This easy and authentic Carne Asada Steak Recipe is the perfect grilling recipe for summer nights. Tender skirt or flank steak is marinated in a citrusy marinade and then grilled to juicy perfection. Enjoy as is or use in tacos, tortas, nachos, and more!
Table of Contents
What’s Carne Asada, Anyway?
Growing up in San Diego, carne asada was a staple for my family. We would often buy pre-marinated meat from the Mexican market and grill out in the backyard. If you’ve never tried this Mexican staple before, it’s just meat that’s been marinated and grilled. (Literally translated, carne asada means “grilled meat” — so simple!)
Every taco shop in San Diego boasts their own special carne asada; even the California burrito has carne asada in it! It’s an effortless grilling staple at our house that we make on repeat during the warmer months.
I love it served alongside eggs, refried beans, and tortillas in the morning as a delicious take on steak and eggs. Or, I’ll use the meat to make carne asada street tacos, carne asada fries, or carne asada bowls. You can also use the meat in burritos, tortas, nachos, and more!
Useful Tools for this Recipe
The 7 Main Ingredients
You can find the full list of ingredients, quantities, and method in the recipe card at the end of the page.
- Steak. See my notes below on the best cut of steak to use for carne asada.
- White onion. I love marinating the steak with onion because grilling the onion alongside the meat is very flavorful.
- Orange juice. Fresh squeezed orange juice is traditional and helps tenderize the meat. Avoid bottled OJ here, which isn’t as fresh tasting.
- Lime juice. Lime juice also adds freshness and helps tenderize the steak.
- Spices: Cumin, oregano, and chili powder add Mexican flavor to the carne asada marinade.
- Garlic. Finely minced garlic can be substituted with garlic powder if needed.
- Cilantro. The minced cilantro can be omitted from the marinade for those who are averse to the flavor.
What Cut of Steak Is Best?
The most common type of meat used to make carne asada is skirt steak or flank steak. Traditional carne asada marinade has lots of garlic, onion, spices, and fresh citrus flavor, which helps tenderize the steak.
Skirt steak is usually thinner and a bit more fatty, whereas flank steak is often a thicker and leaner cut. As long as they’re both sliced thinly after grilling, they are both great options! However, I personally prefer skirt steak, so that’s what I use to make my carne asada recipe.
If you are looking to cut back on red meat, try my equally flavorful pollo asada recipe, which is made with chicken.
How to Grill Carne Asada (Traditional Method)
- Make the marinade. The citrus marinade comes together in less than 5 minutes! Just add everything to a large, non-reactive bowl and whisk to combine.
- Marinate the steak for at least 1 hour. You can leave the steak in the marinade for up to 8 hours (any longer than that and the highly acidic marinade will start to break down the muscle fibers and the carne asada will turn out mealy). I try to get the meat marinating first thing in the morning so that by the time dinner rolls around all I have to do is clean the grill and cook the steak.
Jenny’s Tip: Cook from room temperature. If you only plan to marinate the steaks for an hour, marinate the steak at room temperature. If you marinate for longer, take the marinating steaks out of the fridge an hour before cooking.
- Preheat your grill to 450ºF. Don’t forget to clean the grill grates first!
- Grill the steak for 4-5 minutes per side. The exact grill time for your carne asada will vary depending on the cut of steak you use and how thick it is. I suggest using a probe thermometer for best results; the steak is done when it registers 135ºF at the thickest part.
- Rest for 10 minutes before slicing. If you cut your steaks immediately after cooking, all the juices will run out leaving the steak tough and dry. Give the steaks at least 10 minutes to rest before slicing so that the juices can redistribute.
Alternate Cooking Methods
The traditional way to make this recipe is on the grill, but you have a few other options if it’s either too cold to grill outside or you don’t own a grill.
- Oven: Set your oven broiler to high and move the oven rack close to the broiler. Lay the steak out on a baking sheet lined with foil and broil for 4-5 minutes per side, until browned.
- Cast Iron Skillet: Heat a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add a bit of neutral oil and once the skillet is hot, add the steak to the skillet and cook for 4-5 minutes per side. You may need to cut the steak down into slightly smaller pieces before cooking.
- Grill Pan: In the same way you’d use a cast iron, you can use a grill pan to grill the steak indoors.
Jenny’s Tips for Perfect Carne Asada
The key to the best carne asada is tender, tender steak. Here are my tips for grilling steak perfectly every time:
Marinate the steaks long enough. Really work the marinade into the steaks with your hands so that the steak is totally covered. You want to marinate the steak for at least 1 hour, up to 8 hours. It’s a very acidic marinade, so I don’t recommend marinating longer than that.
Use a meat thermometer. Carne asada is best served at medium-rare or medium to keep it juicy. I always recommend using a meat thermometer to determine doneness.
Don’t overcook. Cook time will vary depending on the thickness of the meat. Grilling time for skirt steak will be closer to 4 minutes per side, and flank steak will be closer to 6-8 minutes per side. You can also use a meat thermometer for accuracy.
Cut against the grain. If you look at a piece of steak, you can see the direction that the stringy muscle fibers run. You want to cut perpendicular, or ‘across the grain’, to those fibers. This ensures that every bite is tender and easy to chew.
What to Serve with Carne Asada
If you’re planning to serve carne asada for dinner, you’re going to need some side dishes!
My go-to is to serve carne asada with my Instant Pot refried beans and stovetop Mexican rice or arroz verde. They are just as good as your favorite Mexican restaurant and come together quickly and easily.
If you’re planning a whole taco bar situation, you’ll need some great appetizers. Elote queso and my favorite guacamole will make this an incredible spread!
Jenny’s Tip: Always serve carne asada with warm tortillas alongside your favorite salsas with plenty of lime wedges.
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Mexican Beef Recipes to Try
- Mexican Picadillo
- Beef Enchiladas Verdes
- Copycat Chipotle Beef Burrito Bowls
- Beef Enchilada Skillet
- Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup)
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Authentic Carne Asada Steak Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 lbs skirt or flank steak, trimmed of any silver skin
- 1/4 white onion, very thinly sliced
Marinade
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ancho chile powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 cup minced cilantro
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Instructions
- Make the marinade. In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the steak and onions and mix well.
- Marinate the steak. Place the steak in a ceramic or glass baking dish with the onion and pour the marinade over the steak. Rub the marinade into the steak really well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, not longer than 8 hours.
- Prep your grill. Before using your grill, make sure to clean the grates of any food and debris. Lightly grease the grates with nonstick spray. Set the temperature to medium-high. Close the lid and wait until the temperature reaches 450ºF.
- Grill the steak. Place the marinated steak on the prepared grill, disposing any excess marinade. Grill the steak for 4-5 minutes per side, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the steak registers an internal temperature of 135ºF.
- Rest and slice. Remove the steak from the grill and lightly tent with foil. Let the steak rest for 10 minutes, then slice against the grain. Serve the carne asada warm.
Notes
Nutrition
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Rate & Review This Recipe
This is so good but I add 1/2 cup of soy sauce. Trust me it’s good ?
Sounds good!