We love making these Carne Asada Tacos. They are incredibly flavorful, tender, and juicy thanks to the vibrant marinade!
You can use any of your favorite toppings for this recipe. I really like using fresh toppings for that vibrant look and flavor profile.
If you haven’t yet, you have to try these tacos. I promise, everyone will love them!
Carne asada tacos might be my family’s most requested tacos. We make them at least once a month because they really are THAT good! Full of flavor.
The carne asada marinade is made with fresh lime and orange juice and a variety of spices. The citrus in the marinade tenderizes the flank steak just right and adds so much amazing flavor.
My favorite part might be the toppings! We usually do a DIY taco bar with a wonderful spread of pico de gallo and guacamole, plus a few other toppings, such as queso fresco. If we’re feeling extra, we’ll make avocado crema and Mexican street corn.
Why we love making carne asada tacos at home:
- Flavorful, tender, and juicy: Thanks to the marinade, the flank steak in these tacos turns out irresistibly tender and bursting with flavor.
- The toppings! Load up your tacos with your favorite toppings. Pico de gallo, guacamole, or anything you’d like.
- 2-3 hour marinade: This is a relatively quick marinade – no need to wait overnight.
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Ingredient Notes
Here are the ingredients I used to make these carne asada tacos plus some notes from my kitchen. These are pretty simple ingredients that transform into the best thing ever! As always, the ingredient quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
- Flank steak: Flank steak is considered a lean cut, but when marinated with citrus, it turns really tender. You can also use skirt steak, or even ribeye or NY strip.
- Oranges and limes not only help break down tough meat fibers with their acidity for tenderization, but also imparts plenty of flavor throughout.
- Garlic: For flavor. The finer you mince it, the more flavor can get through the beef.
- Aromatic spices: Ground cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Cilantro: For even more flavor and a touch of freshness.
- Corn tortillas: Corn tortillas are the authentic way to serve these, but you can use flour tortillas if you prefer.
- For the toppings: Freshly made pico de gallo and guacamole, made with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, lime juice, and ripe avocados.
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Here’s how I make my carne asada tacos! I included directions for outdoor vs. indoor cooking.
Step 1 | Marinate flank steak
Mix all the marinade ingredients until evenly combined. Place the flank steak in a large resealable plastic bag and add the marinade. Seal the bag and massage the marinade into the steak, ensuring it is evenly coated, and excess air is removed.
Refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours, but no more than 4 hours. Anything longer than that can actually make the meat too tough since the marinade is acidic.
Step 2 | Cook steak
It’s up to you whether to cook the steak indoors or outdoors. I prefer outdoor grilling, but when the weather doesn’t cooperate, I like the option of cooking indoors.
Cook indoors: First preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Remove the steak from the marinade and discard any excess marinade. Cook the flank steak over the stovetop on a grill pan over high temperature for about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to the oven and finish cooking for 4 to 5 minutes for a medium-rare to medium.
Cook outdoors: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade and discard any excess marinade. Grill the steak for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or until it reaches your desired level of doneness.
Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing it thinly against the grain, and then dice into cubes.
Temperature guide: Medium-rare 140 F, Medium 145 F (my choice), Medium-well 155 degrees F.
Step 3 | Prep toppings
While the steak is resting, prepare the toppings. The fresher, the better.
Step 4 | Assemble and serve
Warm the corn tortillas over the grill or a skillet for about 30 seconds per side, or until they are lightly charred and pliable.
To assemble the carne asada tacos, place a few slices of steak on each tortilla and top with pico de gallo and guacamole, or any toppings you’d like. Serve with lime wedges and enjoy!
Tips: Marinade for Carne Asada
- Because this is a citrus marinade, I’d recommend marinating for 2 to 3 hours. No more than 4 hours.
- Acid does wonders to break down tough fibers in meat, but if left for too long, it can actually turn it too tough.
- If you’re looking to prep ahead, you can make the marinade 1-2 days in advance and keep in the fridge until ready to add it to the steak to start the marinating process.
- Ensure all sides of the meat are covered with the marinade. Resealable Ziploc bags work like a charm!
More Taco Recipes
If you’re a huge fan of tacos like me, check out my favorite taco recipes on the blog:
As for the toppings, I included recipes for pico de gallo and guacamole in the recipe card, but feel free to use anything you’d like! Some of my favorites include this amazing avocado crema, avocado corn salad, and this quick Mexican slaw.
Recipe FAQs
Flank steak is traditional for carne asada tacos, but you can also use skirt steak, sirloin steak, or even NY strip.
Yes! You can prepare the marinade up to 1-2 in advance and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.
Because this is a citrus marinade, 2-3 hours are enough. Anything longer than 3 hours would make the meat tough and chewy.
This recipe was originally published in 2020 and updated in April 2024 to include new photos and information, plus a few recipe modifications.
Tips for Success
- Marinate for 2 to 3 hours, maximum 4 hours. Anything longer than that can make the steak too chewy and tough since the marinade is acidic (lime and orange juice).
- I’d recommend marinating in a resealable bag to ensure that every inch of the flank steak gets thoroughly coated in the marinade.
- For maximum tenderness: Once the steak is done, let it rest for 10 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Then slice against the grain (slice it perpendicular to the muscle fiber lines) to further break down any tough fibers.
- Double up on tortillas: If you prefer sturdier tacos, use two corn tortillas per taco to prevent tearing.
- Temperature guide: Medium-rare 140 F, Medium 145 F (my choice), Medium-well 155 degrees F.
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Carne Asada Tacos
Equipment
- Grill pan if cooking indoors
- Grill if cooking outdoors
- Resealable plastic bag for the marinade
Ingredients
- 2 pounds flank steak - excess fat trimmed
- 12 corn tortillas - or 24 tortillas if stacking 2 tortillas per taco
- Pico de gallo - homemade or store-bought
- Guacamole - homemade or store-bought
- Lime wedges - for serving
For the marinade
- Juice of 2 limes
- Juice of 1 orange
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
Marinate the flank steak
- In a bowl, whisk all the marinade ingredients until evenly combined.
- Add the prepared marinade and the flank steak into a large resealable bag, and seal the bag tightly removing any excess air. Marinate for 2 or 3 hours (maximum 4 hours) in the refrigerator. Ensure that the meat is thoroughly coated.
Grill the steak
- 20 minutes prior to cooking, remove the steak from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature before cooking. This will help cook more evenly.
- Cook outdoors (option 1): Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Remove steak from bag, shaking off excess marinade. Grill on both sides until for about 6-8 minutes for medium-rare to medium. For doneness accuracy, use a meat thermometer (see temperatures in notes below).
- Cook indoors (option 2): First preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Heat a few drizzles of oil over a large oven-proof grill pan over high heat, and sear the steak for about 4 minutes per side. Finish cooking in the oven for 4-5 minutes for medium-rare to medium, or see temperatures in notes below.
- Let the steak rest for 10 minutes. Then slice against the grain (perpendicular to the muscle fiber lines), and dice the steak into bite-size pieces.
Prepare the toppings
- Make the pico de gallo and the guacamole according to the linked recipe directions. You can also use any other toppings you may like.
Assemble tacos
- Warm the corn tortillas over the grill, open flame, or on a skillet for about 30 seconds per side, or until they are slightly charred around the edges and pliable.
- To build the tacos, add a few spoonfuls of the carne asada on a tortilla followed by the toppings. If desired, stack two tortillas per taco to make them sturdier. Serve with lime wedges. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use a resealable bag to marinate the meat. This ensures that every inch of the steak gets evenly coated for maximum flavor.
- Doneness temperatures: Rare 130 degrees F, Medium-rare 140 degrees F, Medium 145 degrees F (my choice), Medium-well 155 degrees F, Well done 160 degrees F.
- If desired, make the marinade 1-2 days ahead and keep refrigerated until ready to add it to the meat to marinate.
- Citrus: Use a combination of oranges, limes, or even lemons.
- Flank steak: Skirt steak, ribeye, or NY strip.
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