This post is sponsored by Andy Boy Broccoli Rabe.
Growing up in my teeny-tiny hometown in Massachusetts, there was basically one kind of “ethnic” food you could find, outside of an endless string of pizza shops: Chinese. By the time I was twelve or thirteen, a Thai restaurant appeared, and I couldn’t tell for the life of me if it had been there for a while or if I was just discovering it.
And then, just over ten years later, I moved to Seattle, where Asian food is everywhere–and downright amazing. It was one of the best parts of moving: the Thai, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese…And this was the middle of the food truck boom where you could find authentic food for under $10 in just about every area of the city. It was amazing.
These spicy Korean beef tacos are inspired by some of my favorite (and the most delicious) asian fusion food trucks in Seattle, with tender slices of sweet-meets-spicy skirt steak. I love the idea of putting Korean-marinated beef into Mexican-style tacos because it just makes my everyday tacos so much more interesting.
If you haven’t tried Andy Boy Broccoli Rabe, you have to. It’s not only a superfood (reason enough to give it a go!), but it has this distinct sharpness, and it adds such a refreshing contrast to bold flavors like this marinade. I like this veggie more and more every time I cook with it.
The key to really learning to love broccoli rabe, though, is blanching it quickly (before sauteing, grilling, roasting, etc…). That quick 2 minute plunge in simmering water removes a little of the natural bitterness in it, without overcooking it or removing the nice punch of flavor it offers a dish.
Enjoy, friends!
Spicy Beef Tacos with Broccoli Rabe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons chili paste I like Sambal Oelek
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 scallion chopped
- 1 pound flank steak thinly sliced into strips
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 bunch Andy Boy broccoli rabe tough ends trimmed, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 3 teaspoons vegetable oil or any high-heat oil you like
- 1 medium red onion thinly sliced or chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium red bell pepper thinly sliced or chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 8 small corn tortillas
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, honey, chili paste, garlic, and scallion. Add half of the marinade to a large resealable plastic bag, along with the beef. Squeeze as much air from the bag as you can, seal the bag, and gently toss to coat the beef in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.
- To the remainder of the marinade in the bowl, add the cornstarch and whisk well until dissolved. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to cook.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli rabe and cook until bright green and just tender, 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the broccoli rabe and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- In a large nonstick skillet or wok, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Remove the beef from the marinade, discard the remaining marinade, and add the beef slices to the skillet in a single layer. Cook until browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer the beef to a plate. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil to the skillet and swirl to coat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and broccoli rabe, and cook until just tender, 3 minutes. Add the reserved marinade (the half with cornstarch) and toss with the vegetables. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the vegetables, about 2 minutes. Return the steak to the pan, stir to combine with the vegetables and sauce, and remove the pan from heat.
- Warm the tortillas: In a separate large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the tortillas (2 or 3 at a time) for 2 minutes, using tongs to flip them halfway.
- To serve, divide the steak and vegetables among the tortillas (2 tacos per person) and serve with hot chili sauce if desired.
Notes
Calories 349, Total Fat 15g, Sat Fat 4g, Carb 11g, Fiber 5g, Sugars 8g, Protein 32g
I cannot wait to try this. That carb count drops significantly without the tortilla. I’m thinking I could have a low-carb tortilla. It is a beautiful looking dish too. Thank you Andie.
I didn’t know about blanching the broccoli rabe but makes sense :) Super delicious looking dinner!
My chef friend once told me that even just roasted broccoli florets are better if you blanch them for a few minutes before roasting or sautéing. These tacos look amazingly flavorful and so healthy!
Andie– all of your recipes look amazing! I have been making my way through your cookbook and my husband loves everything! I still struggle with finding balance– would you ever be willing to share a sample weekly menu of what you actually eat? I’d be so interested in seeing how you make balance work in real day to day!
I cannot find broccoli rabe in my area of Stockton, CA which is insane as I live int the San Joaquin valley which is farm country, farmers markets all over. Could I substitute spinach or some other greens?
Do you happen to have a healthy recipe for freezer jam? I did a search but did not come up with anything. All the berries are now coming into season here and we just bought a new freezer so I would like to try my hand at a healthy version.
Thanks Andie. Love your site and I have been telling everyone about it.
Looks amazing, can’t wait to give it a try!
Pingback: Girl Adulting - Taco Tuesday: Favorites » Girl Adulting
Pingback: Girl Adulting - Taco Tuesday: Favorites » Girl Adulting