Carne Asada Street Tacos, or tacos de carne asada, is the best way to eat skirt steak! It’s made by beautifully searing steak, slicing it thin and served on top of warmed corn tortillas with diced white onion, avocado, radishes, and lime wedges.

3 Carne Asada Street Tacos on a plate

Folks, grilling season, is upon us! When the temperature outside heats up, I try to avoid heating my kitchen at all costs! I usually turn to pasta salads or grilling when it comes time for summertime dinners! What better recipe to start with than street tacos?!

Carne Asada Street Tacos

Some folks are intimidated with making Carne Asada Street Tacos, but rest assured it’s super easy to make. It does, however, take a bit of planning because marinating the meat for at least 1 hour before you grill it is a must!

This Carne Asada Street Tacos recipe is full of flavor and is surprisingly not that difficult to make. The secret to delicious Carne Asada is the marinade. The marinade is not something you want to cut out of the recipe.

Give yourself the time to marinate the steak for at least one full hour. Marinating will result in that authentic Mexican Street Tacos taste you are looking for without even having to leave the comfort of your own home!

Skirt Steak that has been marinated, grilled, and sliced for carne asada street tacos.

What is Carne Asada or tacos de carne asada?

Carne Asada translates to roasted/grilled/broiled meat or beef. The meat is cooked at a high temperature to impart some searing with a delicious charred flavor.

What cut of meat is used for Carne Asada?

You can use either flank steak, skirt steak, or flap meat (this is the name that skirt steak is also called). 

I like using skirt steak when making Carne Asada because I feel that it cooks up the juiciest and it stays tender when it’s cooked on the grill. 

What is on a street taco?

Street Tacos are known for being made with corn tortillas, some sort of meat, and topped with onions, cilantro, and salsa. All the good things!

Why do street tacos have two tortillas?

Once you learn why street tacos are made with two tortillas, you will wonder why you never thought to do it yourself! Most vendors serve street tacos with two tortillas because the first tortilla many times rips from all the delicious fillings. The second tortilla is there to save the day to keep the filling intact within the taco! 

How to Make Carne Asada Street Tacos?

  1. Carne Asada is made by first marinating thin cuts of flank or skirt steak. Then they are grilled over high heat to get a nice browning on the outside with a little bit of pink on the inside. 
  2. Afterward, let the steaks rest for 5 minutes. Then, rub the steaks all over with a garlic clove and slice them thinly against the grain. 
  3. Finally, serve the meat by itself or on corn tortillas. Garnish with optional toppings like diced white onion, sliced radishes, diced avocado, and lime wedges. 

These street tacos are great on their own, but sometimes I like to serve them with Mexican Rice, Skillet Mexican Street Corn, and Horchata Frappuccinos for dessert.

3 Carne Asada Street Tacos on a plate with radishes, chopped onions, and avocado.

More Mexican recipes: 

Cook’s Note

  • Sorry, you won’t be able to cook this meat to medium-rare and let me explain why. The char on the outside of the meat is this dish’s signature. To get that char, you will not be able to cook the meat any less than medium. If you only cook to medium-rare, then you’ll miss out on the signature char. 
  • It’s essential that you do not marinate the steak for more than 8 hours. If you do, then the fibers in the meat will break down too much, and the meat will get mushy.
  • To get a beautiful sear on your steaks, you need to make sure that the grill is preheated properly. Each grill is different so that times will vary, but as a rule of thumb, charcoal grills will take about 5 minutes to preheat, and gas grills about 10-15 minutes. 
  • If you do not have a grill, you can use a grill pan on the stovetop instead. You’ll need to preheat your pan and cook the meat on high to sear it, and then lower the heat and cook the meat until the internal temperature registers 130 degrees F. ***Just remember to open a window, there will be a bit of smoke. You’ll also need to cook the meat in batches. 
  • I always serve these tacos alongside my Slow Cooker Refried Beans! Seriously, they’re SO good, and they taste as they came straight from your favorite Mexican restaurant! 
  • I also love serving this alongside my Confetti Corn Salad (you can see a peek of it in one of the pictures above).

Tacos de carne asada on a plate.

Carne Asada sliced and made into street tacos

How much will this recipe cost?

RECIPE COST: $15.44

PER SERVING COST: $2.57

NOTE: I calculate the recipe prices by using name brand grocery prices on grocery store websites. 

  • 2-pound flank or skirt steak (sometimes called flap meat) $11.98
  • 1/2 cup orange juice $0.19
  • 1/3 cup lime juice $0.37
  • 1/4 cup white vinegar $0.05
  • 3 large cloves garlic $0.15
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cumin $0.10
  • 1 Tablespoon paprika $0.10
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped canned chipotle pepper $0.10
  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder $0.08
  • 1 Tablespoon ground black pepper $0.22
  • 2 teaspoons salt $0.02
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano $0.05
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro $0.24
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil $1.74
  • 1 large garlic clove $0.05

LOVE MEXICAN FOOD AS MUCH AS I DO?

Check out some of my favorite recipes:

Simple Carne Asada Street Tacos on a plate.
5 from 10 votes

Carne Asada Street Tacos Recipe

Recipe Cost $ $15.44
Serving Cost $ $2.57
Prep Time 21 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
6 people
Carne Asada Street Tacos, or tacos de carne asada, is the best way to eat skirt steak! It’s made by beautifully searing steak, slicing it thin and served on top of warmed corn tortillas with diced white onion, avocado, radishes, and lime wedges.

Equipment

  • large measuring cup
  • whisk
  • meat pounder
  • chef's knife
  • 9x13-inch pan with lid
  • grill OR grill pan
  • grill tools

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 pound flank or skirt steak (sometimes called flap meat)

CARNE ASADA MARINADE:

  • ½ cup orange juice
  • cup lime juice
  • ¼ cup white vinegar
  • 3 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped canned chipotle pepper
  • 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 Tablespoon paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • cup extra virgin olive oil

FOR FINISHING:

  • 1 large garlic clove

FOR SERVING:

  • 10-12 warmed corn tortillas
  • diced white onion
  • sliced radishes
  • diced avocado
  • lime wedges

Instructions

PREPARE THE STEAKS:

  • Prepare the steak for the marinade by trimming it of excess fat. Then, use a meat mallet to pound the steak until it is 1/4-inch thick. Finally, cut the steak into 4 equal pieces by cutting it with the grain. Place the meat in a 9x13-inch pyrex dish. 

MAKE THE MARINADE:

  • In a large glass measuring cup whisk together all of the marinade ingredients except for the olive oil. Pour in the olive oil and whisk until well incorporated. Ladle 1/4 cup of the marinade into a small bowl, cover it with plastic wrap and reserve for later. Pour the remaining marinade over the steaks in the pyrex dish. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour, but no more than 8 hours.
    Carne Asada marinating

COOK THE CARNE ASADA:

  • Cover and preheat your grill to medium-high until hot (about 5-15 minutes depending on your grill). Right before putting the steaks on the grill, clean and oil the cooking grates so the steaks do not stick. 
  • Place the steaks on the grill and cook uncovered until the steaks are well browned about 3-5 minutes. Flip the steaks and cook until the steaks are browned on the second side and a meat thermometer registers 130 degrees F, about an additional 3-4 minutes.
  • Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes, and then rub both sides of the steaks with the cut side of a garlic clove. Cut the steaks against the grain into 1/4-inch thick slices.
    Skirt Steak that has been marinated, grilled, and sliced for carne asada street tacos.
  • Serve the Carne Asada meat on warmed corn tortillas, with diced white onion, sliced radishes, diced avocado, and lime wedges. You can also serve the meat alongside the reserved marinade. Just drizzle a teaspoon or two over the meat right before eating. 
    Simple Carne Asada Street Tacos on a plate.

Video

Notes

If you do not have a grill, you can use a grill pan on the stovetop instead. You’ll need to preheat your pan and cook the meat on high to sear it, and then lower the heat and cook the meat until the internal temperature registers 130 degrees F.
***Just remember to open a window, there will be a bit of smoke. You’ll also need to cook the meat in batches.

Nutrition

Serving: 2tacos | Calories: 334kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 921mg | Potassium: 743mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 1150IU | Vitamin C: 15.2mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 4.3mg

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3 Carne Asada Street Tacos on a plate

I updated the pictures again and added a recipe video. Here are some of the older images from May 2018.

Delicious Carne Asada

The best Carne Asada marinade!

The best Carne Asada Street Tacos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carne Asada recipe made on the grill.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Recipe Rating




20 Comments

  1. Jacqueline says:

    Saw you on TT, and this looks fantastic. I had some once that my daughter’s BIL made and they were fantastic and mine have never been good following his recipe. I have copied yours off and will try it, it sounds fantastic. Yum, too bad it is nearly midnight.

  2. Jillian Wade says:

    Jacqueline, It’s a solid recipe and I’m going to use the marinade on lots of things now.

    Happy Cooking,

    -Jillian

  3. I love tacos! It’s my favorite Mexican dish! These look so delicious and perfect for hosting!

    1. Tacos are my favorite, too!

  4. Love tacos and grilling season! These tacos look so delicious and flavourful. The marinade sounds incredible too. Thank you for sharing.

    1. Grilling season is the best! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂

  5. Tania @ The Cook's Pyjamas says:

    OK, I feel I have just found dinner for the weekend (when I can convince the husband to grill). This sounds delightfully easy and deliciously fresh. Yum!

    1. Aw, thanks Tania! It’s really a super easy grilling recipe. 🙂

  6. Jacqueline Meldrum says:

    Tacos make such a fun lunch or dinner and it’s so easy to make tacos from flour tortillas.

    1. Yes, I wholeheartedly agree!

  7. YUM! I LOVE these tacos!

  8. Andrea Metlika says:

    Oh my, these look fantastic! Can’t wait to take a bite out of one of these.

  9. Amy | The Cook Report says:

    Love the sound of these tacos! They look so tasty

  10. I’m always down for some carne asada tacos and these look delicious!

  11. I love these carne asada tacos. The meat looks delicious and easy to make too.

  12. These carne asada tacos are such a fun change from our typical ground turkey tacos. Thanks for the recipe!

  13. Delicious! Thanks for the detailed steps and especially the tip about not marinating for too long.

  14. Yummy! I’m looking to make some new foods for cinco de mayo and this looks DELISH! Thanks for the recipe in advance. Your recipes are always easy to follow and always turn out, so I am ready to jump in and give this a go!

  15. Jane Saunders says:

    The marinade is fantastic – so much flavour from just letting it sit with the meat for an hour. Great recipe.