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Easy Korean Beef Tacos (Bulgogi Tacos)

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Posted by:

Erin Lynch

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Updated:

March 9, 2025

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5 from 20 votes

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Korean tacos pinterest image.
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The flavors in these Korean Tacos with Bulgogi Beef are out of this world! Topped with kimchi, avocado, and a creamy chili garlic aioli, these tacos are a make-ahead dream that pack in bold and spicy flavors.

Korean tacos arranged on bright pink plate next to small bowls of kimchi and aioli.

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Talk about flavor!

My Korean Tacos with Bulgogi Beef are out of this world delicious, vibrant, tender, and flavorful. After you make them once, you’ll be craving them again and again.

These bulgogi tacos take a bit of planning and preparation but they’re well worth it! Homemade kimchi is a shining star in these tacos so plan to make it a week ahead of time. You can even double or triple the batch so you have leftovers to enjoy on poke, taco bowls, or with shrimp.

But you can also use store bought kimchi! Please don’t let that stop you from making this recipe!!! I quite often go that route.

Once the Bulgogi beef, kimchi, and chili garlic aioli are ready, layer the elements with cooling slices of avocado and scallions into fresh corn or flour tortillas. Enjoy the spicy bites next to freshly cooked instant pot rice and a cooling Thai cucumber salad.

Korean tacos arranged on bright pink plate next to small bowls of kimchi and aioli.

Table of Contents

  • What are Korean tacos made of?
  • The sauce!
  • What is Bulgogi beef?
  • How to make them
  • Tips and tricks
  • Variations
  • What do you serve with Korean tacos?
  • Wine pairing
  • Full Recipe

What are Korean tacos made of?

There are three elements to these rich and vibrant tacos:

  • Bulgogi-style beef
  • Homemade kimchi
  • Creamy chili garlic aioli

Avocado slices and green onion layered in the tacos play with the flavors and help to cool down the spice. Some Korean tacos are made with chicken or pork instead of beef but I prefer the rich and tender marinated bulgogi ribeye instead.

The sauce!

I like to make a creamy chili garlic sauce for my bulgogi tacos and it’s so, so super yummy and made with simple ingredients. Here’s all you’ll need:

  • Sour cream
  • Mayonnaise (or sub Greek yogurt)
  • Lime 
  • Chili powder
  • Garlic 
  • Cumin
  • Salt

What is Bulgogi beef?

Korean bulgogi (meaning “fire” and “meat”) beef is tender pieces of thinly sliced and marinated beef. The slices are marinated in a sweet and savory mix of soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar, pear, garlic, and sesame before being pan fried or grilled.

It’s my favorite part of this recipe because the meat caramelizes a bit in the hot skillet and turns out super tender. Make sure you use a large skillet (I use a 12-inch skillet) so each piece can cook evenly.

What cut of meat is Korean bulgogi?

The popular cuts used for bulgogi are ribeye, top sirloin, and brisket.

Kimchi tacos next to bowl of aioli on grey plate.

How to make them

First, marinate the thinly sliced steak by adding it to a bowl with the shredded pear and onion, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, and sesame oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

30 minutes before cooking, take the steak out of the marinade and combine it with the scallions in a bowl. Cook the steak and scallions in a hot skillet with some oil for a few minutes.

Make the chili garlic aioli by mixing all of the ingredients in a bowl (you can do this up to 3 days ahead to save time). Assemble the tacos by layering beef, kimchi, avocado, green onions, aioli, and sesame seeds in tortillas and enjoy!

Tips and tricks

  • Leaving the raw steak in the freezer for 15 minutes will help it firm up and make slicing easier.
  • The ribeye pieces can marinate in the bulgogi marinade for as little as 2 hours or as long as 24 hours.
  • Make the kimchi at least 1 week ahead of time so it can properly ferment or use store bought kimchi instead. You can usually find it in the refrigerated section at most grocery stores.
  • The chili garlic aioli can be made and kept in the fridge up to 3 days in advance.
  • Cook the bulgogi beef in an even layer in the skillet (work in batches if the skillet isn’t big enough). Cooking too many pieces at once will steam the meat and won’t give it a nice caramelization or sear.

Variations

  • Try swapping out the steak for ground beef, pork, or chicken.
  • Keep it light by swapping the tortillas for lettuce wraps!
  • Top the tacos with cooling vegetables and sauces, like sliced radishes, slaw, mango salsa, pineapple salsa, or cilantro lime crema.

What do you serve with Korean tacos?

Here are some of my favorite tasty sides for Korean tacos:

  • Din Tai Fung cucumber salad
  • Asian cucumber salad
  • Mango salsa
  • Kimchi
  • Instant Pot rice
  • Daikon radish salad
  • More → 20+ Korean Side Dishes

Wine pairing

  • With just a hint of sweetness, dry Riesling wine pairs really well with the caramelized bulgogi beef and the spicy kimchi.
Bowl of kimchi next to tacos.

More Asian beef recipes

  • Thai Beef Salad
  • Easy Mongolian Beef
  • Thai Beef Stir Fry
  • Sticky Mongolian Beef Meatballs

More taco recipes

  • Taco Zucchini Boats
  • Slow Cooker Carnitas
  • Instant Pot Cuban Mojo Pork
  • Sweet Potato Tacos with Chipotle Crema
  • Cauliflower Tacos with Cilantro Lime Crema
  • 7+ Tasty Taco Sauce Recipes
  • The BEST Sides for Tacos

More Asian-Inspired recipes

  • Thai Curry Meatballs
  • Mongolian Chicken
  • Chinese Roasted Chicken
  • Vietnamese Noodle Salad
  • More → 21+ Dishes to Eat with Kimchi

Did you try this bulgogi taco recipe?

If you loved these kimchi tacos I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

For more great Platings and Pairings recipes, be sure to follow me on  Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest and Facebook.

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Korean tacos arranged on bright pink plate next to small bowls of kimchi and aioli.

Full Recipe

Korean Beef Tacos

The flavors in these Korean Tacos with Bulgogi Beef are out of this world! Topped with homemade kimchi, avocado, and a creamy chili garlic aioli, these tacos are a make-ahead dream that pack in bold and spicy flavors.
5 from 20 votes
Print Pin
Serves 4 servings
Created by Platings and Pairings
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 10 minutes mins
Total Time: 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • ¾ – 1 cup kimchi (roughly chopped (homemade or store-bought))
  • 1 avocado (thinly sliced)
  • 3 green onions (chopped)
  • Flour tortillas
  • Sesame seeds (to garnish)

Korean Beef (Bulgogi)

  • 1½ pounds ribeye steak
  • 1 ripe bosc pear
  • ½ medium red onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Fresh ginger (grated on microplane or finely minced, the same size as about 1-2 garlic cloves)
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1½ Tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon mirin
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 Tablespoon canola oil
  • 3 green onions (chopped)

Chili Garlic Aioli

  • ⅓ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 lime (juiced)
  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 cloves garlic (grated with microplane, or very finely minced)
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Bulgogi (Korean Beef)

  • Place steak in freezer for about 15 minutes, which will firm it up a bit, allowing you to cut thin slices. Trim excess fat from steak and very thinly slice.
  • Using the finest side of a grater, grate the pear and onion. Combine with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, and sesame oil (optional) in a medium mixing bowl. Add thinly sliced steak, cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator, allowing to marinate for at least 2 hours, and up to 24 hours.
  • Remove steak from refrigerator approximately 20-30 minutes before ready to cook. Remove steak from marinade and combine with scallions in a bowl. Heat canola oil in large skillet or grill pan over high heat. Add steak and scallions to pan in a single layer and cook, stirring, until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. It’s important to cook in a single layer to avoid steaming the meat. Cook in batches if necessary.

Chili Garlic Aioli

  • Mix all ingredients together until well combined. Refrigerate until ready to use. Can be made up to 3 days ahead of time.

Assembly

  • Place bulgogi in tortilla and top with chopped kimchi, sliced avocado, green onions, aioli and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 649kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 913mg | Potassium: 809mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 900IU | Vitamin C: 7.7mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 4.1mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!

This Asian tacos recipe was originally published in 2018. It was updated in 2022 to add new photographs, and again in 2023 to add new information. The Korean taco recipe remains the same. Enjoy!

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5 from 20 votes (17 ratings without comment)

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21 responses

  1. Doniree
    June 25, 2018

    5 stars
    This sounds SO good! And Riesling is my favorite pairing for spicy food! Oregon is producing so many amazing ones right now, too! 🙂

    Reply
    1. Erin
      June 27, 2018

      I agree!!! There are so many great Rieslings out there to choose from. I always like to pick up a few bottles to have on hand since it’s such a food-friendly wine!

      Reply
  2. Create/Enjoy (@SuzannahStanley)
    June 25, 2018

    Literally drooling!!! Oh, these sound and look so good!
    How frustrating to buy all the ingredients you need but have one of them devoured before you could use it! 😛

    Reply
    1. Erin
      June 27, 2018

      Right? Luckily she’s a cutie – So I forgave her 😉

      Reply
  3. Waz
    June 25, 2018

    When I first glanced at the photo, I thought they were mushroom tacos! Definitely want to try out a vegan version of this recipe because the rest of the ingredients sound like they’d be a delicious combo.

    Reply
    1. Erin
      June 27, 2018

      I think that mushrooms would actually be an amazing swap in this recipe Waz! I hope you give it a try! Let me know how it turns out!!!

      Reply
  4. Mary
    June 26, 2018

    5 stars
    This sounds so delicious, and right up my alley! And we have almost everything on hand to try it, even kimchi (though it’s not homemade… thank you Whole Foods 😉

    Totally giving this a shot!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      June 27, 2018

      Yay! I hope you love it Mary!

      Reply
  5. Summer
    June 26, 2018

    Looks tasty! I am a bit intimidated by kimchee, however.

    Reply
    1. Erin
      June 27, 2018

      You can always leave it out Summer – Or just use a really little bit at first to test it out! That’s the fun part about tacos, everyone can choose their own toppings!

      Reply
  6. Kelsey
    June 26, 2018

    This looks so delicious and I’m excited to try it!
    In college, my room mate’s dog ate an entire loaf of cinnamon raisin bread, but ignored the whole wheat bread.

    Reply
    1. Erin
      June 27, 2018

      That’s so funny! Aren’t raisins really bad for dogs though? I hope she was OK!

      Reply
  7. Catherine @ To & Fro Fam
    June 27, 2018

    I love all the fusion ideas! It’s so fun to make food that takes inspiration from different cultures.

    Reply
    1. Erin
      June 27, 2018

      Me too – I think it’s so fun to try new mash ups!

      Reply
  8. Tenacious Little Terrier
    June 28, 2018

    We love bulgogi and make it every now and then but haven’t paired it with tacos at home. I’ll have to try it. Our dog can’t reach the counter but he doesn’t believe in eating carbs anyway. He’s super picky about food!

    Reply
    1. Erin
      June 29, 2018

      Ha ha! Low carb doggie diet 🙂 The only food our dog is picky about is her dog food. Give her any “people food” and she’s all on it!

      Reply
  9. Judith
    July 16, 2021

    5 stars
    Made this the other night for my family. I used strip sirloin steaks instead of ribeye, because they looked beautiful at the market with their marbling. Other than that, I stuck to the recipe and it was delicious and a big hit.
    Side note: For the vegetarian in my family, I substituted sliced portobello mushrooms and treated them exactly like the meat (including the marinade for 4 hours and they held up beautifully.)

    Reply
    1. Erin
      July 23, 2021

      Thanks for that tip Judith! The portobellos sound like a delicious swap!

      Reply
  10. HungryDude
    December 14, 2021

    Ok, maybe I’m slow, but I have a few questions. I tweaked the recipe on here for 8 servings. When I was finished with the marinade it was a lot of veg/pear and not a whole lot of liquid if that makes sense. I’m used to a 90% liquid marinade, anyway does this sound right? Next question, I see in the pictures where there are red onions on the tacos, the recipe doesn’t call for this as a add on. So I wanted to make sure I wasn’t supposed to keep some of the marinade for the toppings? Or was that just a add-on that wasn’t mentioned in the actually recipe.

    Sorry, I’m OCD 😉 it looks great and I don’t want to miss anything come tomorrow when I make this.

    Reply
    1. Erin
      December 14, 2021

      Hi! I think your marinade will be ok. It is on the thick side, but that should be fine! And for the red topping, that was some red cabbage I threw on for color. I hope it all works out for you tomorrow! Let me know if you run into any issues.

      Reply
  11. Mimi Rippee
    June 26, 2023

    I was just in Seoul, and I tried bulgogi there and it was too plain. I must prefer a gourmetified version of it. And in tacos it sounds perfect!

    Reply

Hi, I’m Erin!

Can I pour you a glass of wine? Let’s have some fun in the kitchen! Maybe some pasta? A juicy steak? I’ve got loads of yummy, easy recipes for you! Because cooking should feel as comfy as your favorite yoga pants. ♥

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