Carne Asada Tacos

A top down shot of a carne asada taco on a corn tortilla with red onion, cilantro and cotija cheese.

5 from 1 vote

These Carne Asada Tacos are bursting with flavor from a citrusy, cilantro based marinade. Serve this smoky grilled flank steak on toasted tortillas with onion, avocado and crumbled Cotija cheese for plenty of authentic street taco flavor.

Prep Time10

Cook Time20

Marinating/Resting Time2 35

Total Time3 5

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: servings

Calories: 221kcal

Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Equipment

Ingredients

1½ to 2 pounds flank or skirt steak
12 small corn or flour tortillas toasted in a dry skillet

Carne Asada Marinade

⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 whole garlic cloves
1 jalapeno seeded as desired
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ bunch fresh cilantro
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 lime juiced
1 orange juiced
½ teaspoon sugar

Optional Garnishes

cotija or queso fresco Mexican cheese crumbled
salsa, pico de gallo, or hot sauce
avocado or guacamole
diced red onion
sour cream
cilantro leaves
lime wedges

Instructions

Marinate the Steak

Place all the ingredients for the marinade in the bowl of a food processor. Process until well pureed.
Place the steak in a baking dish large enough to allow it to lay flat. Spread the marinade mixture evenly over both sides of the steak. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.

Grill the Steak

Prepare and heat an outdoor grill to MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Grill the steak about 7 to 10 minutes on each side, to an internal temperature of 135 degrees to no more than 140 degrees F for medium-rare to medium with a hint of pink. Transfer the grilled steak to a cutting board and allow it to rest for 5 minutes before slicing it into ¼-inch slices against the grain. Cut the slices down into pieces that will fit well in tortillas.

For the Tortillas

Toast either corn or flour tortillas in a dry skillet over MEDIUM heat for about 30 seconds per side, or until nicely toasted. Transfer to a tortilla warmer to keep warm until ready to serve.

Assemble the Carne Asada Tacos

Serve the carne asada on toasted tortillas with any or all of the optional toppings.

Notes

This recipe will yield about 12 tacos, depending on the size of your flank steak. It should serve 6 or more with 2 tacos per serving.

Alternate Cooking Methods

Broiler - Allow the marinated steak to rest as directed. Position the oven rack so that the surface of the meat will be 3 to 4-inches from the heating elements. Place the flank steak on the rack of a broiler pan and cook as directed to medium-rare doneness, flipping about halfway through.

Stovetop - Coat the bottom of a large nonstick skillet, cast iron skillet, or stovetop grill pan with vegetable oil and place it over medium heat. When hot, add the flank steak and cook to medium-rare, flipping to sear both sides.

Nutrition