Korean Beef Tacos
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The most mind-blowing tacos EVER! Filled with everyone’s favorite Korean beef, caramelized kimchi + Sriracha mayo!
I feel like I have been all over the place these last 10 days. I was in Arkansas last weekend, then flew off to Minneapolis for a quick work trip at the General Mills headquarters, then worked at the studio in downtown Los Angeles for two days, and now I’m off to Ecuador tomorrow morning!
I literally have been all over the place. But the only thing keeping me sane right now are these tacos.
These Korean beef tacos that are absolutely to die for.
I don’t know if it’s the Korean beef, the caramelized kimchi or the Sriracha mayo, or the combination of everything neatly tucked in a mini flour tortilla.
It’s just amazing. And I’ve had about 17 of these while packing for my next trip.
Maybe I can pack 3-5 for the flight? The passenger sitting next to me probably won’t mind, right?
Tools For This Recipe
Large cast iron skillet
Korean Beef Tacos: Frequently Asked Questions
Not at all! Ground pork or ground turkey can be used instead of ground beef.
Kimchi is a fermented vegetable dish made with napa cabbage. It is a staple in Korean cuisine, and can be found in most grocery stores such as Whole Foods.
Yes! You can freeze the Korean beef leftovers in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop (adding a tablespoon of water as needed).
Korean Beef Tacos
Ingredients
For the Korean beef
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces ground beef
For the kimchi
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 cup chopped kimchi
- 1 teaspoon sugar
For the Sriracha mayonnaise
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
For the tacos
- 12 mini flour tortillas
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
for the korean beef
- In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes and ginger.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground beef and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat.
- Stir in soy sauce mixture until well combined, allowing to simmer until heated through, about 2 minutes; set aside.
for the kimchi
- Heat sesame oil in the skillet over medium high heat. Add kimchi and sugar, and cook, stirring constantly, until caramelized and heated through, about 3-5 minutes; set aside.
for the sriracha mayonnaise
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Sriracha and lime juice; set aside.
for the tacos
- Serve ground beef mixture in tortillas, topped with kimchi, red onion, cilantro and sesame seeds, drizzled with Sriracha mayonnaise.
Did you make this recipe?
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Making these tomorrow and purchased spicy kimchi in a jar, is this ok to use? (Wildbrine) Korean style
Yummy and super easy/ fast
All I can say is these are “dam delicious!!!!” They are easy to put together…. I had no idea how great they would be!
We love this recipe! We literally made 8 times the amount…..Made for a huge gathering….used corn and flour tortillas as many of our friends are gluten free.. wrapped in personal foils with all the goodies…although we improvised slightly, we kept warm in oven for about an hour and was a huge success… I can see why you ate 17 of these! It appeals to everyone….added a little gogujang for some depth in the heat section…..thank you for your awesome recipe..you made our party a success!
How many people did you feed with 8 times the recipe? I’m also going to feed a large group (25 ppl) and wondering how much to make.
These were SO good! Made a couple of
Subs: I don’t usually buy kimchi so I shredded a cucumber and used instead. Used avocado mayo and apple cider vinegar instead of lime juice. Finally, issued coconut and cauliflower tortillas from Aldi. can’t wait to make them again!
Wow so yummy! Will make again and double the recipe!☺️
These tacos are a staple in our household! We also pickle red onions as a topping which I feel like adds a ton of flavor. Our toddlers love them too. Thanks for a yummy recipe!
Can’t wait to make these this weekend! What sides would you recommend serving with them?
Made these yesterday for my daughter’s birthday. She found the recipe and asked me to make it. I had to multiply the recipe ×6 for 7 adults and 2 children(one being an extremely picky eater at 9yrs old). Dinner was done and the picky eater said she didn’t want any. My daughter made her a taco anyway, minus the kimchi. She finished it and got up and made herself another one. … So I’d say try this recipe, it WONT disappoint!
These are not tacos. These are crack.
Everyone loved these tacos! Such amazing flavors!
Which sesame oil do you use, toasted or pure, or both? Thank you!
Absolutely delicious whole family of picky eaters loved them. very tasty, easy to make we double the recipe for family of 5 and still. no leftovers!
Wondering – is the meat just as good (or even better) reheated the next day, or best to make fresh?
Made this for a dinner party…absolutely delicious and so easy to make
So easy made absolutely delicious
Delicious! The family loved them, and I loved the easy prep. Thank you!
I made triple the batch for a gathering and it was a huge hit! I served it in an Instant Pot on warm and had the condiments on the side. Several people asked for the recipe!
Next up, my husband plans to try making a version of it with canned chicken for a paddling trip up the coast of Alaska! We will see how it goes!
Excellent as usual.
I made these tacos in February 2022 for the first time, and they were immediately a big hit with my family!! They request them aaalllllll the time now, and I think I have made them at least once a month since then! I follow the recipe exactly, and it’s incredible! For those who don’t caramelize the kimchi, please try it, it adds such a depth of flavor
and is amazingly delicious!!