Recipes like this are heroic to me. What with their minimal ingredient lists, one-pan structure, and MASSIVE flavor payoffs, they have the ability to swoop in and save a weeknight dinner situation from itself, before things ever turn south. A My Kitchen Little Essential to be sure.

Table of Contents

If you’re unfamiliar with kimchi, this is a really great intro to the deliciousness that is this funky fermented wonderfully spiced cabbage condiment. It is as ubiquitous throughout Korean cuisine an on tables across South Korea as say, Ketchup, might be on tables in the States. Read on a little bit for some simple tips and tidbits on this recipe (it’s very simple, so there aren’t many), or you can simply jump ahead to the recipe itself.

A My Kitchen Little Dream Recipe

This recipe fits in swimmingly with the other space-saving, quick-fix numbers I’ve got here on My Kitchen Little, and I can’t tell you how nice it’s been to get such positive feedback from people so far. My entire goal with this site is to provide readers with a truly helpful – a legitimately appealing – trove of recipes that are easy and fast and approachable and inexpensive to prepare.

Do you know what I mean by that? I get so frazzled some nights that I literally buzz with it. We all do this, I’m no special unicorn here. And so. I would like to offer up this Korean-Style Beef with Kimchi for your consideration. For all you busy, buzzing bees out there, this beef’s for you.

As we all know, busy is the new normal – everyone is so so so busy all the time, doing all sorts of things all over God’s creation, but from what I can tell, our collective desire – our collective DEMAND – for wholesome, homemade, clean meals is at an all-time high. So, busy though we may be, we shan’t be hitting up those fast food spots as an easy out on those nights when the busy gets particularly buzzy.

When you’re here, you can peruse with the confidence that you’re getting tried and true recipes that are developed with your busy, buzzing life in mind. It’s the new normal, busy is, but it can still be really damn delicious.

What You’ll Need

2 TBSP soy sauce, plus extra for serving/seasoning
1 TBSP sugar
3 tsp corn starch
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
2 TBSP vegetable or canola oil
1.5 pounds steak bites (the pre-cut steak in your grocer’s deli section)
1 cup drained cabbage kimchi + 1 TBSP of the brine
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated or minced
2 cup fresh or canned bean sprouts
5 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

What is the best cut of beef to use?

Here’s what you do: you grab the pre-cut beef bites that your grocer has already prepared for you in their deli and cook them over some screaming high heat until browned and crusty and perfect. Or, you plan in advance and order the best quality beef from Snake River Farms (with whom I am an affiliate partner b/c I love their products).

You could slice up a couple of sirloin steaks. Or even, if you’re feeling lush, a couple of ribeyes. I do think that the pre-cit steak bites were sort of born for recipes like this one, though.

How to make this Steak and Kimchi Recipe

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, cornstarch, sesame oil, and 1/2 cup water. Stir until smooth and well-combined.
In a large 12-inch skillet or pan over med-high to high heat, heat 1 TBSP of the vegetable or canola oil until shimmering and (working in batches if necessary) cook the steak pieces, in a single layer without stirring, for about a minute. Stir and cook until brown and crusty. Transfer the browned steak to a plate and set aside for now.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining TBSP of oil to the pan and add the kimchi and the brine and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Add the bean sprouts and cook for an additional few seconds to warm through. Push these cooked veggies to the side and add the garlic and ginger to the skillet. Cook, stirring the whole time, for about 15 seconds to allow their flavors to bloom. Garlic burns easily so just watch that. Stir the garlic-ginger mixture into the kimchi/sprouts, combing everything.
Stir in the beef and the scallions, along with the juices from the meat (flavor!). Whisk the sauce and pour it over the contents of the pan. Cook, stirring/tossing constantly, for about 30 seconds so the sauce can thicken and coat everything nicely. Taste for seasoning and add extra soy sauce or a pinch of sugar if you like (I often do). Serve hot.

I’ve got plenty of fantastic and easy beef recipes here for you, if you’re into it:

This Korean Style Braised Beef with Jammy Eggs is insanely good, and foolproof. Or, if you want to get all French with things, maybe you’d like Julia Child’s Beef Bourguignon (sort of). A huge fan favorite is my Coconut Red Curry Drip Beef. It’s just a winner every single time.

Set that aside and make way for the gloriousness that is kimchi. I live for this stuff. It’s just so brilliantly funky and salty and fermenty-flavorful and it’s addicting, so be careful. Fry up that kimchi along with the crunchy bean sprouts and then add the garlic and ginger. Toss it all with the simplest, most tasty sauce and fold in some chopped scallions and call it good.

I serve this over rice, typically, but you can really do the serving part how you see fit. Sometimes, truth be told, I stand over the pan and just eat it straight out, fork going from pan to mouth to pan to mouth like my life depends on it … because, buzzing.

More Korean inspired recipes

If you like the looks of this Korean-Style Beef with Kimchi, and are interested in trying more Korean-inspired flavors and dishes, here are are great ones to check out:

Korean Style Braised Beef with Pickles and Jammy Eggs