Spicy Korean Beef and Zoodles

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I’m excited to share this recipe for Spicy Korean Beef and Zoodles with you! For me, a healthy relationship with food is all about moderation.  I have no intention of denying myself any of my favorite foods. I do try to find a way to make substitutions that lighten them up without comprising what I love about them so much in the first place.  Making your favorite dishes at home, where you can control the quality of the ingredients and add fresh vegetables whenever you can, is a great place to start.   

Spiralized zucchini and strips of red bell pepper are a great match for Spicy Korean Beef.  I might normally serve it over rice or noodles, but I love how light and fresh it tastes with such an easy swap!  

This flavorful marinade tenderizes an inexpensive cut of meat, like skirt steak.  All of the ingredients for the marinade go into the food processor or blender which means less chopping and prep work for me!  

You may notice an unusual ingredient in the marinade – those are Asian pears!  They lend a sweetness to round out the spice, and also help tenderize the beef.  If you can’t find them, you can substitute a Bosc pear.  

Cutting the skirt steak into thin even strips can be a little challenging but using a good sharp knife will help. I also pop the steak into the freezer for about an hour before cutting.  Toss the marinade with the meat, cover, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to let the flavors really soak in.  

While the meat is marinating, you can get your zucchini all ready to go.  I use a spiralizing attachment on my mixer, but you can also find spiral cut zucchini in the frozen section at some grocery stores.

I used a large wok and an oil with a high smoke point (like avocado oil) to fry the strips of meat.  Look for a nice golden sear on each side.  Because they are sliced thinly, they won’t take long to cook so the pan needs to be very hot!   Cook the meat in small batches, so that the wok doesn’t get crowded and loose heat. 

When the beef is cooked, clean out the pan, and then return it to the heat and let the red peppers cook for 1-2 minutes before adding the zoodles.  The zoodles will not take long to cook at all.  If you overcook them, they can become mushy in texture, so just a minute or two is perfect. 

Season with salt and pepper to taste and then add the meat back to the wok, and garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.  

This Spicy Korean Beef is a great way to change things up if you are feeling bored with your typical dinnertime menu options. It comes together really quickly and has such a tasty flavor!

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #lovelylittlekitchen

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