Learn how to make delicious, restaurant-quality carne asada at home! This recipe is full of flavor and made with simple, fresh ingredients. Perfect for tacos, fajitas, nachos and so much more!
This carne asada goes so well with my carne asada tacos. Give it a try!!
This grilled meat is one of my family’s all-time favorite recipes, and I’m so excited to share it with you!
We eat steak quite a bit, like these garlic butter steak bites or pan-seared steak with mushrooms. So, this easy carne asada recipe is always a crowd-pleaser. We especially love it in tacos loaded up with homemade guacamole. Also incredible with my easy chimichurri sauce!
What is Carne Asada?
Carne asada is a traditional Latin American dish consisting of marinated, grilled beef, typically skirt or flank steak.
The meat is seasoned with spices and often marinated with ingredients like lime juice, garlic, and cilantro before being cooked on a grill. It is usually served sliced and can be enjoyed in tacos, burritos, or simply with rice and beans.
Carne Asada Marinade Ingredients:
Olive oil —I like to use a high-quality olive oil, but any neutral cooking like vegetable oil will work.
Limes — Freshly squeezed citrus juice will help tenderize the beef. You can use white vinegar too. Also, you lime wedges for serving.
Garlic — I use about 4 cloves, though you can certainly add more if you’d like!
Cilantro — I love fresh cilantro, but if you’re not a fan you can go with parsley instead.
Spices — A blend of salt and black pepper with cumin powder and chili powder. If you like spicy food like me, try adding jalapeño, chiles, or a pinch of red pepper flakes for an extra kick.
Flank steak — This cut of meat is my favorite because it’s lean, inexpensive, and easy to cook.
Note: Feel free to put your own twist on the marinade! You could add more fresh herbs, spices, chopped onions, soy sauce or fresh orange juice. The options are endless!
Instructions To make Carne Asada:
Carne Asada Marinade: First, combine all the marinade ingredients in a large casserole or a bowl. Then, pour it over the cut of steak, making sure it’s well-coated on all sides. Cover the steak and let it marinate for 1 to 4 hours.
Grill: Preheat your grill pan on the stove top to medium-high heat and cook the steak for 5 to 7 minutes on each side. Going to be medium-rare.
Rest and Slice: Remove the steak from the grill and place on a cutting board to rest for about 5 minutes. Use a sharp knife to slice the steak thinly against the grain and enjoy it with carne asada tacos!
What’s the best beef cut for carne asada?
Carne Asada can be made with various cuts of beef, such as sirloin or tenderloin, but flank steak and skirt steak are the most common choices. I’ve tried both and definitely favor outside skirt steak for its superior flavor and texture. Just remember to slice the steak thinly against the grain to ensure it’s as tender as possible!
Olivia’s Recipe Tips
- The longer you marinate the flank steak, the more tender and flavorful it’ll be. I like to marinate it overnight for the best flavor.
- To cook the steak evenly, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before grilling.
- The cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of your steak. You can always use a meat thermometer to check if it’s done.
- If you prefer you can make this best carne asada recipe on a charcoal grill.
How To Store Leftovers
To Store: Keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I also love using the leftovers for meal prep!
To Freeze: Once cooled, you can store it in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
To Reheat: The best way to reheat carne asada is in a skillet on the stovetop until it’s warmed through completely.
What To Serve with Carne Asada
Carne Asada is incredibly versatile and pairs well with so many things! Here are a few of our favorites:
Carne Asada Tacos: We absolutely LOVE carne asada with corn tortillas to make tacos. I like to load mine up with all the toppings like sour cream, cheese, chipotle sauce, guacamole and lots of fresh peach salsa or avocado salsa.
Beans and rice: Round out the meal with a side of fluffy rice or Mexican rice, diced avocados and black beans to make a delicious bowl of burritos.
Grilled vegetables: Since the grill is already hot, I like to whip up some delicious grilled corn to serve on the side.
Fresh greens: Carne asada is also fantastic in a salad! I love it in a taco salad or this good pico de gallo.
Frequently Asked Questions
You certainly can! I like to use flank steak, but this recipe also works wonderfully with skirt steak.
If you don’t have a grill, no worries! I also make this in my cast iron skillet and it’s just as delicious!
The grain is the direction of the muscle fibers within the steak. I start by finding which way the fibers run. Then, I slice the carne asada across that grain instead of parallel with it.
Yes, absolutely! You can follow the instructions to make my Carne Asada in the Oven in this post.
Wanna taste more? Try my skillet garlic butter steak recipe that comes together in just 20 minutes! You’ll also love these hands-off instant pot sirloin steak strips. If you’re looking for a veggie option, give these cabbage steaks a try!
Carne Asada Recipe
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Ingredients
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- 3 limes juiced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lbs flank steak
Instructions
- In a medium glass bowl, whisk together all of the oil, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
- Place the steak in a glass baking tray, and pour the marinade over it. Ensure both sides of the steak are well coated. Cover the baking tray with plastic wrap and marinate for 1 to 4 hours. You can marinate overnight for even more flavor.
- Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Place the carne asada on the grill and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and allow it to rest for an additional 5 minutes before slicing.
- With a sharp knife, cut the carne asada diagonally against the grain. Enjoy!
Tips
- For the best flavor, use fresh ingredients like fresh lime juice vs bottled. It makes all the difference!
- Get your grill nice and hot before putting the steak down to get a good char.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
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