Carne Asada

Juicy and tender Carne Asada with perfectly charred edges is flavorful, delicious, and so easy to make. This Mexican dish is wildly popular thanks to a simple marinade that delivers fresh and bold flavors. The best part? You can cook this steak in under 15 minutes.

Plus, you can cook carne asada on the stove or on the grill for a delicious summer dinner (or any time of the year!). Pair it with your favorite sides or chop them up for tacos!

Why You'll Love Carne Asada

• It has all the characteristics of a good steak. Carna asada is a fine steak. In every bite, you’ll enjoy a slight char, the savory taste of melted fat, and a kick from the spices in the marinade. Who doesn’t love a tender, juicy, flavorful steak?
• The delicious and flavorful marinade. A good marinade makes such a big difference in how your steaks come out. For this carne asada marinade, you’ll need oil, lime juice, fresh cilantro, and a collection of seasoning and spices.
• It’s so easy to make. Although you will need to wait a couple of hours for your steak to soak up the delicious marinade, you really only need a few minutes to actually make carne asada. All it takes is making the marinade, letting the beef marinate, and then cooking the Mexican steaks.

Ingredient Notes

To make this delicious Carne Asada, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):

• flank steaks or skirt steaks - pick steaks that are similar in thickness so that you can ensure even cooking.
• avocado oil - feel free to substitute with any vegetable oil such as grapeseed oil or olive oil.
• lime juice
• cilantro
• soy sauce
• brown sugar - you can also substitute with granulate sugar or honey.
• paprika
• ground cumin
• garlic powder
• salt and pepper

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a grill pan or cast-iron skillet. You can also throw these steaks on the barbecue.

How to Make the Best Carne Asada

1. Make the marinade. In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, lime juice, cilantro, soy sauce, sugar, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well until smooth.
2. Marinate the steaks. Add steaks to the bowl and use your hands to rub the marinade evenly over them. (I recommend wearing disposable gloves for easy clean-up). Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap and marinate for at least 2 hours (or overnight) in the fridge. You can also marinate the steaks in a large Ziploc bag.

1. Prep for cooking. When ready to cook, remove the bowl from the fridge and place on the counter for 20-30 minutes to bring the steaks to room temperature. This will help the steak cook evenly. Use a paper towel to pat the steaks dry. Season with a little more salt and pepper.
2. Grill. Brush some oil over a grill pan or skillet. Heat on medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. You should notice the oil shimmer and sizzle when it's hot and ready. Place the steaks on the grill pan and cook until desired doneness, about 6-8 minutes per side.
   • For medium doneness - Cook until the internal temperature reaches 140 F on a meat thermometer.
   • For medium rare - The target temperature should be 135 F.

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1. Cover. Remove the steaks from the pan and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep them moist.
2. Rest. Let the steaks rest for 5 minutes. Resting after cooking helps the juices redistribute into the meat as the internal temperature for the steaks continue to rise a little while resting.
3. Serve. Slice and serve warm.

How to Serve

Carne asada can be enjoyed on its own or alongside sides that pair well with steaks, such as:

• Pico de Gallo Salsa
• Mexican Street Corn (Elote)
• Mashed Potatoes
• Classic Coleslaw
• Crispy Smashed Potatoes
• Mexican Caesar Salad

You can also chop up the steak and enjoy it inside Carne Asada Tacos or burritos.

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More Beef Recipes

• Ribeye Steak
• Roast Beef
• Korean Beef Steak Tacos
• Beef Stroganoff
• Beef Noodle Stir Fry
• Mexican Ground Beef Tacos

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