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Carne Asada Street Tacos

Carne asada street tacos with charred grilled steak slices, juicy citrus-garlic marinade, and warm corn tortillas. Built like street food: quick grill charring, thin slices against the grain, then topped with fresh onion, cilantro, and lime.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
marinating + resting 15 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main
Cuisine: Mexican
Calories: 680
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Carne Asada
  • 2 lb flank or skirt steak
Marinade
  • 0.5 cup olive oil
  • 0.25 cup lime juice
  • 0.25 cup orange juice
  • 6 garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp cumin
  • 2 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
For serving
  • 16 small corn tortillas
  • 0.5 white onion, finely diced
  • 0.25 cup cilantro, chopped
  • lime wedges
  • salsa

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Marinate the steak
  1. Combine olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, minced garlic, cumin, oregano, chili powder, black pepper, and salt in a bowl.
  2. Place steak in a large zip-lock bag and pour marinade over it.
  3. Massage the bag so the marinade coats the steak evenly.
  4. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Grill and slice
  1. Remove steak from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking to take the chill off.
  2. Preheat a cast iron skillet over high heat until very hot.
  3. Grill the steak over high heat for 4-5 minutes per side until charred.
  4. Rest the steak for 10 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain.
Warm tortillas and assemble tacos
  1. Warm corn tortillas on the grill or over an open flame until pliable.
  2. Fill each tortilla with sliced carne asada.
  3. Top with diced white onion and cilantro.
  4. Serve with lime wedges and salsa.

Notes

For best char and juiciness, let the skillet get truly hot before searing and avoid moving the steak during the first minutes. Refrigerate leftover steak/toppings up to 3 days; freeze sliced carne asada up to 2 months (tortillas and fresh toppings do not freeze well). For a dairy-free swap, keep everything the same—this recipe is naturally dairy-free.