Korean Steak Tacos with Sweet Cilantro Dressing
If there is one recipe my family requests more than anything else, it’s these Korean Steak Tacos. Birthdays, special occasions, family dinners—if someone gets to pick the meal, there’s a very good chance these tacos are what they’re asking for.
And once you see everything that goes into them, you’ll understand why.
These street-style tacos are piled high with tender Korean-inspired flank or skirt steak, homemade guacamole, corn salsa, cilantro lime rice, crunchy slaw, and the real star of the show: an absolutely insane homemade sweet cilantro dressing drizzled over the top.
There are a lot of components, but don’t let that scare you. This recipe is the perfect combination of homemade and store-bought ingredients. I make the things that really make a difference from scratch—like the guacamole, salsa, corn salsa, cilantro lime rice, and sweet cilantro sauce—and take some help from the grocery store with things like street taco tortillas and bagged slaw mix.
Even better, many of the components can be made ahead of time. When you’re ready to eat, all that’s left to do is cook the steak, warm everything up, and let everyone assemble their perfect taco.
Why You’ll Love These Korean Steak Tacos
These aren’t your average steak tacos. Every component brings something different to the table: savory steak, creamy guacamole, sweet corn, fluffy cilantro lime rice, crunchy slaw, and that sweet cilantro dressing that ties everything together.
They’re also:
● Perfect for entertaining. Set everything out taco-bar style and let everyone build their own.
● Easy to prep ahead. Make several of the components earlier in the day or even the day before.
● A mix of homemade and convenient. You get tons of homemade flavor without having to make every single ingredient from scratch.
● Customizable. Everyone can add as much—or as little—of each topping as they want.
● Made for special occasions. There’s a reason this is the #1 birthday and special-occasion dinner requested by my family.
Flank Steak or Skirt Steak?
You can make these Korean steak tacos with either flank steak or skirt steak, and both are delicious.
Flank steak is lean with a great beefy flavor and works especially well when it’s cooked to medium rare and sliced very thinly against the grain.
Skirt steak is a little richer and has a looser texture that absorbs marinades beautifully. It also cooks extremely quickly, making it a great choice for tacos.
Whichever cut you choose, the most important thing is not to overcook it and to slice the steak thinly against the grain. That gives you tender pieces of steak that are easy to bite through once they’re tucked inside the tortillas.
What Goes on Korean Steak Tacos?
These tacos are all about the layers. Each component is good on its own, but together they’re incredible.
Korean-Inspired Steak
Flank or skirt steak makes the hearty base for these tacos. The savory steak balances the sweeter elements of the corn and cilantro dressing.
Homemade Guacamole
Creamy homemade guacamole adds richness to every bite. I make mine using homemade salsa, which gives it even more flavor without requiring a long list of additional ingredients.
Corn Salsa
The corn salsa adds sweetness, freshness, and texture. It’s one of those toppings that might seem optional until you taste the finished taco—then you’ll realize it absolutely belongs there.
Cilantro Lime Rice
Cilantro lime rice makes these tacos extra hearty and is especially helpful when you’re feeding a crowd. The fresh lime and cilantro also work perfectly with the steak and toppings.
Crunchy Slaw
This is one place where I happily take a shortcut. Store-bought bagged slaw mix gives you all the crunch you need without having to shred multiple types of cabbage yourself.
Sweet Cilantro Dressing
And finally, the ingredient that brings the whole thing together: sweet cilantro dressing.
Do not skip this sauce. I repeat, DO NOT SKIP THIS SAUCE.
It’s sweet, fresh, and packed with cilantro flavor. Drizzle it generously over the finished tacos and make sure you put extra on the table because everyone will want more.
Homemade Flavor Without Making Everything From Scratch
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that it strikes the right balance between homemade and convenient.
When I’m making a meal with this many different components, I don’t think every single item needs to be made from scratch. Instead, I focus my time on the ingredients where homemade really makes a difference.
I make the guacamole, salsa, corn salsa, cilantro lime rice, and sweet cilantro dressing myself because those are the flavors that make these tacos special.
Then I save time with store-bought street taco tortillas and pre-shredded slaw mix.
You still end up with a meal that tastes completely homemade, but you aren’t spending the entire day in the kitchen.
Make-Ahead Korean Steak Tacos
These tacos may look like a lot of work, but they’re actually one of my favorite meals for entertaining because so much can be prepared ahead of time.
The sweet cilantro dressing is perfect for making in advance and storing in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
The corn salsa can also be prepared ahead of time, which actually gives the flavors time to come together.
Your homemade salsa can be made in advance as well, and the cilantro lime rice can be cooked ahead and reheated just before dinner.
You can also prep your slaw and other toppings so they’re ready to go.
I prefer making the guacamole closer to serving time so it stays fresh and green, although it can be prepared a little ahead of time if it’s covered tightly and refrigerated.
That leaves the steak as the main thing you’ll need to cook right before dinner.
How to Serve Korean Steak Tacos
For a family dinner, I’ll usually warm the tortillas and put all of the components on the counter or table so everyone can build their own tacos.
Start with a warm street taco tortilla and layer on:
1. Homemade guacamole
2. Thinly sliced Korean steak
3. Cilantro lime rice
4. Corn salsa
5. Crunchy slaw
6. A generous drizzle of sweet cilantro dressing
Don’t worry about making them neat. These are the kind of tacos that should be completely loaded and require a few extra napkins.
Tips for the Best Steak Tacos
Don’t overcook your steak. Flank and skirt steak are both best when they stay juicy. For medium rare, cook the steak until the center reaches about 125–130°F, then allow it to rest before slicing.
Always slice against the grain first. This is especially important with flank steak. Cutting across those long muscle fibers makes a huge difference in tenderness. Cut the opposite way to create small diced bites of meat. This makes eating the taco much easier!
Use fajita-size tortillas. The smaller tortillas are perfect for these loaded tacos and make them easy to serve for parties and family dinners.
Warm your tortillas. A quick warm-up in a dry skillet makes store-bought tortillas taste so much better.
Make extra cilantro dressing. Seriously. You’ll want it.
Prep what you can ahead of time. When you’re making a recipe with several components, spreading out the work makes dinner much easier.
Perfect for Birthdays, Parties and Family Dinners. There are certain recipes that become part of your family’s traditions, and these Korean Steak Tacos are one of those recipes for us.
They are, without question, the meal I get asked to make most often when someone in my family gets to choose dinner for a birthday or special occasion.
Korean Steak Tacos
Ingredients
Corn Salsa
- 6 ears of corn kernels cut from the cob
- 1/2 purple onion diced
- 4 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Guac
- 4 large ripe avocados
- 1 bunch cilantro chopped
- juice of one lime
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/3 c salsa
Cilantro Sauce
- 2 bunches of cilantro leaves
- 2 seeded jalapeños roughly chopped
- 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 1/2 c light brown sugar packed
- 6 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 6 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp black pepper
Cilantro Lime rice
- 3 c Minute Rice
- 1 bunch cilantro leaves chopped
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 1 1/2 tsp salt (for water)
- 3 c water
Steak
- Flank or Skirt Steak
- kosher salt
- black pepper
Store Bought Items
- slaw mix
- tortillas flour or soft corn
Instructions
- Start by making the cilantro sauce. This can be done up to 3 days in advance. Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Store in an air-tight container. It will separate over time, just shake well before using.
- The rice can also be made in advance. The flavor develops over time. If you're using Minute Rice, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt to the water, stir then pour in 3 cups of Minute Rice. Stir and cover. Turn the heat off.
- Allow the rice to absorb the water for 15 minutes. Remove the lid, stir and add the chopped cilantro and lime juice. Stir again and leave the lid off while it cools.
- For the corn salsa, cut the kernels off the cobs. Set aside.
- Melt 4 tbsp butter over medium heat and add the diced purple onion. Cook for 3-4 minutes then add the corn kernels. Stir and add sugar, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 -7 minutes, stirring often. You want the starchiness gone but the corn to still snap. Remove from heat and set aside.
- For the guacamole, you can make this last. The guacamole calls for salsa. If you need a salsa recipe, here's how I make mine: Add 2 cans stewed tomatoes, one small bunch of cilantro leaves, 1/4 large purple onion (roughly chopped), one large clove of garlic (roughly chopped), half a green bell pepper (roughly chopped), 2 jalapenos (remove seeds and pit, roughly chopped), 1/2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp kosher salt. Blend all that in a food processor or a blender.
- Add avocadoes, chopped cilantro, lime juice, salsa, garlic powder, salt and pepper to a bowl and smash together. Cover the surface of the guacamole with cling wrap if not immediately consuming to keep it from turning brown. Store in refrigerator.
- For the steak, remove it from the refrigerator an hour before grilling or preparing on the griddle. Cut off excess fat and season liberally with kosher salt and black pepper on both sides. Cook until an internal temperature of 125 degrees is met. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes under foil. Dice into small pieces (this takes about 15 minutes).
- To build your taco, smear on guacamole, add steak, corn salsa, cilantro lime rice, slaw and a good pour of the cilantro sauce.
- Grab napkins becuase these get messy!