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Carne Asada Tacos Recipe

  • Author: Shawn Williams
  • Prep Time: 4 hours
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Description

Carne asada tacos are made with grilled, marinated steak and topped with creamy avocado salsa, chopped white onions, and fresh cilantro.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound skirt or flank steak (can also use ribeye, sirloin, NY strip), about 1 inch thick
  • 12 small white/yellow corn tortillas (warm/toasted)
  • 1/2 white onion, diced
  • 1 bunch of cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
  • lime wedges for serving

Avocado Salsa (Salsa Aguacate)

  • 1 avocado, peeled, seed removed
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/3 cup cilantro, leaves removed from stem
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lime, juice squeezed
  • 34 jalapeno slices, seeds removed (optional)
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Carne Asada Marinade

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 limes, juice squeezed
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

For the avocado salsa

  1. combine all ingredients in a blender. Pulse until smooth and creamy. Add additional tablespoons of water if too thick. You want the salsa to be thin enough to slowly drizzle off a spoon. Consistency should be similar to creamy ranch dressing.

For the steak

  1. Whisk marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Season steak generously with salt and pepper. Place the whole steak in a 1-gallon Ziploc bag or sealable container (do not pre-slice). Pour marinade over the steak. Remove as much air from the bag as possible, seal and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.
  2. Remove steak from the fridge 30 minutes before grilling. Preheat the grill with the cover down to medium-high heat. Clean the grates well. Allow the grill to get hot before cooking the steak. Reduce heat to medium.
  3. For medium steak, grill for 5-6 minutes per side over medium heat with the cover down, roughly 450°F. Add additional time as needed. Always check the temperature with a digital thermometer.
  4. Remove the steak from the heat and place it on a cutting board to rest for 5-7 minutes before slicing.
  5. If using flank/skirt steak, find the natural grain running lengthwise through the steak. Cut the steak into thin slices against/across the grain. This is to ensure the steak is tender and easy to bite. If you slice with or in the same direction as the grain, the meat will be much tougher to bite through. Further slice into bite-sized chunks.
  6. Serve tacos with warm/toasted tortillas topped with diced white onions, fresh cilantro leaves, and a spoonful of avocado salsa. See the note below on toasting tortillas.

Notes

My favorite way to eat tacos or fajitas is with toasted corn tortillas. If you have a gas range, place the tortillas directly on the grates and fire up the burner. Cook on medium-low heat for about 15 seconds per side, flipping with a metal spatula. The edges of the tortilla will start to char and crisp and the center will be soft, warm, and pliable with irresistible flavor. If you’ve run into ripping or tearing corn tortillas, this will remedy this problem and make them much more sturdy. This can also be done with flour tortillas.

Temperatures for steak 
Rare: 120°F to 125°F 
Medium rare: 125°F to 130°F 
Medium: 135°F to 140°F 
Medium well: 145°F to 150°F 
Well done: 160°F and above


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 4 tacos
  • Calories: 809
  • Sugar: 3.1g
  • Sodium: 231mg
  • Fat: 33.8g
  • Saturated Fat: 8.5g
  • Carbohydrates: 58.1g
  • Fiber: 14.3g
  • Protein: 89.9g
  • Cholesterol: 204mg

Keywords: street tacos, carne asada tacos, avocado salsa