Save to Pinterest A vibrant flavor-packed recipe blending inspirations from street food around the world &mdash think Korean bulgogi tacos Filipino ube crema and zesty Mexican toppings. Perfect for a fun customizable meal!
I first made these fusion tacos and bowls for our weekly family dinner night and everyone loved mixing and matching the different toppings to create their own unique meal. It's become one of our go-to dishes for sharing with friends.
Ingredients
- Beef sirloin or chicken thighs or tofu: 400 g (14 oz) thinly sliced (or use firm tofu for vegetarian)
- Soy sauce: 1 tbsp
- Sesame oil: 1 tbsp
- Brown sugar: 1 tbsp
- Garlic: 2 cloves minced
- Ginger: 1 tsp grated
- Gochujang: 1 tsp Korean chili paste
- Cooked ube or ube halaya: 1/3 cup (can substitute with sweet potato for color)
- Sour cream or Greek yogurt: 1/2 cup (use coconut yogurt for vegan)
- Lime juice: 1 tbsp
- Honey or maple syrup: 1 tsp
- Salt: Pinch
- Kimchi: 1 cup chopped
- Shredded cabbage: 1 cup (red or green)
- Cucumber: 1 small thinly sliced
- Jalapeño: 1 thinly sliced
- Fresh cilantro: 2 tbsp chopped
- Toasted sesame seeds: 2 tbsp
- Pickled red onions: 1/4 cup
- Corn or flour tortillas: 8 small (soft taco size) or
- Jasmine or sushi rice: 2 1/2 cups cooked (for bowls)
Instructions
- Marinate the Protein:
- In a bowl mix soy sauce sesame oil brown sugar garlic ginger and gochujang. Add the sliced beef chicken or tofu toss well and marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Prepare the Ube Crema:
- In a blender or food processor combine ube sour cream or yogurt lime juice honey and salt. Blend until smooth and vibrant purple. Refrigerate until serving.
- Cook the Protein:
- Heat a skillet or grill pan over medium high heat. Cook the marinated protein for 4 to 6 minutes stirring occasionally until browned and cooked through. Set aside.
- Warm the Base:
- Heat tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave until soft and pliable. For bowls fluff the cooked rice.
- Assemble:
- To make tacos spread ube crema on each tortilla add protein then top with kimchi cabbage cucumber jalapeño cilantro sesame seeds and pickled onions. For bowls layer rice with toppings and drizzle with ube crema.
- Serve:
- Serve immediately letting everyone build their own tacos or bowls as desired.
Save to Pinterest We love setting up a taco and bowl station for a casual family dinner so everyone can serve themselves and choose their favorite toppings. It's a fun way to get everyone involved in the meal!
Required Tools
Mixing bowls skillet or grill pan blender or food processor cutting board and knife tongs or spatula
Allergen Information
Contains gluten in tortillas and soy sauce dairy in crema and soy in soy sauce and gochujang. For gluten free use gluten free tortillas and tamari. For dairy free use coconut yogurt in crema. Always check labels for allergens in kimchi gochujang and condiments.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 470 Total Fat: 15 g Carbohydrates: 60 g Protein: 22 g (per serving)
Save to Pinterest With just a little prep these fusion tacos and bowls bring global flavor to your table. Let your guests build their own for maximum fun and taste.
Common Recipe Questions
- → Can I make this dish vegetarian or vegan?
Absolutely! Substitute beef or chicken with firm tofu or jackfruit and choose coconut yogurt for the crema to keep it dairy-free.
- → Are there alternatives to ube for the crema?
Roasted sweet potato or purple potato work nicely in place of ube for both color and subtle sweetness.
- → What cooking tools do I need?
You’ll need mixing bowls, a skillet or grill pan, blender or food processor, cutting board, knife, and tongs or spatula.
- → Can I make this gluten- or dairy-free?
Use gluten-free tortillas and tamari, and coconut yogurt in the crema to fit dietary needs. Always check ingredient labels.
- → What bases work best for serving?
Soft corn or flour tortillas are great for handheld tacos, while jasmine or sushi rice create hearty bowls.
- → What toppings enhance the flavor?
Kimchi, cabbage, cucumber, jalapeño, cilantro, sesame seeds, and pickled onions add crunch and zest to every bite.
- → How spicy is this dish?
Spice level can be adjusted by reducing gochujang or leaving out jalapeños for milder flavors.