The Best Carne Asada Recipe

This authentic Carne Asada recipe starts with skirt steak soaked in a flavorful citrus and Mexican spiced marinade then grilled to perfection! This delicious skirt steak is so ready for your grill!

Grilling is a favorite for American holidays, especially Labor Day and Memorial Day. Whether cooking on a gas or charcoal grill, grilling is a great way to enjoy fresh, flavorful foods, including steak.

I love to eat steak!  That’s why you will find how to sear a steak and how to make marinated skirt steak with chimichurri on my website. 

As a girl, my daddy would take my family to the swankiest steakhouses in Chicago where I would order menu items like Steak Au Poivre and Peppercorn Filet Mignon.  Since those very days, I have always loved a great top of the line steak whether at a top-ranked steakhouse or right in my very home.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• It’s easy to make! All you need are steak and a quick carne asada marinade.
• The best skirt steak recipe for your summer grilling with lots of flavors.
• Such a versatile dish! Once it’s cooked you can use it in many different ways and the leftovers are easy to repurpose into a brand-new meal.

What is Carne Asada?

Carne asada, which refers to grilled meat in Spanish, is a traditional Mexican dish of thinly sliced marinated beef. It’s perfect to serve up as a main dish or to use the meat to create other dishes such as quesadillas or tacos.

This recipe is easy to make and packed with flavor, thanks to a simple marinade that infuses the steak with amazing flavor. It’s perfect for a summer barbecue or a special occasion.

Ingredients

The carne asada marinade is the key to making this carne asada recipe so flavorful. The combination of flavors in the marinade creates a tangy and savory flavor that perfectly complements the beef.

Carne Asada Marinade

• Olive oil: I personally enjoy cooking with olive oil but you can also use another high-quality vegetable oil. Try to choose one that’s relatively neutral in flavor.
• Soy sauce: Gives the skirt steak marinade a bit of saltiness and lots of savory flavors. For a gluten-free marinade, you can use tamari or coconut aminos.
• Lime juice: Use fresh for seasoning carne asada. It tastes the best! I even like to have a few squeezes on the table to add after the steak is cooked.
• Cilantro: This fresh herb appears a lot in Mexican cooking and really works best but if you aren’t a fan of cilantro you can swap it with parsley.
• Orange juice: The sweetness of the orange juice adds a nice balance to the acid of the lime juice and vinegar.
• Jalapeño pepper: Added to the marinade for a bit of spice.

Best Carne Asada Meat

When it comes to making carne asada, I get asked often about using flank steak vs skirt steak. My favorite to use for making this dish is skirt steak. It’s a budget-friendly cut of steak that’s got lots of fat which gives it a robust flavor as it cooks while keeping it tender and juicy.

Flank steak is another option and looks a bit similar to skirt steak but it is often less fatty and can be more expensive these days due to its popularity.

The other downside to this cut of meat is that it doesn’t soak up the marinade as easily as the skirt steak so the marinade doesn’t permeate the meat the way it does when you cook this carne asada recipe with a skirt steak.

How to Make Carne Asada

The flavors are magical.  I found myself sneaking into the kitchen eating it and then eating it again and again not being able to get enough.  

From my very first bite, I fell in love.  It starts with the marinade that is truly the essence of flavors coming together in the most sensational and harmonious way.  Let’s get cooking this carne asada steak recipe so you can experience it too!

1. Combine the olive oil, soy sauce, lime juice, cilantro, orange juice, vinegar, sugar, pepper, cumin, onion, garlic, and jalapeño pepper in a large ziplock bag. Use a whisk to mix them together.

2. Add the skirt steak to the bag and marinate overnight or for at least 8 hours.

3. Remove the steaks from the bag and discard the marinade. Sprinkle the steak with salt and pepper. Then grill the steak covered until it is golden brown, perfectly charred, and tender.

PRO TIP: I recommend cooking the steak to medium rare or 145°F. The best way to check for doneness is by inserting an instant-read thermometer horizontally into the side of the steak, being careful not to touch any fat or the grill.

4. Allow the steak to rest before slicing on a cutting board. Then serve it up with tortillas and lots of yummy toppings!

How to Store and Reheat

Now, when it comes to storing that delicious steak, you’ll want to wrap it up tight in some plastic wrap or aluminum foil and pop it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

And if you’ve got too many leftovers that you just can’t finish within that time no worries! You can also freeze it for up to 3 months by wrapping it up tight in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Just make sure to thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before reheating it.

To reheat, you can either fire up a skillet or grill pan on the stovetop and cook it over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes on each side, or you can pop it in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10-15 minutes. Whichever method you choose, just make sure it’s heated through before diggin’ in!

What to Serve it With Carne Asada

For some wonderful sides, try to serve your carne asada with this:

• Mexican rice, long-grain rice cooked with tomato sauce, and spices, makes a simple and classic side dish for this Mexican carne asada recipe.
• Refried beans, pinto beans, or black beans are great side dishes to add some protein and fiber to your meal.
• Salsa verde or pico de gallo.
• Guacamole or sliced avocado make an awesome way to add some healthy fats to your meal. 
• Warm flour or corn tortillas are great for making carne asada tacos.

This easy carne asada recipe can also be used to create other dishes such as tacos, steak nachos, burritos, fajitas, tasty bowls, and salads. Add Mexican steak to your next Mexican Fiesta or Cinco de Mayo celebration for a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!

Expert Tips

• Use a high-heat grill, such as a gas grill, to cook the steak. This will create the perfect char on the outside of the steak while keeping the inside juicy and tender.
• For the best grilled skirt steak, cook the steak to medium-rare, or 145°F. Any more than that, the steak will be dry and tough.
• Allow the steak to rest for a few minutes before slicing it. This will help to keep the juices inside the meat.
• Marinate the beef for at least 8 hours, or preferably overnight. This time allows the flavors to fully penetrate the meat.

FAQs

More Delicious Mexican Recipes

• Taco Soup Recipe
• Mexican Breakfast Flautas
• Shrimp Fajita Quesadillas
• Mexican Grilled Corn on the Cob

*Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating and leave comments below!* Post a photo of how your version of the recipe came out on Instagram (using #grandbabycakes)!!

This post was originally published May 2018. It has been updated for new content and images.