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Street food · Korean home cooking

Bulgogi kimchi tacos

Soft tortillas filled with quick soy-marinated beef, pan-cooked kimchi and crisp lettuce. Four small tacos for two, with an optional light mayonnaise sauce.

30 min2 servings5 stepsDifficulty: Easy
Bulgogi kimchi tacos

AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.

01 / Before you start

Ingredients

2 servings

Get your ingredients ready
Get your ingredients ready

Everyday kitchen measurements

For 2 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).

How to fill the cup and spoons

Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.

King Arthur Baking

Essential, optional and substitute ingredients

Keep essential ingredients. For a replacement, use its listed amount and cooking changes instead of that ingredient’s original amount. Skip optional ingredients and their preparation if omitted. Photos show the original recipe.

  • Substitute available

    If Thinly sliced beef is unavailable

    If beef is unavailable, use 200 g boneless chicken thigh, the same half of a 400 g pack, thinly sliced. Keep the marinade; stir-fry 5–7 minutes and until the center reaches 74°C, extending if needed.

  • Substitute available

    If Small soft wheat tortillas is unavailable

    If wheat tortillas are unavailable, use 4 small corn tortillas, about 15 cm across. Warm according to the packet; they crack more easily, so fill lightly.

  • Essential

    Keep well-fermented kimchi for the sour Korean flavor. Drain and squeeze as directed; fresh cabbage cannot replace it with the same seasoning.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. Skip washing and shredding it; the tacos will have less fresh crunch. Keep the other quantities.

  • Substitute available

    If Soy sauce is unavailable

    If soy sauce is unavailable, use 1 tablespoon (15 ml) tamari instead. Check the label if avoiding wheat; it still contains soy.

  • Optional

    May be omitted for less sweetness. Do not replace the missing sugar with extra soy sauce or salt.

  • Optional

    May be omitted for a gentler flavor. Skip mincing and adding it; other amounts and cooking times stay the same.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. It supplies a toasted aroma, not the frying oil; do not add extra cooking oil to compensate.

  • Substitute available

    If Neutral cooking oil is unavailable

    If neutral oil is unavailable, use canola or sunflower oil in the same listed amount, instead of the original oil, not in addition.

  • Optional

    May be omitted; serve without the mayonnaise sauce. Mayonnaise usually contains egg, so check the label.

  • Optional

    May be omitted; the optional mayonnaise sauce will be less tangy. Do not add extra soy sauce instead.

Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.

02 / You’re ready to cook

Step-by-step cooking

  1. Step 1

    Cut the beef across the grain into very thin short strips. Mix with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar and the optional minced garlic and sesame oil. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 10 minutes; prepare the vegetables during this wait. Use separate utensils for raw beef.

  2. Step 2

    Drain and gently squeeze the kimchi, then chop into short pieces. Wash, dry and shred the optional lettuce on a clean board. For the optional sauce, mix 2 tablespoons mayonnaise with 1 teaspoon rice vinegar; keep it chilled. You can leave out either sauce ingredient.

  3. Step 3

    Heat 1 teaspoon cooking oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Spread in the beef and stir-fry for 3–5 minutes until cooked through and most liquid has evaporated. Whole-cut beef should reach 63°C, then rest for 3 minutes on a clean plate. Chicken replacement needs 74°C; never return cooked meat to the raw-meat plate.

  4. Step 4

    Wipe the pan, add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and stir-fry the chopped kimchi for 2 minutes to reduce moisture. Transfer to a clean dish. Warm the tortillas in the now-dry pan for about 20 seconds on each side, or follow their packet instructions; keep them flexible, not crisp.

  5. Step 5

    Divide lettuce, warm beef and kimchi between four tortillas. Add a little mayonnaise sauce if using, fold loosely and serve immediately. Keep the filling modest so the taco can be held easily; serve any extra filling beside it.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Finished dish: Bulgogi kimchi tacos
Bulgogi kimchi tacos
Helpful tips

One paper cup is 180 ml; a tablespoon is 15 ml and a teaspoon is 5 ml. The 30 minutes includes the refrigerated marinade. Contains soy and wheat; mayonnaise usually contains egg, sesame oil contains sesame, and kimchi may contain fish or shellfish. Store leftover filling separately from tortillas and lettuce. Refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C, at 4°C or colder. Use within 3 days and reheat the needed cooked filling to 74°C.

Enjoy every bite

How to enjoy it

Fill each tortilla lightly and add sauce a little at a time. Keep the lettuce dry so the warm tortilla stays soft without becoming soggy.

Serve it with