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These Korean beef kababs are tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. They’re soaked in a mouth-watering ginger soy marinade, and take less than an hour to make.
These Korean Beef Kababs are packed with bold, sweet and savory flavor and perfect for grilling season or an easy weeknight dinner. The beef is marinated in a blend of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and a touch of sweetness, then skewered with vegetables and cooked until perfectly caramelized.
These ginger soy beef kabobs have quickly become one of my go-to recipes. They have so much flavor from a marinade that has fresh ginger, fresh garlic, soy sauce, mirin, and so many other tasty ingredients. And the beef is unbelievably tender.
Serve them over rice, alongside a fresh salad, or straight off the skewer for a simple, satisfying meal. The marinade is simple to make, giving you incredible flavor with minimal effort.
Ingredients You’ll Needed
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For the Kabobs:
- Steak – I like to use sirloin steak, but you can use the cut of your choice.
- Mushrooms – Baby portobello mushrooms are best for this recipe.
- Onion – I like to use a yellow onion for the kabobs, but red will work fine too.
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper – Always use freshly cracked pepper.
For the Marinade:
- Onion – It’s best to use a yellow onion for the marinade.
- Fresh garlic
- Fresh ginger
- Soy sauce
- Brown sugar
- Mirin
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Black pepper
- Water
- Sesame oil
Beef Kabobs
Ingredients
For the Kabobs:
- 1 pound steak, I use sirloin, but you can use any cut, cut into cubes
- 8 oz baby portobello mushrooms, washed and quartered
- 1/4 cup onion, cut into 1-inch slices
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
For the Ginger Soy Marinade:
- 1/2 yellow onion, cut into quarters
- 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger
- 1 Tablespoon fresh garlic
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse the onion, garlic and ginger for the marinade until minced. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Process until well blended.1/2 yellow onion, 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, 1 Tablespoon fresh garlic, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup mirin, 1 Tablespoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 cup brown sugar
- Pour in the water and sesame oil, and process for a few seconds to combine.1/4 cup water, 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
- Place the beef cubes in a bowl and pour the marinade over the top. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.1 pound steak
- Meanwhile, toss the mushrooms and onions in the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.8 oz baby portobello mushrooms, 1/4 cup onion, 2 Tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Once the meat is finished marinating, thread the beef, mushrooms, and onions onto skewers.
- Grill for 3-4 minutes per side. It will depend on how big your cubes of meat are, and how done you like them.
- Serve garnished with parsley or green onions.
Notes
- Adapted from Seoultown Kitchen
- Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for 3 months.
- Reheat in a 350F oven, wrapped in foil, for 20-30 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Beef Kabobs
- Mince the aromatics. Place the fresh onion, garlic, and ginger in a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are minced. I like to use this Cusinart Mini Food Processor, but you could use a knife if you don’t have one.
- Add the seasonings. Put the soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper in the food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are mixed together.
- Finish the marinade. Add the water and sesame oil, and process until the mixture is fully combined.
- Marinate the beef. Put the beef cubes in a bowl, then pour the marinade over the top. Cover the bowl, and let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Season the onions and mushrooms. Add the onions and mushrooms to a bowl, and toss with olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Heat the grill. Preheat your grill on medium-high heat.
- Make the kabobs. Place the beef, onions, and mushrooms on skewers, alternating between the ingredients. I have these Metal Skewers that you can throw in the dishwasher and reuse.
- Grill. Place the skewers on the grill and cook on both sides. It should take 3-4 minutes per side, but it depends on the size of your beef cubes, and how cooked you like your meat.
- Serve. Garnish the kabobs with green onions or parsley, and serve.
Tips and Tricks
- Peel the ginger with a spoon. A lot of people think it’s very difficult to peel ginger, which has a thick skin that you need to remove. But it’s actually super easy. All you have to do is use a spoon and the peel will come right off.
- Use a mirin substitute. It’s definitely best to use mirin in this marinade, but not everyone has mirin in their pantry. If you don’t have any then don’t worry! There are plenty of substitutes you can use for mirin, which is both sweet and acidic. You can mix a little bit of sugar or juice into sake, rice vinegar, or a dry white wine to replace mirin. Or you can use sherry, which is already fairly sweet.
- Marinate longer. This recipe calls for you to marinate the beef for at least 30 minutes. But if you have the time, the beef will only get better if you marinate it even longer. I recommend marinating it for a few hours if you can, or even overnight.
What to Serve with Korean Beef Kabobs
My favorite way to eat these ginger soy kabobs is outside in the sun, on a bed of Cilantro Lime Rice, with a cold drink, and some fresh side dishes. Here are a few refreshing sides that I think go really well with this recipe.
Storage
Leftover beef kabobs can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days. To reheat, wrap the kabobs in aluminum foil, and heat in a 350F oven for 20-30 minutes, until the beef is warm all the way through.
Freezing
You can absolutely freeze leftover kabobs, though the texture of the beef won’t be quite as good. Just store them in an airtight container in the freezer and they’ll last for 3 months. You can reheat them directly from the freezer, though they’ll need more time in the oven.
More Recipes to Grill This Summer
If you love being around the grill as much as I do, then you’ve got to try these delicious and healthy recipes.
These look very tasty and easy to make – my kind of weekday dinner!
I love your mushroom and red onion additions. I always have to have both on my grill menu. Love these kebabs!
Love kebabs and super idea for a quick weeknight meal. Great idea for any night of the week!
I added some mushrooms and onions to these kabobs, and they were AH-mazing!
These look so tender and juicy. I love everything on this kebab!
Yum! This kabob recipe is exactly what I need for my grilling party!
These beef kabobs sound amazing!! A must make!
I love how tasty this meal is! Thanks!