Skip to content

Carne Asada Tacos Recipe

These carne asada tacos are a taco lover’s dream. The beef tacos turn out irresistibly tender and the flavors are scrumptious. This carne asada recipe will make you almost famous. 

carne asada tacos, carne asada recipe, mexican beef tacos, beef tacos

Carne Asada Tacos

I’m that girl you don’t want to stand behind in line at the taco counter.

I agonize a little over which fillings to get. Should I commit to chicken, beef, shrimp, or all the above? Wish I could try a sample. Of each one.
Should I go with the mild or spicy sauce? (Like, how spicy is spicy?)
Also, is today a safe day for raw onions? Because we all know not all days should include raw onions.

Lastly, would I like to add chips ‘n salsa? No. Actually, yes. Yes, please. Now I have to hit my 10,000 daily steps for sure.

The whole taco counter thing can be a tricky situation. Thankfully, these homemade carne asada tacos are not unpredictable at all.

This tender carne asada recipe is a clear choice every single time. It leads to instant joy of the palate, no questions asked. Once you sink your teeth into these flavorful tacos, there is zero regret.

carne asada tacos, carne asada recipe, mexican beef tacos, beef tacos

WHAT CUT OF BEEF IS USED FOR CARNE ASADA?

Skirt steak or flank steak are popular choices for carne asada. I use either of those with delicious results.

Often, skirt and flank steaks can often turn out more tough/chewy than ideal, even when you “do everything right” and even when you slice against the grain. Thus, you want a marinade that will flavor and tenderize the meat. Read on.

MARINADE INGREDIENTS FOR TENDER CARNE ASADA Tacos:

  • Soy sauce: We recommend regular strength soy sauce, as it’s the only form of salt you’ll be using. A good quality soy sauce like this is important, as it will provide much better flavor. If you need gluten-free, go with Tamari soy sauce. I use that exact Tamari soy all the time because of its purity in flavor. (You may need to add a pinch of salt if using Tamari, as it contains less sodium than regular soy sauce.)
  • Freshly squeezed lime juice. Lime juice provides the citrus acid that will help in tenderizing the meat while adding flavor. Avoid bottled lime juice.
  • Olive in the marinade will help it adhere to the beef, as well as assist in the browning during cooking.
  • A bit of sugar balances out the flavors as well as helps the meat to brown on the grill.
  • As always, we aren’t shy with the garlic. I use about 6 large cloves of minced garlic in the marinade.
  • Dry seasonings include plenty of cumin, ancho chili powder, and onion powder.
  • Power tenderizer: Kiwi. Not a typo. It’s magical for tenderizing meats, without leaving any trace of kiwi flavor. Just be sure not to include kiwi until that last 30 minutes of marinading.
carne asada tacos, carne asada recipe, mexican beef tacos, beef tacos

What to serve with carne asada tacos:

It’s best to keep these Mexican beef tacos real and simple. A splash of lime, avocado, and cilantro are fantastic. When you’re talking homemade carne asada tacos, it’s always a good day for fresh onions.

Our favorite sidekicks include this Pico De Gallo Recipe {Fresh Tomato Salsa} and this Easy Mexican Rice. Oh. So. Good.

Don’t forget the ‘ritas. This one’s a favorite for obvious reasons: 3-Ingredient Lemonade Margaritas

You may want this this recipe, too:

Did you make this?

Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!

Carne Asada Tacos

Carne Asada Tacos Recipe

Be the first to rate!
These carne asada tacos are a taco lover's dream. The beef is irresistibly tender and the flavors are scrumptious. This carne asada taco recipe will make you almost famous. 
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Servings: 8
Author: Amy Dong

Ingredients  

  • 2-3 lbs skirt or flank steak, roughly trimmed
  • ¼ cup regular strength soy sauce, or Tamari, for gluten-free*
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 TB freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2 TB olive or canola oil
  • 1 TB sugar
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp ancho chili powder
  • 2 kiwi fruits, peeled and mashed
  • Your choice of taco shells
  • Toppings: Pico De Gallo, sliced avocado, lime wedges, chopped cilantro, Tapatio hot sauce

Instructions

  • In a 9x13 pan or large dish, add the soy sauce, garlic, lime juice, oil, sugar, cumin, onion powder, and chili powder. Use hand whisk to incorporate well. Set aside.
  • Using paper towels, dab off all excess moisture from beef. Use fork to poke holes throughout beef. Place beef in the pan with marinade. Evenly coat beef on all sides, ensuring every bit of beef is well coated (if you have two steaks, ensure even coating on both.) Cover with cling wrap. Chill 3-9 hours.
  • During the last 30 minutes of marinade time, evenly press mashed kiwi onto all sides of beef, making sure every part of the beef has a bit of kiwi on it. Cover and chill no more than 30 minutes max.
  • Oil the grill and heat on high until smoking hot. Grill steak just until both sides are nicely charred and browned, and interior is medium rare. Cook time will vary, depending on thickness of steaks. Usually, once the exterior is nicely charred, skirt/flank steaks should be done, as they are thinner cuts.
  • Transfer steak to cutting board and let it rest for 5-10 minutes, without slicing. Then, slice very thinly against the grain (perpendicular to the grain) and serve with your choice of taco shells. Garnish with your choice of toppings.

Notes

If using gluten-free Tamari soy sauce, feel free to add a pinch or two of kosher salt to your marinade, as Tamari is less salty than regular soy sauce.
These beef tacos are delicious with Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites) and Best Easy Mexican Rice.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 221kcal | Carbohydrates: 7.9g | Protein: 25.5g | Fat: 9.5g | Saturated Fat: 2.9g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 291.4mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3.8g
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Method: Grill

Every day is taco tuesday:

Crispy Baja Fish Tacos with Creamy Lime Sauce

baja fish taco

Maui Chicken Tacos

Maui Chicken Tacos

Weeknight Taco Pockets

Taco Pockets

Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe

A plate of Homemade Tacos with Sliced Avocado and Tomato

Add a comment

Recipe Rating




25 comments

    • Anna

    Wow! This is mouthwatering. Thanks for the recipe as well going to try it for this weeknd 🙂

    • Pamela A Frost

    When we go away every summer we have a taco night. It’s one of my favorite meals of the week! Thanks for sharing!

    • Dalene Ekirapa

    I’m always going to Mexican restaurants over here to have some delicious tacos since I don’t know how to make them real good. Ooops! I hope I can work around your recipe this time. Looks super delish!

    • Joy

    Oh yum that looks so tasty! I will definitely be trying out your recipe. I am not sure mine will turn out as good as yours though lol. Thank you for sharing! Great post!

    • Norma

    Awesome recipe. Interesting that you use skirt and flank steaks and use a marinade that will flavor and tenderize the meat. Will definitely try.

Get our free email series: 5 Easy Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less

Plus our newest recipes each week