Street Tacos Recipe: Juicy Carne Asada Tacos
These carne asada street tacos deliver everything you love about taco truck food — tender citrus-marinated skirt steak, warm double-stacked corn tortillas, and a handful of fresh toppings that let the meat shine. The marinade comes together in minutes with pantry staples, and after just 1–4 hours of hands-off marinating, the steak cooks in under 10 minutes. Small, punchy, and deeply satisfying, these tacos are perfect for weeknight dinners, Taco Tuesday, or casual backyard cookouts.
Equipment
- 12-inch cast iron skillet - Preferred; or heavy stainless steel skillet
- Large zip-lock bag - Or shallow dish for marinating
- Mixing bowl - For the marinade
- Small dry skillet or griddle - For warming tortillas
- Meat thermometer - Optional but helpful
- Aluminum foil - For resting the steak
Ingredients
For the Marinade and Steak
- 1.5 lbs skirt steak - 680g; or flank steak
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice - about 2 limes
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.5 tsp dried oregano - Mexican oregano preferred
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.25 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp canola or vegetable oil - for cooking
For the Tortillas
- 24 small corn tortillas - 4–5 inch / 10–12cm, street taco size
Toppings
- 0.5 white onion, finely diced
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped - 30g
- 2 limes, cut into wedges - for serving
- 0.5 cup cotija cheese, crumbled - 60g; optional but highly recommended
- salsa verde or red salsa - for serving
- sliced radishes - optional, for garnish
- fresh jalapeño slices - optional, for heat
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together lime juice, orange juice, soy sauce, olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, oregano, salt, and black pepper until fully combined.
- Pat the skirt steak dry, cut into 2–3 sections if needed, then place in a zip-lock bag or shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the steak, massage to coat, seal, and refrigerate for 1–4 hours (do not exceed 8 hours). Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking.
- Finely dice the white onion (rinse under cold water if desired for milder flavor), roughly chop the cilantro, cut limes into wedges, crumble the cotija cheese, and slice any optional toppings. Arrange everything in small bowls for easy assembly.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until very hot, then add 1 tablespoon of oil. Remove steak from marinade, let excess drip off, and sear without moving for 3–4 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare or 140–145°F (60–63°C) for medium.
- Transfer steak to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 5 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain, then cut into bite-size ½-inch pieces.
- Heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat and warm tortillas one or two at a time for 30–45 seconds per side until hot and lightly charred in spots. Stack in a clean kitchen towel or tortilla warmer to keep soft. Double up two tortillas per taco before filling.
- Spoon a generous amount of carne asada onto two stacked warm tortillas, then top with diced white onion, cilantro, and cotija cheese. Squeeze fresh lime juice over each taco, add salsa, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Marinate for at least 60 minutes — even 1 hour makes a dramatic difference in flavor and tenderness. Do not exceed 8 hours or the citrus will break down the meat's texture.
- Skirt steak is preferred over flank for its higher fat marbling and more forgiving cook time. Flank steak can turn tough if overcooked by even a minute.
- Get the pan screaming hot before adding the steak. A properly preheated cast iron pan gives you a seared crust rather than a steamed, gray exterior.
- Always slice against the grain — look for the visible muscle fibers running through the steak and cut perpendicular to them for maximum tenderness.
- Always double up the corn tortillas. This is traditional and practical: two tortillas provide structure and a backup if the outer one tears.
- Keep toppings simple — onion, cilantro, lime, and cotija is all you need. Restraint is the point; it lets the meat shine.
- Leftover cooked carne asada stores in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in a hot dry skillet for 1–2 minutes for best results.
- Cooked carne asada freezes well for up to 2 months. Raw marinating steak can be frozen in its bag for up to 3 months — thaw overnight and it marinates as it defrosts.
- If grilling instead of using a skillet, cook over high direct heat for 3–5 minutes per side. The open flame adds smoky char that can't be replicated indoors.
- Make extra steak — leftovers are excellent in breakfast burritos, rice bowls, quesadillas, or sliced over salad the next day.
Nutrition
Serving: 3TacosCalories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 32gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 620mgPotassium: 520mgFiber: 4gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 4IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 19mg
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