Korean Beef Tacos bring big flavor in every bite with marinated beef, crunchy slaw, and a spicy Sriracha-lime drizzle all tucked into warm, charred tortillas
author’s note
Taco Tuesday Got A Major Upgrade!
These tacos have been a long time coming. A few months ago, we stumbled on a tiny, hole-in-the-wall Korean spot with near-perfect Yelp reviews. After one bite of their beef tacos, my husband was begging me to recreate them.
It took a few tries to get it just right, but he’ll tell you this version is even better—win! Honestly, the beef alone is good enough to eat by the bowlful.
The marinade is super simple, but it packs in serious flavor. Don’t feel like assembling tacos? Just make some rice and pile this beef on top—maybe add a drizzle of Sriracha mayo too.
Ingredients In Korean Beef Tacos
- Tortillas: I like street-sized flour tortillas, quickly charred over a gas flame or warmed in a skillet for the best flavor and texture.
- Beef and marinade: If flank steak isn’t available, alternatives such as flat iron steak, hanger steak, or skirt steak can be used.
- Slaw: You can adjust spice levels according to preference.
- Optional Sauce: The sauce has only five ingredients. I recommend adding the Sriracha gradually, to personal taste and spice preference.
Quick Tip
Flank steak may be labeled as London Broil, Flank Steak Fillet, or Jiffy Steak. If unsure, ask at the meat counter. Flat iron, hanger, or skirt steak also work.
Korean Beef Taco Notes
- Spiciness: This recipe is fairly mild. For less heat, skip the Sriracha in the slaw and reduce it in the sauce. For more, add extra Sriracha or Gochujang to the tacos.
- Cooking Tip: Make sure the skillet is hot before adding the beef—high heat gives it a juicy, flavorful char.
- Don’t overcrowd: Too much beef in the pan lowers the heat and prevents a good sear. Give the meat space to cook properly.
Shortcuts
- Serve over rice: Skip the tortillas and slaw—just add the cooked beef, sauce, and top with avocado or raw matchstick carrots to your Korean beef tacos.
- Swap the slaw: Use plain shredded cabbage (red or green) instead of making the full slaw.
- Easy sauce: Mix 1/4 cup mayo with 2–3 tsp Sriracha or just drizzle plain Sriracha or Gochujang over everything.
More Delicious Taco Recipes:
Korean Beef Tacos
Korean Beef Tacos are a flavor-packed win! Juicy marinated beef, crunchy slaw, and a zesty Sriracha-lime sauce all tucked into charred tortillas.
Equipment
- Large food processor or blender
- Large pan heavy, nonstick
Ingredients
Steak and Marinade
- 2 pounds flank steak
- 1 tablespoon ginger peeled and chopped
- 1/3 cup soy sauce not lite
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 lime
- 1 packed cup coarsely chopped yellow onion
- 1 packed cup coarsely chopped Fuji apple
- 4 cloves garlic
Quick Slaw (Optional—See Note 1)
- 4 cups shredded green cabbage
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 1 cup matchstick-cut cucumber 2–3 Persian/Salad or 1 English cucumber
- 1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro 1 bunch—stems and leaves; measure before chopping
- 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha
Sauce
Tacos
- Flour tortillas street-taco-sized, plus cooking spray
- Cilantro optional, for serving
Instructions
- Remove flank steak from packaging and pat dry all over with a paper towel. If the steak is wider than 4 inches, cut in half lengthwise. Then, against the grain, very thinly slice the steak into small strips. Place all cut steak pieces in a large plastic bag. In a large/powerful food processor (or blender), add all the marinade ingredients. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice. Pulse to finely chop and break down ingredients until you have a thick paste. Pour over the steak and seal the bag without air. Massage the marinade into the steak and refrigerate for at least an hour up to overnight. (Even with just an hour of marinade, you’ll still get lots of flavor!)
- While making the marinade, I also like to whip up the sauce so it can chill and get more flavorful. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon lime zest and 3 tablespoons lime juice. Stir briskly until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, but add to preference). Cover and store in the fridge until ready to eat.
- Combine all the ingredients listed under “slaw” in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice. Toss gently with tongs until well combined. Toss a few more times and right before serving (see note 1).
- Set out the beef 15–20 minutes before cooking (if it’s super cold, it will make the meat less juicy). Set a large, heavy, nonstick pan on high heat for about 1–2 minute(s) without adding anything. Cook the meat in batches: use tongs to grab some of the meat and marinade and add to the hot pan. Quickly separate the meat into an even layer (so meat is not overlapping). It should make a loud sizzle when added to the pan (how you know the pan is hot enough). Let the meat stand 2–3 minutes or until lightly browned, then flip and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 2–3 minutes or until beef is cooked and marinade has caramelized on the meat. Transfer to a plate, cover with foil, and quickly wipe down the pan with a paper towel and repeat until all the beef is cooked through.
- Warm or char tortillas (see note 2). Add beef, slaw, and lots of sauce on top! Enjoy immediately.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: If you don’t want to make the slaw, these tacos are still extremely tasty. I’d recommend just adding a handful of green cabbage (tossed in a little soy sauce) for some crunch.
Note 2: To char the tortillas: Spray both sides with cooking spray and char directly over gas flames for a few seconds, flipping with tongs until lightly charred and soft. Fold immediately in half and keep warm under a towel. Alternatively, warm in a skillet over medium heat in batches, flipping each side. Fold in half and cover with a towel to keep warm.
Storage: Store leftover Korean Beef Tacos in an airtight container. Keep the beef, slaw, and sauce separate from the tortillas. Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat the beef and tortillas before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 480kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 97mg | Sodium: 1290mg | Potassium: 1255mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 9448IU | Vitamin C: 76mg | Calcium: 158mg | Iron: 5mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
All of your tips on preparing and cooking the flank steak were so helpful. It was very flavorful and really tender. Dinner was a great success, and we loved these tacos! I decided to use my large cast iron pan to promote browning, but it was a bear to clean between batches of steak and also when I was done. Did you specifically recommend a non-stick pan for a reason? I bet the excess marinade would have wiped off more easily. I had to scrape it with a spatula!!! I should always listen to you!
I am so happy to hear this! For easy clean up non-stick is definitely best! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
Im allergic to eggs so I replaced the mayo w/sour cream .YUM..YUMYUM
Great idea 🙂
These are fantastic! Highly recommend!
So glad you enjoyed these! Thanks Louie!