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This carne asada tacos recipe consists of a skirt steak marinated in lime juice, spices and garlic. It’s grilled over a super high heat in a few minutes, resulting in flavorful, earthy and delicious carne asada. Serve it with tortillas, avocado, aguas frescas and an array of salsas and cotija for a delicious dinner.
If you know me, you know that I LOOOVE Mexican food. I love everything from conchas, chilaquiles to beef birria and birria tacos. All are delicious. These tacos are no different. They’re full of flavor,
What Is Carne Asada
Carne Asada is a Mexican dish that is made up of skirt, flank or hanger steak marinated and then grilled over high heat. It can be served all on its own OR be cut up and added to various dishes as an ingredient. I personally like to grill it up and serve it with warm tortillas and salsas.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Carne Asada Tacos
- Beef – You can use either flank steak or skirt steak. See below for details on the differences.
- Limes – This is essential to get the right tartness in the marinade.
- Orange – A splash of fresh orange juice balances out the tartness from the lime and vinegar.
- Red wine vinegar – I love adding a splash of red wine vinegar for some added acidity.
- Spices – We need an array of spices like cumin, coriander, paprika and oregano for the the balance and robustness of flavors.
For the rest of the ingredients, please see the recipe index card below!
What Cuts of Beef Should be Used
You can use flank steak OR skirt steak. Flank steak is a bit more lean so it’s best when you cook it medium-rare. Skirt steak, however, has a bit more leniency due to its higher fat content and marbling. I find that medium to medium-rare is a great temperature.
How to Marinate Carne Asada
Some of the marinades vary but I kinda like going a more classic route with lime juice, orange juice, vinegar, salt and spices. I’ve seen a lot of versions with even soy sauce. All versions are delicious!
- This marinade couldn’t be easier because you simply whisk together all of the ingredients in a gallon plastic bag OR casserole dish and then add the meat.
- Super simple. I like to marinate mine overnight because it really tenderizes the meat and imparts the flavor of the marinade into it.
How To Cook Carne Asada Tacos
- I like to preheat my grill for about 10 minutes. You really want the grates to be hot.
- Grease the grates with a bit of neutral oil. And then add the meat to the grates.
- Cook on each side for about 2 to 3 minutes, for medium-rare. If you want it medium, I would go a bit longer, about 4-5 minutes per side.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes. This really holds in the juices.
- Then slice the meat against the grain. Serve it with warm tortillas, onions, cilantro, cotija and various salsas.
Tips and Tricks
- I’m usually not a stickler about marinating but this recipe really deserves the overnight marinade. It imparts the perfect amount of tartness that is just SO good.
- If you want to add a touch of sweetness, you can add the juice from half an orange.
- You can chop up any meat that is leftover and add it to enchiladas, chilaquiles, eggs…so many possibilities!
Recipe FAQs
Absolutely. Eat it on its own with rice, beans and/or on top of fries for Carne Asada Fries.
Sure, you can make it the day ahead and store it in the fridge. You can also marinate this overnight.
I love what you see pictured: sliced radishes, limes, cotija cheese, pico de gallo and guacamole.
Sure! You can use the recipe for crunchy taco shells from my Ground Beef Tacos recipe.
What to Serve with Carne Asada Tacos
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Carne Asada Tacos
Equipment
- 1 grill
Ingredients
Carne Asada Marinade:
- 1/2 cup lime juice, (from 3 limes)
- 1/4 cup orange juice , (from 1 orange)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground paprika
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 green onions, trimmed and diced
- 2 pounds skirt steak
Carne Asada Tacos:
- 1/4 white onion, peeled and diced
- Small bunch cilantro, diced
- Flour tortillas
- Guacamole, as garnish
- Limes, as garnish
Instructions
To Make the Carne Asada Marinade:
- In a large bowl or casserole dish (you could also do this in a gallon plastic bag), add the lime juice, salt, cumin, coriander, garlic cloves, vinegar, olive oil and green onions. Whisk until smooth and combined. Add the skirt steak, making sure both sides are coated in the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and transfer to the fridge to marinate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
To Cook and Assemble the Carne Asada Tacos:
- When you’re ready to cook it up, preheat your grill, on high, for 10 minutes. Remove the skirt steak from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
- Grease the grates of your grill with oil. And then place the carne asada on the grill. Close the grill’s lid and cook on each side for about 3 to 4 minutes, for medium-rare. If you want medium, I would go for 4-5 minutes per side.
- Remove from the grill and rest the meat for 10 minutes before slicing into it. Slice against the grain and garnish with a few pinches of flakey sea salt.
- Assemble the tacos by adding a few pieces of meat to each tortilla, top with a small handful of white onion, minced cilantro, guacamole, radishes and cotija cheese.
Notes
- I’m usually not a stickler about marinating but this recipe really deserves the overnight marinade. It imparts the perfect amount of tartness that is just SO good.
- You can chop up any meat that is leftover and add it to enchiladas, eggs…so many possibilities!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
As soon as I started reading this recipe, I knew it would be a winner, because using grass-fed beef as an ingredient makes a huge difference in taste and nutritional value. If an animal is fed and treated well, it will produce premium quality meat.
Apart from marinating the meat and leaving it overnight, I can see that this is a quick recipe, so you can have a delicious meat dish in no time at all. It also has a very low calorie (80 kcal) content, which I also like.
Great photos!
This was AMAZING !!! We had it for lunch, and already looking forward to leftovers for dinner. I made it in my Instant Pot… super duper easy! Thank you!
ahh amazing. love to hear this!