Prep Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours + 10 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Category: Dinner
Cuisine: Tacos

Ingredients

Units

¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup honey
¼ cup toasted sesame oil
¼ cup hot water
4 garlic cloves, grated
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ pounds skirt or flank steak, very thinly sliced against the grain
12 corn tortillas, store-bought or homemade, warmed
1 small head purple cabbage, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and sliced
Sriracha-Lime Dressing
1 lime, cut into wedges

For the Dressing:

⅓ cup sour cream
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 lime, juiced
1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions

For the Tacos:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, hot water, garlic, ginger, and black pepper until the honey dissolves.
Put the steak slices in a large zip-top bag or airtight container and pour in the marinade. Toss around to combine, then seal. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the steak slices from the marinade with tongs and put them in the skillet (reserve the marinade); you should hear a strong sizzle. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned on one side, then stir the pieces around and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, pourin in the marinade, and let it caramelize for about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat.
Assemble the tacos by placing several slices of steak on each tortilla. Add some shredded cabbage, cilantro, and avocado slices. Drizzle the dressing over the top and serve with lime wedges on the side.

For the Sriracha-Lime Dressing

In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, Sriracha, and garlic powder and mix well. Taste and add more Sriracha as desired.
Use immediately or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.