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Korean beef with crunchy cabbage slaw and Sriracha dressing tucked in a warm tortilla… careful now because these tacos are going to blow your mind.
Table of contents
What Makes Korean Tacos Unique
The fusion of Asian flavors and Mexican cuisine makes these Korean beef tacos incredible.
It involves marinating thinly sliced beef in a delicious soy-sesame sauce and quickly stir-frying it into tender, juicy perfection. It can be served over rice, over a salad, or to make amazing Asian-inspired 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 for Taco Tuesday.
Korean Tacos Recipe Video
If Korean Beef Tacos sound complicated to you, don’t be fooled; this is one of those 20-minute-and-done recipes, if you don’t count marinating time (I don’t since I usually prep the meat ahead).
After cutting the meat, combine the beef with the marinade and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. More marinating time = more epic flavor explosions. 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, chicken, grilled fish tacos, and pretty much anything you’ll catch me eating for lunch or dinner.
Want to see the magic happening? Check out this video:
Ingredients
A flavorful marinade + tender beef + the most epic sauce = every bite of these Korean Beef Tacos is a flavor feast! And you can make it happen with simple and tasty ingredients. The shopping list:
- Soy sauce: helps tenderize the beef.
- Honey: balance the soy sauce saltiness.
- Sesame oil: adds more classic Asian flavors to the marinade.
- Hot water: helps to combine the marinade’s ingredients.
- Garlic cloves: extra flavor is always welcome!
- Ginger: grated fresh ginger.
- Black pepper: a little for seasoning.
- Beef: skirt, flank steak, or brisket very thinly sliced. Make sure to cut the meat against the grain.
- Corn tortillas: store-bought or homemade, you choose!
- Purple cabbage: for nutrition and crunchiness.
- Cilantro: to top the tacos with freshness.
- Avocado: creamy and delicious!
- Sriracha-Lime Dressing: it’s smoky, tangy, and spicy. THE perfect sauce to drizzle.
- Lime: to squeeze over this epic Korean Beef Tacos.
Remember to grab the ingredient measurements in the printable recipe card below.
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.
How to Make Korean Beef Tacos
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! Cooking is quick and easy, another reason this is one of my favorites. Here’s the easy step-by-step:
- Make the marinade
In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, hot water, garlic, ginger, and black pepper until the honey dissolves. - Marinate!
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. - Make the drizzle
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. - Cook the meat
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. - Taco time!
Assemble the Korean Beef Tacos by placing several slices of steak on each tortilla. Add some shredded cabbage, cilantro, avocado slices or your favorite beef taco toppings. Drizzle the dressing over the top and serve with lime wedges on the side.
Korean Taco Toppings
Asian-inspired tacos require two things: cabbage slaw and finger-licking awesome sauce, we got both. Add sliced avocado and cilantro, and BOOM! The Best Taco Night Ever.
More Asian Fusion Tacos
While all of the Taco Tuesday Cookbook recipes are amazing with a capital A, there is something about Asian fusion tacos that makes 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!
And what about my Teriyaki Chicken Tacos and these Sweet & Spicy Sriracha Chicken Tacos? I’m drooling! And if you want low-carb Asian-inspired tacos, these Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Lettuce Cups are the thing to make. Soooo good!
Looking for new favorite taco dishes to enjoy as a family? Check out my 51 additional taco recipes in The Taco Tuesday Cookbook.
Korean Beef Tacos
Watch how it’s made:
Ingredients
For the Marinade:
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup hot water
- 4 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the Tacos:
- 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 Drizzle:
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 teaspoon 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 Drizzle:
- 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.
Susan says
What would you serve as a side to these?
And how did you prepare your tortillas? The ones in the photos look amazing!
Laura Fuentes says
I make guacamole, a slaw, or cilantro lime rice. Here is how I warm up the tortillas, I used the flame for all the photos. I also show you how in the video in the post.
Rose says
I love Asian fusion tacos so I decided to try these Korean beef tacos. The BEST recipe!!! And the dressing is soooo good!