This bulgogi recipe is an amazing way to make some delicious Korean Beef Tacos! With each bite you’ll taste mouth watering flavors that will definitely satisfy all your taco cravings!
Korean Beef Tacos
A local food truck used to come to my office every Thursday. I looked forward to the change in pace and flavorful food compared to my usual cardboard frozen meal or lame protein bar. Much to my dismay, they no longer come.
Although this is helpful for my wallet and waistline, I just kept craving one of my favorite food truck delicacies, Korean Beef Tacos. My only choice was to replicate.
Baltimore is a big town for “eating your meat on the street.” The food truck boom hit and hit hard. We have everything from breakfast to dessert roaming the streets offering steamed food wrapped in aluminum foil.
Truth be told, I used to be scared of food trucks, but I guess my vision was of dirty hot dog water from the streets of Manhattan. Let me tell you, food trucks have changed. They follow sanitation codes, offer fresh and local ingredients and come up with some truly gourmet to-go meals, vegan to bacon galore!
I’m sure you’ve seen bulgogi beef listed as one of the ingredients in the recipe card, and I’m sure most of you are curious to know that it is. The word bulgogi means “fire meat” which is essentially what it is.
Bulgogi beef is thinly sliced pieces of marinated sirloin that is cooked on the grill or in a griddle on the stove top. From the meaning of bulgogi you’d think it would have a spicy flavor but it’s actually on the sweeter side. You can also make our Instant Pot Korean Beef for a shredded version with the same delicious flavors.
Bulgogi is one of the most popular Korean dishes and is usually served to non Koreans for their first Korean food experience. You’ll find it being served at Korean barbecue restaurants where you cook it yourself at the built in grills at your table. Make into tacos, serve over rice or even make beef bulgogi bowls!
More taco recipes!
Crockpot Taco Meat
Taco Bake Casserole Recipe
Jalapeno Lime Flank Steak Tacos
Korean Beef Tacos
Equipment
Ingredients
Bulgogi Beef:
- 1 1/4 pounds sirloin steak , thinly sliced to 1/8 of an inch
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 3 garlic cloves , crushed
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Chipotle Aioli:
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers , canned in adobe sauce (more or less depending on taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
Easy Kimchi:
- 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
- 1/2 cup carrots julienned
- 1/2 cup cucumber julienned
- 1/2 cup red onion thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds white, black or mixed
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
Tacos:
- 12 corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup cilantro roughly chopped and large stems removed
- 1 cup queso fresco crumbled
- Sriracha
- 2 limes cut into wedges
Instructions
Bulgogi Beef:
- In a large airtight plastic bag mix sirloin steak, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic and rice vinegar. Massage together and into the meat.
- Marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of one hour, but up to over night. While the meat marinates, chop and prepare the veggies.
Chipotle Aioli:
- In a small food processor or using an immersion blender, blend together mayonnaise, chipotle peppers and salt. If you do not have either of these, finely chop chipotle peppers and whisk together. It will not be as smooth, but will taste the same. Cover and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Easy Kimchi:
- Fill a medium saucepan half way with water and bring to a boil. Add apple cider vinegar, cabbage, onions, carrots and cucumber. Boil for 2 minutes, just long enough to soften, but not long enough for the veggies to be mushy. Remove and strain.
- In a medium mixing bowl, toss vegetables with rice vinegar and sesame seeds. Set aside until ready to assemble.
- About 15 minutes before you are ready to eat, heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Coat well with cooking spray. Remove sirloin from marinade, discard of remaining marinade.
- Add to hot pan, tossing over 30 seconds or so. Due to the sirloin being so thin, it will cook quickly. For medium rare, it will only take 2-5 minutes. Time more or less depending on your choice of wellness.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 12 large pieces of aluminum foil. Assemble each taco with all ingredients. Wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Lay in a single file layer on a large cookie sheet. Heat for 5 minutes. Remove and serve by unwrapping aluminum foil, no utensils needed!
- Enjoy your Korean Beef Tacos!
- If you’ve tried this recipe, please come back, rate it and leave a comment. We’d love to hear from you!
- If you’ve tried this recipe, please come back and let us know how it was!
Oh my goodness, this sounds so good! I’m such a sucker for anything with Sriracha in the recipe. Pinned for later! 🙂
The name of tat dish is pretty exotic. I bet it tastes great
I could eat these Korean Beef Tacos EVERY DAY! Love the chipotle aioli and sriracha!
That food truck needs to visit you again, but it looks like you’ve made up for its absence! I am a BIG fan of Bulgogi!! Yummm!!
I just love Korean beef and this is a unique way to serve it! I just love this idea!
We don’t have any of those here. I wish we did! But in the meantime, I can make your version. Yum!
I’m not a beef eater, but I do love Sriracha! It’s my new favorite spicy sauce.
Oh, those darn trucks found another profitable location! You were lucky to have delivery for awhile! Nothing beats homemade though. Your Korean Beef Taco looks delicious!
That’s a nicely made answer to a chganelling question
Okay… This cool! First, I love sriracha on everything, so I’m completely digging this recipe. Second, I am in Maryland too!!! I love bumping into bloggers near me on the interwebs. How completely awesome! I enjoy food and I’m quite adventurous when it comes to my palate. Get together for a meal?
We don’t have food trucks in our area, but I always thought they seemed like so much fun to order from! My hubs would just be in heaven if I made him these tacos!