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.
How to Make Carne Asada Tacos
- Combine oil, orange juice, garlic, seasoning, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and cilantro in a large ziplock bag or bowl.
- Add skirt steak that’s cut into 1-inch wide by 4-inch stripes.
- Marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.
- Heat skillet to medium-high.
- Sear meat on both sides until golden brown; about 2-3 minutes per side.
- Allow meat to rest for 5 minutes then chop.
- 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.
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.
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
■ For more taco recipes, try these other flavorful dishes made with a variety of meats that include ground beef, fish, and chicken.
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.
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.
A: The marinade ingredients for carne asada marinade include asada seasoning, orange juice, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, cilantro, and oil.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
- Ground Beef Ranch Tacos
- Instant Pot Burrito Bowls
- Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa
- Grilled Chicken Tacos with Avocado Cream
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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