Grilled Carne Asada Tacos
Easy Grilled Carne Asada Tacos with citrus-garlic marinated flank or skirt steak grilled until charred and juicy, sliced thin against the grain, and served in warm charred corn tortillas with white onion, fresh cilantro, and lime — authentic weeknight tacos in 30 minutes.
Equipment
- Gas or charcoal grill
- Zip-lock bag or shallow dish for marinating
- Tongs
- Sharp knife and cutting board
Ingredients
Carne Asada Marinade
- 1.5 lbs flank steak or skirt steak
- 0.5 cup fresh orange juice from about 1 large orange
- 0.25 cup fresh lime juice from about 2 limes
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
For Serving
- 12 small corn tortillas (6-inch) charred directly on grill grate
- 0.5 cup white onion, finely diced
- fresh cilantro, roughly chopped generous amount
- 2 limes, cut into wedges for squeezing over assembled tacos
Instructions
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a bowl or zip-lock bag. Add steak and seal. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours maximum.
- Preheat grill to high heat. Remove steak from marinade and pat completely dry with paper towels.
- Grill over direct high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare or 5 minutes per side for medium. Do not move during cooking.
- Remove from grill and rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes.
- While steak rests, grill corn tortillas directly over the grate for 30 seconds per side until charred at the edges. Wrap in foil to keep warm.
- Slice steak thinly at a 45-degree angle against the grain into ¼-inch pieces.
- Fill each tortilla with sliced carne asada. Top with diced white onion and fresh cilantro. Squeeze fresh lime generously over each taco. Serve immediately.
Notes
Do not marinate longer than 4 hours — citrus acids make the surface mushy beyond that. Pat steak completely dry before grilling — surface moisture prevents proper char. Get grill as hot as possible before steak goes on. Do not move steak during cooking. Rest 5 minutes before slicing. Always slice against the grain. Grill tortillas directly on the grate for best flavor.