Korean Beef Tacos
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 649kcal
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.
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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!
Video
Notes
Tips and tricks
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Leaving the raw steak in the freezer for 15 minutes will help it firm up and make slicing easier.
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The ribeye pieces can marinate in the bulgogi marinade for as little as 2 hours or as long as 24 hours.
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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.
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The chili garlic aioli can be made and kept in the fridge up to 3 days in advance.
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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.
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Try swapping out the steak for ground beef, pork, or chicken.
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Keep it light by swapping the tortillas for lettuce wraps!
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Top the tacos with cooling vegetables and sauces, like sliced radishes, slaw, mango salsa, pineapple salsa, or cilantro lime crema.
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