Carne Asada Street Tacos

Jump to Recipe

These carne asada street tacos are full of delicious flavor in every bite, and they’re so easy to make. Flank steak is marinated in a blend of orange and lime juice, and zesty seasonings, then grilled to perfection. Then, we stuff it in a crispy corn tortilla along with diced onions and cilantro. It’s a bold, flavorful taco recipe that will knock your socks off.

A white surface with two carne asada tacos on a white plate with meat in a small grey bowl and more corn tortillas in the background.

Growing up in California, my sister and I were exposed to a wide variety of foods. With so many different cultures in the state, you can find all kinds of authentic flavors from around the world. We loved them all, but Mexican food has always held a special place in our hearts, especially tacos. Our mom made all kinds of tacos, and now that we have our own families, we do, too. We love classic beef tacos, as well as creative varieties like our shrimp tacos and Tex-Mex breakfast tacos. With this carne asada tacos recipe, we’ve gone back to the basics with a classic recipe that might be simple but is never dull.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Simple Ingredients: This recipe uses steak, onions, tortillas, and a few spices, and you can find them all in your local grocery store.
Easy: Just mix, marinate, and grill. That’s essentially all there is to this easy recipe!
Bold Flavor: The combination of seasonings imparts a bold, zesty, slightly hot flavor to the beef that makes the tacos so good.
Great for Meal Prep: The flank steak is freezer-friendly, so you can make a double batch for future meals.

A small round white plate with two street tacos on it with two grey bowls filled with carne asada and corn tortillas in the background.

Ingredients

Marinade

Oil and Citrus Juice: A blend of vegetable oil, lime juice, and orange juice creates a marinade base with a citrus kick.
Seasonings: Cumin, chili powder, garlic salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, and chopped cilantro give the steak the classic complex, earthy, aromatic, spicy flavor we love about Mexican food.

Tacos

Flank Steak: Flank steak cooks up so tender and juicy in a short amount of time, making it perfect for these tacos.
Corn Street Tacos: Street taco-sized corn tortillas are baked for a few minutes for a little color and more flavor in every bite.
White Onion: Diced white onions add a slightly sweet flavor with a lot of bite.
Cilantro: More chopped cilantro adds a classic vegetal note that pairs well with the other flavors in the dish.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact measurements.

Two carne asada tacos on a white plate filled with meat, white onions, and chopped cilantro.

Flavor Variations

Meats: You can make this recipe with pork, chicken, or shrimp.
Toppings: Cheese, salsa, pico de Gallo, taco sauce, sour cream, lettuce, tomato, or any of your other favorite taco toppings are perfect for these tacos.
Mild: Omit the red pepper flakes for tacos with a bit less kick.
Extra Spicy: Add diced jalapenos to the marinade or top the tacos with them.

Instructions

Marinade

1: Combine the marinade ingredients in a gallon-sized baggie and shake to combine. Then, add the steak and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

Tacos

1: Grill the marinated steak until it reaches your desired doneness. You can also pan-sear the steak with canola oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.

2: Place the cooked steak on a cutting board and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, slice it against the grain. Cut the strips into small pieces.

3: Using tongs, heat the corn tortillas over an open flame until soft, or cook them in a pan over medium-high heat.

4: Fill the tortillas with chopped steak, diced onions, and diced cilantro and enjoy.

Five carne asada street tacos on a white plate

Hint

When pan-searing the steak, if you find it’s not quite done enough for you, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking until it reaches your desired doneness.

Storage

We don’t recommend storing assembled tacos, as the shells will get soggy. Instead, prepare them as you go, then refrigerate the leftover steak for up to 4 days in an airtight container. For longer storage, freeze the steak for up to 3 months in an airtight, freezer-safe container.

To reheat the steak, defrost it overnight in the refrigerator if frozen. Then, microwave the meat at 30-second intervals until heated through. Assemble more tacos and enjoy.

Pairing Suggestions

Serve these delicious carne asada street tacos alongside your other favorite Mexican dishes like Spanish rice, 7 layer bean dip, and chips with guacamole.

For dessert, these Mexican-inspired cream cheese churro pastry bites are always a great choice.

Tips

While 6 hours is the minimum time recommended to marinate your steak, letting it marinate overnight produces a more flavorful and tender final product.
Keep the heat high when cooking your steak. Flank steak is best when cooked quickly over high heat and then sliced against the grain.
Always slice your flank steak against the grain. Slicing in this way shortens the muscle fibers, making the steak tender.
To avoid the stinging eyes that come with chopping onions, refrigerate your onion for about an hour before chopping it.

A carne asada taco showing the inside ingredients of meat, onions, and cilantro in a corn tortilla.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make flank steak tender?

The secret to tender flank steak is marinating it, then cooking it quickly over medium-high heat to a medium-rare or rare doneness.

Does flank steak get more tender the longer you cook it?

Absolutely not. Flank steak is a lean cut with lots of muscle fibers. This combination actually makes the beef get tough if you cook it for too long.

Why do you have to cut flank steak against the grain?

Because the beef is so lean and the muscle fibers are so long, cutting the meat against the grain is the only way to ensure it’s tender and easy to eat. Cutting against the grain shortens the muscle fibers, making it tender. If you cut the meat with the grain, it won’t matter how you’ve cooked it. It will always be tough.

Should you poke holes in flank steak before marinating?

Poking holes in flank steak before marinating it can be beneficial for shorter marinating times, as it allows the liquid to penetrate more deeply into the meat. However, it’s not recommended for longer marinating times, as it will make the beef too tender, creating a mealy feel.

A carne asada taco with a bite taken out of it.

Try These Carne Asada Street Tacos for Yourself

With tons of flavor and an easy recipe, these carne asada street tacos are an absolute must if you love Mexican food. With all their tender chunks of flank steak, the bold flavors of the marinade, and the punch of raw white onions, these tacos deliver a huge amount of flavor with very little effort. We love them, and we know you will, too.

More Delicious Taco Recipes You’ll Enjoy

If you try this recipe and love it, please be sure to leave a 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and comment! You can also pin it to save it for later. Also, you can follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. Remember to “like” or “follow” us on all social media.