The Best Carne Asada Taco Recipe
Carne asada just means “grilled beef” (in this case, juicy marinated and grilled flank steak). Carne asada tacos are all about that beefy grilled steak, seasoned with a really delicious Mexican carne asada marinade that includes lime, orange, and lots of garlic.
Tender steak bites, piled into warm corn tortillas topped with fresh guacamole make for one killer dinner! Add margaritas and make it a party! The steak needs an hour to marinate, but otherwise, carne asada tacos come together quick. Want even more taco night recipe ideas? Try my easy chicken carnitas, or even birria for another beef-filled taco.
Ingredients for Carne Asada Tacos
- Homemade carne asada: You’ll marinate the steak for about an hour, then it’s ready for a quick turn on the grill and boom! You’ve got carne asada. Much faster than other taco fillings (looking at you, carnitas!)
- Corn tortillas. Homemade corn tortillas will taste the most authentic, if you’ve got the energy!
- Guacamole. Some people top carne asada tacos with cubed avocado but I like to top mine with homemade guacamole.
- White onion: Sharply flavored and diced super-fine, white onion is a classic carne asada topping.
- Cilantro: If you don’t love it, it’s OK to skip cilantro but I adore the fresh brightness it adds to these hefty tacos!
How To Make Carne Asada Tacos
- Make the carne asada. You can use a charcoal grill, gas grill, or even a grill pan.
- Slice the carne asada! Slicing the steak thin and against the grain is the key to making sure carne asada tacos are easy to eat.
- Warm the tortillas. Or, if they’re freshly homemade, they’ll already be nice and warm.
- Fill your carne asada tacos! Load the tortillas with the juicy grilled steak, and top with guacamole, onions and cilantro.
- Dig in! Serve the tacos with chips and salsa, more guacamole, and all of your favorite Mexican drinks — we’re thinking spicy margaritas and aguas frescas are a must. For more taco goodness, try classic carnitas tacos, too!
Carne Asada Taco Topping Ideas
For me, carne asada tacos are a simple joy, and I don’t want to bury that juicy steak under too many toppings. But a few extras can be delicious, and it can be fun to put out a toppings bar if you’re serving these to a crowd! Other toppings I’d set out for folks:
- Cotija cheese
- Lime wedges for spritzing
- Fresh pico de gallo
- Simple avocado slices (for folks who prefer that to guacamole)
Tips For The Best Carne Asada Tacos
- Carne asada tacos are great for a crowd! Just set out the tortillas, grilled steak, guacamole, onions and cilantro, and let people assemble their own tacos.
- How to cut flank steak for tacos: Flank steak and skirt steak are lean cuts of beef, so be sure to slice the grilled steak against the grain so that every bite of steak is tender and easy to chew. If you cut with the grain (i.e. the way the muscle fibers are aligned) you’ll wind up with slightly tough steak pieces.
- Slice that carne asada THIN! This is another trick for making sure your homemade grilled steak tacos are nice and tender to bite into.
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