Street Tacos de Carne Asada

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Street Tacos de Carne Asada 🌮🥩

Servings: 4–6
Prep time: 20 minutes + marinating
Cook time: 10–15 minutes

Ingredients

Carne Asada

  • 2 lb skirt steak or flank steak
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 finely chopped jalapeño, optional

For Serving

  • 24 small corn tortillas
  • ½ white onion, finely diced
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 limes, cut into wedges
  • Salsa verde or salsa roja
  • Sliced radishes, optional
  • Crumbled queso fresco, optional
  • Sliced avocado, optional

Instructions

1. Marinate the Steak

Place the steak in a large resealable bag or shallow dish.

Whisk together the lime juice, orange juice, olive oil, garlic, cilantro, soy sauce, vinegar, cumin, chili powder, paprika, oregano, salt, pepper, and onion powder.

Pour the marinade over the steak and turn to coat well.

Cover and refrigerate for 2–8 hours. Avoid marinating much longer than 12 hours, as the citrus can affect the texture of the meat.

2. Bring to Room Temperature

Remove the steak from the refrigerator about 20–30 minutes before cooking. Remove excess marinade and pat the steak lightly dry.

3. Grill or Sear

Heat a grill, grill pan, or heavy skillet over high heat until very hot.

Cook the steak for approximately 3–5 minutes per side, depending on thickness and desired doneness.

For the best results, use an instant-read thermometer and cook to your preferred safe doneness.

4. Rest and Chop

Transfer the cooked steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5–10 minutes.

Slice thinly against the grain, then chop into small, bite-sized pieces.

5. Warm the Tortillas

Heat the corn tortillas on a dry skillet, griddle, or grill for about 20–30 seconds per side, until warm and lightly charred.

Keep them wrapped in a clean kitchen towel to stay soft.

6. Build the Tacos

Place two warm tortillas together for each taco.

Fill with chopped carne asada and top with diced white onion and fresh cilantro.

Serve with lime wedges and your favorite salsa.

🌮 Street-Taco Tip

For that classic taqueria-style finish, spoon a little of the steak’s flavorful cooking juices over the chopped meat before assembling the tacos. Add salsa, onion, cilantro, and plenty of fresh lime right before eating.

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