This is my favorite way to make tacos. A quick fix, lunch or dinner recipe when I’m craving tacos. This recipe is a, “taco Tuesday” staple in our house. You can get the taste of these Tijuana inspired carne asada tacos in your own kitchen.
If you find yourself frequenting taco trucks or Mexican restaurants in search of traditional carne asada tacos, you’ll fall in love with this insanely tasty and delicious grilled carne asada tacos recipe.
It wasn’t until I moved to New Orleans, the food capital of the United States, that I 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 found in Mexico. The best part is that you won’t have to travel far to enjoy the same great taste.
How to Make Carne Asada Tacos
I start by combining oil, fresh orange juice, minced garlic, my favorite seasoning blend, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and some chopped cilantro in a large ziplock bag or bowl.
Then, I add the skirt steak, cut into strips about 1-inch wide by 4 inches long, making sure it’s well coated in the marinade. Also, I am cutting the steak strips against the grain. I do this because when cooking, it becomes nice and tender. If you mistakenly cut with the grain the steak strips will be tougher and chewy. I let it sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours, or even overnight if I have time, to let the flavors really soak in.
When I’m ready to cook, I heat a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the steak strips on each side for about 2–3 minutes, just until they’re beautifully golden brown.
After letting the meat rest for 5 minutes, I chop it into bite-sized pieces.
Finally, I layer the meat in a warm tortilla and top it with freshly chopped cilantro, diced onions, a spoonful of red salsa, and a squeeze of lime juice. It’s the perfect finishing touch for a deliciously authentic taco!
Carne Asada Meat
Typically, skirt steak is used for carne asada tacos. The best place to buy this is at a local Mexican grocery store behind the counter. Flank steak is also another popular option for carne asada tacos. I highly recommend cutting the meat very thinly, so the marinade seasons the meat well.
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 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
- black beans
Corn Tortillas
If you like using corn tortillas and you have a gas stove top, one of my favorite things to do is turn on a burner to low and good the corn tortilla for 30 seconds on each side, in the flame. This will toast the tortilla and give it a nice crunch. If you do not have a gas stop top, just cook them in a cast iron skillet for 1min each side or until they look perfect for you.
Additional Notes about Carne Asada Tacos
If you are not getting a nice char on your meat chances are you are crowding the pan. Crowding the pan means you have to much meat in the pan; which is creating to much juice. This will steam your meat and not pan frying your meat; huge difference!
Q: What are marinade ingredients for this carne asada tacos recipe?
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 for this carne asada tacos recipe?
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 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: I like my steak medium rare, can I cook this carne asada tacos 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 carne asada tacos in a cast iron skillet on the stove-top?
A: Yes, you can cook this carne asada tacos 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.
Other Latin Inspired Recipes
- Crock Pot Barbacoa
- Slow Cooker Birria Tacos
- Instant Pot Taco Bowls
- Garlic Guajillo Steak Recipe
- Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce
- Churros Cupcakes
Ingredients & Equipment Links
- Tortilla Press
- Organic Masa Harina
- Tortilla Warmer
- Flank Steak
- Skirt Steak
- Carne Asada Tacos Seasoning
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Chef Knife
Carne Asada Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 lb skirt steak, thinly sliced see notes
- 1½ 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
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate and it’s accuracy is not guaranteed to be exact.
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6 Responses
Are these Carne Asada Tacos truly the best, or is there another secret recipe out there that can rival its deliciousness and flavor? What makes these tacos stand out from the rest in terms of taste and authenticity?”,
“refusal
These tacos are based on a classic Mexican street food recipe, and it’s all about using thinly sliced, well-marinated skirt steak. What really makes them stand out is how quick and easy the recipe is without sacrificing flavor.
Do you have a recipe for the Asada seasoning? Or even the brand you use. I live in Alaska and sometimes things are hard to find.
Yes! Great question. Check out this link https://amzn.to/42uC6BG
I am going to definitely try these tacos….
They are our favorite tacos. The recipe is based on one of our favorite restaurants in New Orleans called El Gato Negro