Carne Asada Tacos

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These carne asada tacos are marinated, grilled, sliced, and served in tortillas with cotija cheese and charred onion relish. Make extra…they’re addictive!

Is there any season better than GRILLING SEASON?? That’s a rhetorical question by the way, because of course there is not. Today the grill is our muse for these carne asada tacos with charred onion relish. We’re getting after it my friends with…

…marinated flank steak.

…charred onion relish

…corn tortillas flashed on the grill

…and just the right amount of toppings to enhance, not overshadow 

You can take inspiration from anywhere. When I lived in California many moons ago, my office was across from a very popular car wash.  And everyday, a taco truck would pull up behind the car wash and the most fantastic smells would begin to waft toward my office just before noon.  

This was long before the days of the hipster, fusion-everything food truck. This truck was as bare bones and utilitarian as they come.  Two kinds of tacos and when it was gone, it was gone.  And it went quick.

Moving to northern California completely opened my eyes to authentic Mexican food.  To put it in perspective, when I grew up, I thought Taco Bell was the gold standard of Mexican cuisine, as it was only one of two Mexican restaurants available locally.  And now, I’m not going to lie and tell you that I would turn away a Beef Meximelt after a long night out, I have come to appreciate the simpler, brighter flavors of real Mexican food.

My food truck favorite was the carne asada taco, which translates literally to “grilled meat”.  The meat (most often flank or skirt steak) was marinated, grilled, sliced, and served in a soft, white corn tortilla with a sprinkling of white onions, cilantro and a squirt of fresh lime juice.  

Simple, but bold.

So today’s inspiration comes from those delicious tacos from years gone by.  After many incarnations of the marinade, I have settled quite happily for the one I’ll include today.  

And, not being a fan of biting into raw onions, I’ve created a charred onion relish that captures the flavors of those simple toppings, but with less bite. Now without further ado, let’s get grilling…

Let’s Make Carne Asada Tacos

1. Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl. Whisk to combine.
2. Pour the marinade over the steak (a ziplock bag is ideal) and refrigerate for 3 hours – overnight.
3. Remove from the marinade and heat your grill.
4. Grill for about 5 mins aside over high heat. Let the steak rest before slicing.

5. While the steak cooks, make the charred onion relish. Drizzle the onion slices with olive oil. 
6. Grill about 3-5 mins per side, until charred. 
7. Combine all the ingredients for the relish in a food processor.
8. Blend well, but leave a little texture.

Tips for success

• Marinate the steak for at least 3 hours (but overnight is even better for maximum flavor).
• Grill the steak over high heat so you get that tasty char on the outside.
• Don’t skip resting the steak before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute and not run all over the cutting board.
• Be careful when you turn the onion slices on the grill. I use a large flat spatula so they don’t slip into the grates.
• Don’t over-process the relish, it’s good with a bit of texture to it.
• Throw the tortillas on the grill to warm through. And those grill marks!!

Get your taco on!!

• Margarita Chicken Tacos
• Leftover Turkey Tacos
• Grilled Fish Tacos with Charred Corn and Jalapeño Salsa
• Pork Carnitas with Pineapple Mango Salsa
• Corn Pancake Breakfast Tacos

4 from 4 votes

Print

Carne Asada Tacos

Prep Time

40 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Marinating Time

3 hrs

Total Time

1 hr

 

These carne asada tacos are marinated, grilled, sliced, and served in tortillas with cotija cheese and charred onion relish. Make extra…they're addictive!

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Mexican

Keyword: carne asada

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 838 kcal

Author: Cathy Roma | What Should I Make For…

Ingredients

Carne Asada Tacos

• 3 lbs marinated flank steak (2 – 1 1/2 lb steaks) (recipe follows)
• 12 soft corn (or flour) tortillas (7 inch)
• 1 1/2 cups cotija cheese, crumbled (crumbled feta or ricotta salata could be substituted)
• charred onion relish (recipe follows)
• Lime wedges and chopped cilantro for serving

Marinade for Carne Asada

• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, stems and leaves, chopped
• 1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, chopped
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup Mexican beer
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Additional salt and pepper for seasoning steak before grilling

Charred Onion Relish

• 2 large onions (I like Spanish onions), peeled and sliced into thick rounds
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup cilantro, stems and leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• Zest of one lime
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Carne Asada

1. Combine all ingredients for marinade in a bowl and whisk well to combine.

2. Place flank steak in a large ziploc bag and pour marinade over steak. Seal bag and turn several times until steak is well coated.

3. Refrigerate steak a minimum of three hours or overnight.

4. Remove steak from marinade and season liberally on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat for about 5 minutes per side.

5. Rest the steak, covered with foil, for at least five minutes to allow the juices to redistribute before slicing.

Charred Onion Relish

1. While you’re grilling the steak, brush the onion slices with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

2. Grill about 3-5 minutes per side or until slightly charred, being careful as you flip them so they don’t fall through the grates. Remove to a plate.

3. Combine charred onions, remaining olive oil, and the rest of the relish ingredients in a food processor and pulse until all ingredients are blended. I like mine with a good bit of texture like pickle relish, not very saucy or smooth.

Assemble the Tacos

1. Slice the rested steak thinly, against the grain, to serve.

2. Reduce the heat on the grill to medium and grill the tortillas until warmed through and charred slightly (to your liking).

3. To serve: top each tortilla with a couple slices of steak, a sprinkling of cheese, chopped cilantro, onion relish, and a squirt of lime juice. Serve with lime wedges if desired.

Recipe Notes

• Marinate the steak for at least 3 hours (but overnight is even better for maximum flavor).
• Grill the steak over high heat so you get that tasty char on the outside.
• Don’t skip resting the steak before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute and not run all over the cutting board.
• Be careful when you turn the onion slices on the grill. I use a large flat spatula so they don’t slip into the grates.
• Don’t over-process the relish, it’s good with a bit of texture to it.
• Throw the tortillas on the grill to warm through. And those grill marks!!

Nutrition Facts

Carne Asada Tacos

Amount Per Serving

Calories 838 Calories from Fat 459

% Daily Value*

Fat 51g78%

Saturated Fat 14g88%

Cholesterol 169mg56%

Sodium 1344mg58%

Potassium 1037mg30%

Carbohydrates 35g12%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 58g116%

Vitamin A 455IU9%

Vitamin C 18.3mg22%

Calcium 296mg30%

Iron 5mg28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Update Notes: This post was originally published in October 2015 but was republished with tips and step by step photos in May 2019.