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Quick beef tapa with browned sliced beef and garlic, cooked without marinating.

Quick Beef Tapa Recipe Without Marinating

This quick beef tapa recipe is made without marinating, so you can prepare and cook it in less time. Thinly sliced beef is simmered with garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, and simple seasonings until tender, then cooked until lightly caramelized. It is an easy, flavorful meal that pairs perfectly with garlic rice, fried eggs, or sliced tomatoes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Breakfast, Main Course
Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb beef thinly sliced against the grain
  • 3 cloves garlic crushed
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 tbsp vinegar (preferably fermented like sukang iloko)
  • ¼ tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 4 tbsp cooking oil (use healthy option like olive oil)
  • 1/4 tsp msg (vetsin) (optional)
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)

Instructions
 

  1. Heat pan on medium heat. Add 1 tbsp cooking oil and saute the garlic until golden.
  2. Place the sliced beef and stir occasionally until juices dry up and all sides are seared.
  3. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar (optional), black pepper, and water.
  4. Mix everything well, then bring the liquid to a gentle boil over medium heat. Do not stir immediately after adding the vinegar. Allow it to boil uncovered for about 1 minute first.
  5. Stir the beef, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook uncovered for 8–12 minutes, or until the beef becomes tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir occasionally so the meat cooks evenly.
  6. As soon as only a small amount of sauce remains, add the remaining cooking oil.
  7. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook the beef for another 3–5 minutes, stirring and turning the pieces continuously, until lightly caramelized around the edges.
  8. Taste and adjust with a little more soy sauce, vinegar, or sugar as needed.
  9. Remove from the heat and serve hot with garlic rice, fried eggs, or sliced tomatoes.

Notes

Tip

  • Slice the beef thinly against the grain so it cooks quickly and stays tender.
  • If the beef is still tough after the liquid has evaporated, add 2–3 tbsp water and continue cooking until tender.
  • Use fermented vinegar like sukang iloko, it provides the original beef tapa flavor.