Hawaiian Korean inspired Vegan Beyond ground beef tacos
These Hawaiian and Korean inspired vegan tacos are sweet, savory, easy to make, and absolutely LOADED with flavor! Made with plant-based Beyond beef cooked until browned with shallots, and seasoned with a Korean BBQ inspired sauce that combines soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, pineapple juice, rice wine vinegar, 5 spice powder, and toasted sesame oil. This insanely flavorful vegan Korean beef is then placed on sweet Hawaiian taco shells and topped with pan-seared pineapple, a quick pickled red onion, cilantro, and Gochujang.
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Hawaiian, Korean
- 1 package Beyond Beef can substitute Impossible beef or any vegan ground beef
- 1 shallot
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
For Korean BBQ sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp pineapple juice
- 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
- 1/4 tsp toasted sesame oil
For fast pickled red onions
- 1/2 red onion
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp water
Additional Ingredients
- 10 Sweet Hawaiian Street Taco Flour Tortillas I used the brand Mission. Can substitute any taco shell if desired
- 10 oz Fresh sliced pineapple rings (4 rings about 1/2 inch thick) Can substitute canned pineapple if needed
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, choped
- hot sauce if desired Add to individual tacos or Vegan beef
PREPARE THE VEGAN KOREAN BEYOND GROUND BEEF
Begin by chopping one shallot and 2 cloves of fresh garlic into small pieces.
Heat up a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and Beyond Beef. You do not need to add oil because Beyond Beef has oil in it already Break up the Beyond Beef with a mixing spoon or spatula and mix with shallots. Allow to cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.
At the 5 minute mark, add the chopped garlic and grate an inch of fresh ginger into the Beyond Beef. Continue to cook over medium heat for another 3 minutes, stirring often.
Now it's time to add the sauce! Add 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp ketchup, 1/2 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp pineapple juice, 2 tsp rice wine vinegar, and 1/4 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder to the beef. Mix with Beyond Beef until evenly coated. Do not add the toasted sesame oil yet...if it over cooks it will burn and taste funky Allow seasoned vegan beef to cook for another 2 minutes or until the beef has browned and become a bit more crisp in texture.
Add 1/4 tsp toasted sesame oil. Mix with vegan beef. Remove from heat and set aside.
PREPARE THE FAST PICKLED RED ONIONS
You can prepare these fast pickled red onions as you are cooking the vegan Korean beef to save on time...just use a separate skillet.
Begin by slicing half of a red onion into strips.
Heat up a small pot or pan over medium heat.
Add sliced red onions, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, and 2 tbsp water.Mix until evenly combined. Continue cooking over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes. Allow the liquid to absorb and the red onions to slightly soften. Stir often.Time will vary depending on how soft or crisp you want your onions to be. If you want them more crisp, cook for only 3 minutes. If you want them to be softer, cook for at least 5 minutes. When ready, remove from heat and set aside.
PREPARE YOUR PINEAPPLE AND TORTILLAS
Your pineapple and tortillas can be prepared on the same skillet (Tortillas first, pineapple second). You can cook them at the same time the Korean Beyond beef and pickled onions are cooking to save on time.
If you did not buy pre-slice pineapple rings (10 oz), cut and slice your fresh pineapple. You will need about 4 rings of pineapple about 1/2 an inch thick. Set aside.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Then place Hawaiian street taco tortillas on the pan. Make sure your tortillas do not over lap, you will most likely have to cook these in batches. Allow each tortilla to cook 1-2 minutes on each side.
When you have finished cooking the sweet Hawaiian tortillas, you can use the same heated pan for the pineapple.
Place the pineapple rings on the heated pan, do not over lap. Allow them to cook for 30 seconds and then flip them over. Allow to cook for another 30 seconds. If you want your pineapple cooked more, feel free to add more time to them. Remove from skillet and set aside.
PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
Now it's time to build your tacos! You can construct your tacos before serving them or put the ingredients out on the table and allow people to build their own tacos.
Place tortillas out, top with vegan Korean beef, pickled red onions, pan-seared pineapple, cilantro, and hot sauce if desired. Serve and enjoy!
Keyword asian fusion, beyond beef, beyond ground beef, curry tacos, gochujang, Korean BBQ, sweet Hawaiian, vegan protein, vegan tacos