These quick and tasty carne asada street tacos are simple to make, but packed with flavor. They are the definition of street tacos as they're served on corn tortillas and topped with just a few ingredients like cilantro, onion and lime juice.
I'm all about tacos. I have them about 3-4 times a month - just at home. From crispy tofu tacos to slow cooker chicken tacos to spicy shrimp tacos.
We also venture out to get tacos as well. Recently a taco joint called Taco Bravo opened about 1 minute from our house so we had to try it.
My favorite taco we ordered was a Mexican street taco with steak. I remember when we finished, I told my wife I hadn't made a version of my own so I was going to have to get working on that.
And today's Mexican street tacos are the result. There isn't much work to these steak tacos, but you wouldn't know it as the flavor is outstanding.
One thing unique about these carne asada tacos is I cut the steak before cooking, just so I can get it browned on more sides. It also allows the marinade to really get into the steak. So if you love steak tacos, I suggest giving these a try.
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Ingredient Notes
- Flank steak - is a tough piece of meat so it needs to be diced small and against the grain so it can be tender.
- Fresh juice - by adding a little bit of fresh orange juice and lime juice, you add some necessary acid that adds brightness and helps tenderize the beef.
- Spices - where a lot of the flavor comes.
- Tortillas - you can't have tacos without some tortillas.
- Toppings - when it comes to these carne asada street tacos, you go simple with some onion, cilantro and fresh lime juice.
Ingredient Swaps
Like any recipe, you can mix up some of the ingredients. Some variations include:
- While I use flank steak, skirt steak works great as well.
- If you don't have soy sauce, just replace with ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt.
- While not traditional, you can replace the lime juice with lemon juice.
- If you don't have red onions, white, yellow, sweet onions or shallots will work too. They all high slightly different flavors.
- I'm a fan of corn tortillas, but you can use flour tortillas.
Step-by-Step Photos
Mix together the marinade ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Use a sharp knife to cut against the grain into ½ cubes. Add to a large bowl and toss with the marinade ingredients. You can let sit for an hour in the fridge or use immediately.
Add olive oil to large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak and cook until it has browned and the marinade has reduced, about 5-6 minutes. Serve steak in tortillas with some toppings.
FAQs
Carne asada literally means beef that has been marinated and grilled.
Flank steak comes from the cow's belly muscles. It’s a flavorful piece of meat, but is very lean and contains almost no fat. Because of this it can be tough, but it can be a tasty and tender if you learn how to prepare it properly.
Marinating flank steak and cooking over high heat are important. It is super important when slicing the steak that you cut against the grain. You can see step-by-step instructions at The Kitchn.
Skirt steak can be substituted for flank steak with these nachos. It has more fat than flank steak, resulting in richer-flavored meat that’s also ideal for grilling, tacos, fajitas, and stir-fries.
Like flank steak, it must be sliced against the grain in order to be tender.
No. You can toss in everything and use immediately. I personally like to have it marinate for about a hour as it helps tenderize the meat.
A street taco is typically served on a soft corn tortilla with grilled or pan-fried chicken, beef or pork. The toppings are usually minimal like cilantro, onion and radishes.
An American-style taco is usually serve in a crunchy tortilla and has a wider variety of toppings.
Leftovers will last in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge or 3 months in a freezer.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- It is important to your steak against the grain, otherwise it will be tough.
- Although traditionally served on corn tortillas, you can use flour tortillas if you prefer.
- This recipe makes a mildly spiced carne asada. If you like a spicer meat, add a jalapeño pepper with some seeds to the marinade.
- Don't cook longer than 5-6 minutes or you'll have super tough steak. You want a quick sear on both sides.
- This steak is best served immediately so don't let it sit around.
- Don't overdue it with the toppings. Street tacos should have minimal toppings like cilantro, onion and some fresh lime juice.
Other Taco Recipes
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Carne Asada Street Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs flank steak, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon orange juice
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup red onion, diced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- lime wedges for serving
- corn tortillas
Instructions
- Cut the skirt steak against the grain into ½ inch cubes and place in a large bowl or Ziploc bag.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, orange juice, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin and oregano.
- Add marinade to bowl or bag with steak. Marinate in fridge for 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
- Heat remaining tablespoon olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the steak and marinade and cook until the steak has browned and the marinade has reduced, about 5-6 minutes. You'll want to stir constantly.
- Serve steak in tortillas and top with some onion, cilantro and lime.
Notes
- It is important to your steak against the grain, otherwise it will be tough.
- Although traditionally served on corn tortillas, you can use flour tortillas if you prefer.
- This recipe makes a mildly spiced carne asada. If you like a spicer meat, add a jalapeño pepper with some seeds to the marinade.
- Don't cook longer than 5-6 minutes or you'll have super tough steak. You want a quick sear on both sides.
- This steak is best served immediately so don't let it sit around.
- Don't overdue it with the toppings. Street tacos should have minimal toppings like cilantro, onion and some fresh lime juice.
Chris says
These tacos look pretty amazing!
Rosabella says
Restaurant quality tacos!
The directions were very clear. I also added the sliced jalapenos. The tacos turned out great, and I'll use this recipe in the future!
Ryan says
Glad you enjoyed them!