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Carne Asada Tacos

The BEST Carne Asada Tacos you’ll ever eat. Classic thinly sliced skirt steak marinated in an easy 7-ingredient marinade and cooked in a hot skillet. These Carne Asada Tacos are served in a warm corn tortilla and topped with traditional ingredients like cilantro, diced onions, freshly squeezed lime juice, and spicy hot sauce.

Pair these beef tacos with a side of Mexican Street Corn and Restaurant-Style Queso Dip for an at home authentic meal made from scratch! If you’re anything like me, you’ll want to share a pitcher of Margaritas and tacos with your friends, especially for Cinco de Mayo

Carne Asada Tacos - Tacos filled with seared beef, cilantro, and onions. Served on a wooden cutting board with a bowl of white onions, lime slices, and chopped carne asada in the background.

My favorite restaurant-style carne asada recipe. A quick fix lunch or dinner recipe when I’m craving Mexican food. A truly simple recipe that’s a weeknight staple in our home. Made with fresh ingredients for an authentic taste that cannot be beaten.

If you find yourself frequenting taco trucks or Mexican restaurants in search of real, authentic and homemade tacos, you’ll fall in love with this insanely tasty and delicious carne asada recipe.

It wasn’t until I moved to New Orleans, the food capital of the United States, that acquired a taste for these simple and regional tacos. With no shortage of locally owned restaurants in the city, I’ve became accustomed to authentic homemade dishes typically found in Mexico. The best part is that you won’t have to travel far to enjoy the same great taste.

Carne Asada - Juicy seared stripes of carne asada on a wooden cutting board. Garnished with chopped cilantro.

How to Make Carne Asada Tacos

  1. Combine oil, orange juice, garlic, seasoning, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and cilantro in a large ziplock bag or bowl.
  2. Add skirt steak that’s cut into 1-inch wide by 4-inch stripes.
  3. Marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.
  4. Heat skillet to medium-high.
  5. Sear meat on both sides until golden brown; about 2-3 minutes per side.
  6. Allow meat to rest for 5 minutes then chop.
  7. Place meat in warm tortilla with chopped cilantro, diced onions, red salsa, and a squeeze of lime juice.

Carne Asada Meat

Typically, skirt steak is used. The best place to buy this is at a local Mexican grocery store behind the counter. Flank steak is another option. I highly recommend cutting the meat very thinly so the marinade seasons the meat well. It can then be grilled or seared.

Mexican Carne Asada Tacos - Two hands holding a taco. Taco features seared and chopped beef skirt steak, chopped cilantro, and diced white onions.

Carne Asada Taco Ingredients

  • BEEF: I recommend buying skirt steak from a Mexican grocery store. While other stores do carry this type of beef, it’s sliced very thinly and cooks in just a matter of minutes.
  • SEASONING: To keep it simple, I use asada seasoning. This can also be found in a Mexican grocery store.
  • MARINADE: Oil, orange juice, garlic, seasoning, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and cilantro. Marinate with skirt steak in a bag or a bowl for several hours or over night. The longer it has to marinate, the more flavorful the steak and you’ll want that when making tacos at home.
  • CILANTRO: You either love it or hate it but I exclusively make my carne asada tacos with cilantro and onions.
  • ONIONS: Very thinly diced white onions.
  • TACO SHELLS: White or yellow corn tortillas. I prefer white corn tortillas. Heat them in the oven, microwave or on the stovetop. Flour tortillas or hard shells may be substituted in addition to lettuce wraps.
Carne Asada Marinade - Stripes of skirt steak in oil and cilantro featured on a pottery plate and wooden cutting board. Limes and cilantro scattered in the background with a white napkin.

Taco Toppings

Flavorful ingredient additions: While I traditionally serve carne asada tacos with cilantro and onions, you may enjoy these other varieties of toppings.

  • cilantro
  • onions
  • queso cheese dip
  • Mexican cheeses like queso fresco, cotija, ranchero, oaxaca, manchego, queso quesadilla, and asadero.
  • sour cream, or Mexican crema.
  • avocado
  • tableside guacamole
  • lime juice
  • lemon juice
  • pico de gallo
Carne Asada Tacos - An overhead view of seared beef skirt steak with chopped cilantro on a wooden cutting board. Text in center reads Carne Asada Tacos in a blue box. Second image features two corn tortillas filled with chopped carne asada meat, diced white onions, and chopped cilantro.

For more taco recipes, try these other flavorful dishes made with a variety of meats that include ground beef, fish, and chicken.

Q: Why is this taco not served with rice and beans?

A: The recipe for Carne Asada Tacos featured here does not include rice and beans as it focuses on the traditional ingredients typically found in this dish, such as thinly sliced skirt steak marinated in a flavorful combination of citrus, garlic, and cilantro, served in warm corn tortillas and topped with cilantro, diced onions, freshly squeezed lime juice, and hot sauce. However, if you prefer to have rice and beans with your tacos, you can certainly serve them as a side dish to complement the meal.

Q: Can I cook this on a gas grill or a charcoal grill?

A: Yes, you can cook Carne Asada Steak Tacos on a gas grill or a charcoal grill. Simply preheat the grill to medium-high heat and grill the marinated steak for 2-3 minutes per side until it’s golden brown. Rest the meat for 5 minutes and chop it up, then serve in warm tortillas with toppings.

Q: What are marinade ingredients?

A: The marinade ingredients for carne asada marinade include asada seasoning, orange juice, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, cilantro, and oil.

Q: Is it best to use a lean flank steak or a steak with more fat marbling?

A: The recipe calls for thinly sliced skirt steak, which is traditionally a cut of beef that has some fat marbling for flavor. However, the recipe author suggests using very thinly sliced skirt steak that is almost shaved, which may result in less fat overall. If using a thicker cut of skirt steak or a different cut of beef, it is up to personal preference whether to choose a leaner or fattier cut.

Q: Is there anything I can do with the excess marinade?

A: One suggestion is to reserve a portion of the marinade before adding the raw meat to it. This way, you can use the reserved marinade to baste the meat as it cooks or use it as a sauce for the tacos. It is not recommended to use the marinade that the raw meat was in as a sauce, as it may contain harmful bacteria.

Q: I like my steak medium rare, can I cook this recipe medium rare?

A: The suggested cooking time of 2-3 minutes per side on medium-high heat should achieve a medium-rare doneness for a thinly sliced skirt steak. However, it’s important to use a meat thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature of the steak reaches 135°F (57°C) for medium-rare. Allow the steak to rest for 5 minutes before chopping and serving in warm tortillas with toppings.

Q: Can I cook this recipe in a cast iron skillet on the stove-top?

A: Yes, you can cook this recipe in a cast iron skillet on the stove-top. Just make sure to heat the skillet over medium-high heat, add a teaspoon or two of olive oil and cook the steak for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Rest the carne asada for 5 minutes then chop and serve in a warm tortilla with your desired toppings.

Q: This recipe does not call for salt and pepper. Is it going to mess up the recipe if added?

A: The recipe does not include salt and pepper as it relies on the flavor of the asada seasoning, citrus juices, and garlic to provide the desired taste. However, you can add salt and pepper to your preference. It’s recommended to taste the cooked meat first before adding additional seasoning.

Carne Asada Tacos - Tacos filled with seared beef, cilantro, and onions. Served on a wooden cutting board with a bowl of white onions, lime slices, and chopped carne asada in the background.

Carne Asada Tacos

The BEST Carne Asada Tacos you’ll ever eat. Classic thinly sliced skirt steak marinated in an easy 7-ingredient marinade and seared in a hot skillet. Carne Asada Tacos are served in a warm corn tortilla and topped with traditional ingredients like cilantro, diced onions, freshly squeezed lime juice, and hot sauce
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time6 minutes
Chill3 hours
Total Time3 hours 16 minutes
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 10 servings
Calories 206 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 lb skirt steak, thinly sliced (see notes)
  • tbsp asada seasoning
  • 1 orange (juiced)
  • ½ lemon (juiced)
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 4 garlic cloves (minced)
  • 2 tbsp cilantro (chopped)
  • 1 cup oil
  • 10 small corn tortillas
  • hot sauce

Instructions
 

  • Combine oil, orange juice, garlic, seasoning, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and cilantro in a large ziplock bag or bowl.
  • Cut skirt steak into 1-inch wide by 4-inch long stripes. Place into marinade.
    NOTE: Use skirt steak that is very very thinly sliced, almost shaved. If it is not, prepare the meat by thinly slicing it.
  • Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight. TIP: The longer it marinates, the deeper the flavor.
  • Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat.
  • Remove meat from marinade and place beef in skillet and sear until golden brown; about 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Rest carne asada for 5 minutes then chop.
  • Serve in a warm tortilla with cilantro, onions, lime juice, and hot sauce.

Notes

SKIRT STEAK:
I recommend using skirt steak from a Mexican grocery store. While other stores do carry this type of beef, it’s sliced very thinly (almost shaved) and cooks in just a matter of minutes.
NOTE: Using a thick hunk of skirt steak will take longer to cook and may taste different as well as have a different texture. If it’s the only kind available, use a very sharp knife to nearly shave it.

Nutrition

Calories: 206kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 21gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 102mgPotassium: 352mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 79IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 2mg

Nutritional information is only an estimate and it’s accuracy is not guaranteed to be exact.

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I'm Jessica. Our approachable and enjoyable recipes aim to encourage people to cook and find joy in the kitchen. We believe that cooking should be a pleasurable experience. Thank you for joining us, and we hope you'll find inspiration and happiness in our recipes.

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