The Best Carne Asada

Name: The Best Carne Asada
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 200 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb. skirt steak or flank steak; 2 limes; 2 tsp. cumin; 1 tsp. chili powder; 2 garlic cloves (roughly chopped); 1/4 cup olive oil; 1 1/2 tsp. sea salt; Couple grinds of black pepper; 1/4 tsp. dried oregano; 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika; 1/4 tsp. onion powder; 1/3 cup cilantro leaves

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The Best Carne Asada is a delicious, easy-to-make replica of that amazing, marinated grilled steak you get in Mexican restaurants! Perfect for tacos, burritos, nachos, and more!

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Growing up and living the majority of my life in southern California, I can tell you that I know The Best Carne Asada!

Of course, you can always eat it at a sit-down Mexican restaurant, but the best carne asada comes from taco shops.

I’ve only seen taco shops in southern California, so if you’re not familiar with them, they are casual, mini restaurants (usually in a strip mall) where you order at the counter and take your food to go.

Taco shops have more than just tacos; they serve all your Mexican favorites like burritos, enchiladas, taquitos, etc., but unlike a sit-down restaurant, you’re in and out in about 10 minutes.

When you eat out, yes, the food is amazing, but it’s usually not the healthiest option. So, as much as I love my taco shops, I’ve started making my own carne asada at home.

Ingredients needed for this recipe (scroll down to recipe card for complete recipe):

Flank steak or skirt steak
Limes
Garlic
Olive oil
Cilantro
Seasonings (cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder)

What kind of meat is best for carne asada?

The two most important factors for making this recipe are 1) the meat and 2) the marinade.

I always use either flank steak or skirt steak because they have the perfect carne asada texture.

Skirt steak is cheaper, but also a little more chewy. You really can’t go wrong with either one, though.

How to serve Carne Asada?

You really can’t go wrong in how you choose to use this flavorful, grilled steak.

Some of our favorite meals with it are:

Tacos
Burritos
Burrito bowls: a bed of Mexican Rice topped with sour cream, salsa, black beans, and shredded cheese.
Chimichurri Steak Salad

Want to top your tacos with homemade hot sauce? Fiery Habanero Hot Sauce (shown below) is a fantastic, super spicy hot sauce that is great for those that like to add a little heat to their food!

The marinade for this carne asada is SO GOOD! It’s made with fresh lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and lots of warm, earthy spices.

Let the steak soak up all that yummy goodness in the marinade for about 3 hours, then throw it on the grill.

When it has been cooked to your preferred doneness, let it rest, then use it to make your favorite Mexican dishes.

Looking for more Mexican food? Check out 10 Easy Cinco de Mayo Recipes!

NOTES:

Real lime juice is a must! The squeezable, plastic limes from the grocery store have added ingredients and are not the same as fresh limes.

In the tacos shown below, they have carne asada, salsa, guacamole, grilled onions, and cotija cheese.

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