Carne Asada Tacos

This post contains affiliate links and may earn commissions on recommended products. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Marinated flank steak turns taco night into a celebration of flavor with these carne asada tacos. Add your favorite toppings or keep it simple!

Maybe it’s because we lived in Texas for so long, but my family never seems to get tired of tacos. We make them at least once a week, and if there are leftovers or breakfast tacos in the mix… well, you can see how we could easily be having tacos near-daily.

We definitely have a few go-to tacos we make at home, and these juicy carne asada tacos are right up there as a frequent menu item.

Our favorite taco place in town has fantastic grilled steak tacos served with sliced jalapeño and avocado. I’ll admit, though, the big pieces of meat are sometimes hard to get in one bite, so for these carne asada tacos we cut the meat into cubes for easier eating.

Don’t skip out on the marinade or any of its ingredients — it makes the tacos so flavorful, with a hit of citrus balanced with spice. And with warmer weather upon us, it’s the perfect time to fire up the grill. You’re gonna love these!

Ingredients for carne asada tacos

Full list of ingredients including quantities is located in the recipe card.

You’ll need:

• Olive oil
• Lime juice
• Orange juice
• Adobo sauce – This is the sauce that comes in a can of chipotles in adobo. Save the peppers and remaining sauce for another recipe!
• Fresh cilantro
• Jalapeño – If you want it spicier, use a serrano pepper instead.
• Garlic
• Chili powder – I recommend using a single-ingredient chili/chile powder, not the blend you’d use for chili the dish. I like ground ancho chile powder, which adds a bit of smoky flavor.
• Salt and pepper
• Flank steak – Skirt steak works well too!
• Tortillas, red onion, cotija cheese for serving

How to make this recipe

The steak gets its flavor from the marinade, so make sure you set aside time for the marinating process! You’ll need at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours.

To make the marinade, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, adobo sauce, chopped cilantro, minced jalapeño, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.

Place the steak in a large resealable plastic bag or a shallow baking dish. Pour the marinade over the steak. Turn the steak a few times to coat evenly. Seal the bag or cover baking dish and place in the refrigerator to marinate at least 1 hour.

When ready to cook, remove the steak from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for 30 minutes while you prepare the grill and toppings. 

Remove the steak from the marinade and pat dry with paper towels, then brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Place steak on the grill and close the lid. Grill for 6-8 minutes per side, to desired doneness.

Let the steak rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes, then cut into strips or cubes.

Stuff into warmed tortillas and top with diced red onion, cilantro, and cotjia cheese, or your favorite salsa or toppings.

Serving suggestions

I really like these tacos with a drizzle of tomatillo salsa or avocado crema. Fresh pico de gallo is wonderful, too!

Both flour and corn tortillas are delicious here. If you are making homemade flour tortillas, I recommend making them a little smaller so you can have street tacos.

Don’t love cilantro? I recommend keeping it in the marinade, but leaving it off for serving.

Leftover carne asada is great for adding to scrambled eggs for a quick breakfast taco or sandwich on an English muffin.

Make a batch of frozen margaritas or cucumber agua fresca and enjoy these succulent tacos!

Carne Asada Tacos

Flavorful marinaded steak makes for incredible tacos any night of the week.

Author : Megan Myers

No ratings yet

Print Pin Recipe Review

Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 482 kcal

Ingredients

  

1/2x1x2x3x

For the marinade:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling
• 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for grilling
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for grilling
• 1 pound flank steak or skirt steak, trimmed of excess fat

For the tacos:

• 8 small tortillas
• Diced red onion
• Crumbled cotija cheese
• Chopped fresh cilantro
• Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

• Prepare the marinade: in a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, adobo sauce, cilantro, jalapeno, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
  1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice, 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed orange juice, 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño, 2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Place the steak in a large resealable plastic bag (you can also use a covered shallow dish). Pour the marinade on top and turn the steak over to coat. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for 1 to 4 hours. Before grilling, let the meat come to room temperature for 30-45 minutes.
  1 pound flank steak or skirt steak
• Remove the steak from the bag, discarding the marinade. Pat dry with paper towels and then brush both sides with olive oil. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Place the steaks on the grill, close the lid, and grill for 6-8 minutes per side, until desired doneness is reached.
• Let the steak rest for 5 minutes, then cut the meat into small cubes.
• Prepare the tacos: to warm the tortillas, wrap them in damp paper towels and microwave for 30 seconds, or warm on a griddle. Top each taco with carne asada meat, diced onions, cotija cheese, and cilantro. Serve with fresh lime wedges.
  8 small tortillas, Diced red onion, Crumbled cotija cheese, Chopped fresh cilantro, Lime wedges

Notes

• Prep time includes minimum marinating time.
• Marinate for 1-4 hours.

Nutrition

Serving: 2 tacosCalories: 482 kcalCarbohydrates: 33 gProtein: 30 gFat: 25 gSaturated Fat: 6 gCholesterol: 68 mgSodium: 1574 mgPotassium: 532 mgFiber: 3 gSugar: 3 gIron: 4 mg

Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate based on online calculators. Any nutritional information found on Stetted should be used as a general guideline only.

Tried this recipe?Please leave a rating and comment below!