On a scale of Good to OMG-this-is-stupid-crazy-delicious, this Korean Beef Tacos recipe is definitely OMG and beyond! The super easy marinade and sauce comes together in just minutes and marries with the steak for the most intensely perfect flavor. The Soy sauce brings salt, the sesame gives nuttiness, the vinegar gives acidity, the brown sugar brings sweetness, and the ginger and garlic bring loads of spice and flavor! Each amazing taco gives you this perfect steak PLUS, crispy and crunchy Sesame Cabbage Slaw, PLUS creamy, cool, Cilantro Lime Sriracha sauce! It’s the perfect dish to give you all the feels and forget about your worries for a few heavenly bites.
FLANK STEAK IS SO VERSATILE
You know what else is great about this recipe? You can buy a large flank steak use the leftovers in another easy recipe. Busy Moms can save so much time by making a protein once and using it in two different dinners. To get more ideas like this, click here to get 30 Leftover Protein Dinner Ideas.
Here are some other great flank steak recipes to try: Grilled Flank Steak Salad with Basil Dressing or how about this Mediterranean Flank Steak with Cauliflower Rice!
Quick note! This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase from them. This commission is what helps me keep this blog afloat :). But, I also share these links because I have used the products, genuinely love them, and want you to know exactly what I used.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
For this recipe, you need a food processor or blender to make the marinade. My mini food processor was perfect for the job! You also need a large skillet/frying pan the flank steak. I use my absolute favorite 12″ Ceramic Pan, which is great because food really does slide right off with minimal oil and I don’t have to worry about food sticking and burning. It comes with a glass lid, which is perfect for watching your dinner cook!
PREP-AHEAD STEPS FOR KOREAN BEEF TACOS
We are all extremely busy and making dinner during the week can be overwhelming. Here are the steps you prepare in the day(s) in advance and store in the fridge as your meal Kit… (See the recipe below for more details)
The steps for prepping ahead are really easy, but you do want to marinate the flank steak at least 1 hour, up to 24 hours, ahead of cooking to get the best, juiciest flavored beef.
Slice the raw flank steak into thin strips going across the grain (the lines in the meat). Add the slices to a glass container. NOTE: You can make this recipe the same way replacing the steak with chicken breasts.
Make your marinade by first peeling your ginger by scraping off the skin using a spoon. Rough chop the ginger.
Peel your garlic. The easiest way to do this is to smash the clove with the side of knife, which loosens the peel so you can simply pull it off.
Add the garlic cloves, chopped ginger and the remaining marinade ingredients (not the steak obviously) to a mini food processor. Pulse to get it going and then puree until all chopped up. Pour over the steak slices and then mix to combine and coat the meat. Cover and store in the fridge for 1-24 hours to marinate.
Can I use dried garlic and ginger?
Fresh garlic and ginger makes a huge difference in the flavor. You can buy jars of already minced garlic and ginger to save time. But if you absolutely cannot get fresh, you could use dried powders. Use 3 teaspoons of garlic powder and 3 teaspoons of ginger powder. If you do use powders, there is no need to blend, simply mix with a fork or whisk in a bowl.
Prep your Cilantro Lime Sriracha Sauce
Super easy! Just mix all of the ingredients in the bowl, following the recipe instructions. If you don’t want spice, you can definitely leave the sriracha sauce out. And if you love spice, you can add another teaspoon of it! Your preference.
Prep the Sesame Cabbage Slaw
This slaw is soooooo delicious! And you really need it in these tacos to give freshness and crunch. Don’t forget, cabbage is also healthy for you! Check out my Cabbage Soup post for all of the health benefits!
You can make the slaw up to 4 days in advance.
Just about any cabbage will work, but I love a combo of purple and white for the bright colors. You can also get an already shredded bag of coleslaw mix to really save time! Cut or shred the cabbage very thin. Thinly slice the scallions (save some of the sliced greens for garnish). Place all in a large bowl for mixing.
In a small bowl, mix together vinegar, sesame oil, Soy sauce, mayonnaise, honey, pepper. Pour over the cabbage and mix to combine. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
COOK YOUR KOREAN BEEF TACOS
Remove the flank steak from the fridge 15-30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. This is not absolutely necessary, but helps with even cooking and maintain the temperature of your hot pan.
You will be searing the steak in a hot hot pan and the cooking is very fast! It only takes 3 minutes on the first side and then another 4-5 minutes on the other side. You may not get a sear if there is too much liquid or your pan is not hot enough. But don’t worry! It will still taste delicious, just be sure not to over cook the meat so that it toughens.
Tortillas!
Flour tortillas really taste best for a Korean Taco, but if you want, you can use corn, it just may taste a bit like a Mexican Taco.
Toast the tortillas in a separate frying or grill pan (or do this step first using the same pan that you will use for the flank steak). Toasting the tortillas quickly really does make a big difference in flavor. But you don’t want to over toast so that they get hard and crispy, they should still be pliable and foldable.
To serve, place 2-3 slices of the steak in the center of the tortilla, add a bit of Sesame Slaw, top with the cream and garnish with scallions and cilantro. Enjoy! 😍 Carrie
Easy Korean Beef Tacos
These Korean Beef Tacos are mouth-wateringly delicious and so easy to make you will be blown away! The marinade comes together in minutes for a salty, nutty, slightly acidic, sweet, and savory flavor. Each amazing taco also has crunchy Sesame Cabbage Slaw and a creamy, cool, Cilantro Lime Sriracha sauce! #bulgogi #koreantacos #koreanbeef #tacos #familydinner
Ingredients
Steak and Marinade
- 1 lb Flank Steak
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup white wine or rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
- 3 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 inches Ginger Root (2 tablespoons minced)
- 3 cloves Garlic
Cilantro Lime Sriracha Sauce
- 1 Cup Sour Cream
- 1 Lime
- 1 tsp Sriracha
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped (save some cilantro for garnish)
- 1/4 tsp Salt
Sesame Cabbage Slaw
- 3 cups Cabbage, shredded white, purple, or combo
- 4 Scallions, sliced
- 1 1/2 Tbsp Rice or White Wine Vinegar
- 1/3 cup Mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
- 2 Tbsp Honey
- 1 tsp Soy Sauce
Other Taco Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 12 Flour Tortillas, 6 inch or 8 inch
Instructions
Prep Ahead – Marinate the Steak
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Slice the raw flank steak into thin strips going across the grain (the lines in the meat). Add the slices to a glass container.
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Make your marinade by first peeling your garlic. Then peel your ginger by scraping off the skin using a spoon. Rough chop the ginger. Add the garlic cloves, chopped ginger and the remaining marinade ingredients (not the steak obviously) to a mini food processor. Pulse to get it going and then puree until all chopped up. Pour over the steak slices and then mix to combine and coat the meat. Cover and store in the fridge for 1-24 hours to marinate.
Prep Ahead – Make the Cilantro Lime Sriracha Sauce
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Add sour cream to small bowl and then zest the lime into the bowl. Add the juice from half the lime. Also add the sriracha and chopped cilantro (save some cilantro leaves for garnish). Mix to combine until smooth. Taste and if needed add juice from 1/4 more of the lime at a time tasting as you add to make sure it doesn't get to acidic. Add salt to taste.
Prep Ahead – Make the Sesame Cabbage Slaw
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Cut or shred the cabbage very thinly. Thinly slice the scallions (save some of the sliced greens for garnish). Place all in a large bowl for mixing.
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In a small bowl, mix together vinegar, sesame oil, Soy sauce, mayonnaise, honey, pepper. Pour over the cabbage and mix to combine. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Cook!
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Remove the flank steak from the fridge 15-30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature.
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Preheat a large pan and then add a tbsp olive oil. Add the flank steak using tongs (leaving the marinade behind for now) in a single layer and let sear for 2-3 minutes. Then stir to flip the steak slices and add the remaining marinate. Cook for another 4-5 minutes stirring once during the time. The steak is done when the sauce is cooked down and carmelized on the steak.
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In a separate frying or grill pan, preheat on high heat and warm/sear the flour tortillas. No oil needed, just lay the tortillas in the pan for 1 minute on each side. (You can also do this step before cooking the steak in the same pan)
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To serve, place 2-3 slices of the steak in the center of the tortilla, add a bit of Sesame Slaw, top with the cream and garnish with scallions and cilantro. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Serving Size = 2 Tacos
- If your flank steak is more than 1 lb, you can slice a portion of it and then either grill or broil the remaining steak. Or you can slice the entire steak and use the leftover in a separate stir fry dish or mushroom stroganoff!
- For the marinade, if you don’t have a food processor, you can mince the garlic and mince the ginger yourself and whisk into the liquid ingredients.
