Korean Beef Tacos
by Chungah
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The most mind-blowing tacos EVER! Filled with everyone’s favorite Korean beef, caramelized kimchi + Sriracha mayo!
Featured Comment
WOW!! It felt like a little bit of the Kogi food truck in my kitchen, these were so good!! We moved away from LA where we were able to go to Roy Choi’s restaurants regularly…and now we miss the Korean taco flavors. This recipe was pretty close to those flavors we miss!! This is going into the regular recipe rotation for us!! I would even say toddler friendly as quesadilla filling. Thank you!!
why you’ll love these korean tacos
- Flavor explosion. Say goodbye to boring tacos. Not sure if it’s the crumbled, juicy, flavorful Korean beef, the caramelized kimchi, the Sriracha mayo drizzle or the combination of everything neatly tucked into a mini flour tortilla, but these Korean tacos will knock your socks off with every single bite.
- Budget-friendly. Also, this is one of those affordable, budget-friendly dinners that uses ground beef and pantry staples, and tastes like a million bucks (truly, restaurant-quality).
- Speedy weeknight meal. This is a very quick dinner that is oh-so-perfect to keep in your back pocket for those hectic weeknights. In fact, the Korean beef can be frozen ahead of time, making dinner prep that much easier!
- Flexible recipe. Transform these tacos into quesadillas, burritos or beef bowls. Use corn or flour tortilla, and top with all the desired, favorited toppings. There is no wrong way to have a taco!
What is kimchi?
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 in the refrigerated aisle such as Whole Foods.
tips and tricks for success
- Use reduced sodium soy sauce. Reduced sodium has less sodium and less salt without compromising flavor.
- Use your favorite meat. Ground beef, pork, chicken or turkey, tofu or plant based ground beef will all work very well here.
- Add vegetables. Add mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers or leafy greens for a more heartier meal.
- Use flour or corn tortillas. Although tacos are traditionally made with corn tortillas, flour tortillas can also be used depending on personal preference.
- Double up the tortilla. Street tacos are typically served on two tortillas, known as la copia or “the copy”. This practice helps keep the filling together, and if the first tortilla breaks, the back up tortilla can be used for the rest of the filling.
- Make ahead of time. Cook the Korean beef portion in advance and freeze as needed. Also, the Sriracha mayo can be made a few days beforehand and placed in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Serve with your favorite toppings. And finally, serve with caramelized kimchi, Sriracha mayo, diced red onion, avocado, shredded cabbage or Asian pickled cucumbers.
more favorited korean recipes
Tools For This Recipe
Korean Beef Tacos: Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to use ground beef?
Not at all! Use ground pork, ground turkey or ground chicken instead.
Where can I find kimchi?
Kimchi can be found in most grocery stores in the refrigerated aisle by other fermented items such as sauerkraut and pickles.
How can I store leftovers?
Store the leftover beef in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Is this freezer-friendly?
Yes! Freeze the leftover beef in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop (adding a tablespoon of water as needed).
Korean Beef Tacos
The most mind-blowing tacos EVER! Filled with everyone's favorite Korean beef, caramelized kimchi + Sriracha mayo!
Video
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.
Equipment
Did you make this recipe?
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These are amazing! I made them for the first time last week and my Husband and I loved them. So full of flavor. The Sirarcha mayo sauce makes it come to life. Im making them again this week too 🙂
The sauce is the best! Thanks for sharing!
This recipe sounds great and although I haven’t made it, I’m curious how a half-pound of meat translates to 12 servings/tacos???
Lauren, serving size is simply an estimation. It also truly depends on how much meat you add in your tacos so if you prefer more meat, you would fill less tacos.
This was incredible. I couldn’t get enough! It’s so tasty and easy to make. The carmelized kimchee was just the right addition to this dish, and every ingredient was an integral part of the taste experience. I will be making this again many times.
The kimchi is amazing! Glad you liked it! 🙂
Aside from being one of the more professional looking things I’ve made (I even took a photo of it, which is the most millennial thing I’ve done in a while), these were very good. I’m giving it 4 out of 5 since I thought they were a touch on the sweet side. I’m going to halve the brown sugar next time. I also had trouble caramelizing the kimchi, but I think I just had a little too much liquid in it and not enough heat. I don’t look for perfect recipes, I look for recipes that I can perfect for me, and this is one of the best I’ve found in a while. Thank you!
WOW! These little beauties were a homerun with the kiddo. Only change I would make is to double the recipe because we can eat these forever.
Great recipe. Thank you so much!!
Awesome!
I made this easy dish tonight and it checks all the flavor boxes. This is an awesome recipe!!
Great!
I cannot wait to try this, all your recipes are fabulous!! I do have a question:
Can I substitute saurkraut for kimchi? I know there are differences in the two, I just don’t have kimchi or time to go get it. I have all other ingredients including any Korean/Asian spices I might need to substitute ( I do a lot of cooking with Asian ingredients)
THANK YOU!
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. But if you get a chance to try it, please let me know! 🙂
Fabulous!!! and really a 30 minute meal!! I had leftover rare steak that I sliced very thin and used instead of ground meat and I used lettuce as a wrap – husband used flour tortillas. Both were amazing! Husband also loved them. Could serve at a casual get-together or small ones as appetizers – these are better than most restaurants!
Thanks for your feedback, Marta!
Delicious!!! We used Elk Meat instead of Beef and tasted amazing! We also used flour tortillas instead of corn. Definitely making this meal again. Thank you!
That sounds very good!
I do not often comment on recipes, even when they are great, but this one was stellar in my book and I felt compelled to share. I am often looking for that combination of sweet/savory/spicy, and with that hit of Kimchi (which I have NEVER tried until this recipe)…WOW!
I love your take on fusion recipes and this one did not disappoint! I used carne asada (skirt steak) and did street style tacos, because I only had little corn tortillas, and they were delicious in every bite.
If you are on the fence with this one, take the risk. It was delicious and I am happy to have some leftovers for lunch!
Thanks for sharing with us, Candice!
These are so FREAKING DAMN good!! Making them for the second time tonight.
I made these tonight and my whole family loved them. I have three little people, ages 7, 5, and 1. All three are with no complaints and cleared their plates. Thank you for this fabulous recipe! Not only was it delicious, but it was quick and simple to make. Two thumbs up!
Oh wow! We’re happy to hear it was such a big hit!
The most mind-blowing tacos ever!!!
Oh my goodness. These tacos. I made them the other night and they were spectacular! Thanks for the recipe!
Is it really only 1/2 lb beef and yields 12 servings?
12 servings = 12 tacos. The number of servings depends on how you want to serve these (ex. appetizer, main, etc.). Hope that helps, Sarah!
This is the most mind-blowing tacos ever!!!
what would you recommend as a side to go with the korean tacos?
Tortilla chips or french fries would go so well with this! 🙂
This recipe is amazing! I didn’t have kimchi so I caramelized onions with sesame & vegetable oil and added pickled carrots and daikon to the tacos. My entire family LOVED them. Thanks for the awesome recipe ☺️
Sounds yummy!
This looks scrumptious. I was wondering however if one could use kochujang with perhaps soy sauce and sesame oil for the beef stir fry ingredients? Unsure of the ratios here? Would appreciate your expertise! Thank you for always producing such delicious recipes!
What a great idea! But unfortunately, without having tried this myself, I cannot answer with certainty. As always, please use your best judgment when making substitutions and modifications.
Huge hit with everyone!! I wondered how the kimchi would go over with the kids, but the caramelization mellowed it nicely. This will be made often
Awesome! Thanks for sharing with us.