Best Carne Asada Recipe | Downshiftology (2024)

When it comes to the best carne asada, nothing beats this tried and true recipe that’s reminiscent of my travels to Mexico. It’s incredibly tender, perfectly charred on the outside, and big on flavor.

From roadside stalls to 5-star luxury restaurants, I’d say I’ve had my fair share of carne asada throughout Mexico. But the truth is, there’s no one authentic carne asada recipe. Depending on the region, you’ll often find subtle tweaks to the spices and ingredients.

So, I’ve put together what I call my ultimate carne asada marinade to grill up the best carne asada (and carne asada tacos of course). The ingredients themselves are simple, as they should be, but are bold, bright, and super fresh. The best attributes of traditional Mexican food! And with how easy this recipe is, you might find yourself having a Mexican dinner fiesta often (trust me, it definitely brings the crowds).

Carne Asada Marinade Ingredients

I won’t tease you with an authentic marinade, because as you’ve just learned, it doesn’t really exist. But what I will do is give you one that’ll make your taste buds happy, based on my first-hand Mexico travels!

• Olive Oil and Lime Juice: Makes the steak extra juicy, with that trademark punch of lime acidity!
• Garlic and Cilantro: Essential aromatics for fresh and bold flavors.
• Spices: Nothing beats this bold combo of cumin, chili powder, salt, and pepper.

Helpful tip: I’ve always found simple is best, but feel free to tweak the marinade! If you want it sweeter, add an orange. If you want it spicier, add paprika and oregano. Heck, I’ve even seen carne asada marinated in beer and soy sauce (though spoiler, those aren’t gluten-free).

How To Make Carne Asada

Now that you have your marinade ingredients lined up, let’s get grilling! Here’s how to make this delicious carne asada.

Make the marinade. Whisk all the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl.

Marinate your steak in a bowl or container for 1 to 4 hours in the fridge. Do not marinate for more than 4 hours as your steak can become mushy due to the acid from the lime juice.

Grill. Heat a grill on medium-high heat. Add the steak and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side (for a flank steak). That’ll give you a beautiful char on the outside while maintaining a medium-rare inside. Depending on the thickness of your steak and personal preference, feel free to adjust this cooking time.

Rest and slice. After your steak has cooked, let it rest for about 5 minutes. When ready to slice, make sure to slice against the grain for the most tender pieces. From there, you can also chop it into bite-sized pieces for tacos or bowls.

Ways to Serve Carne Asada

Carne asada is great served on a plate with sides like elote and Mexican rice, but so much more can be done with it! Here are a few of my favorite meal ideas.

• Carne asada fries with a dollop of sour cream, guacamole, and shredded cheese.
• Carne asada tacos with a sprinkle of cilantro, onion, and fresh lime juice.
• A steak burrito bowl with cilantro lime rice, black beans, guacamole, fajita veggies and pico de gallo. You could also drizzle a little lime crema or chipotle sauce on top!

More Delicious Mexican Recipes

Lucky for you, I’ve got countless Mexican recipes to keep up your sleeve for your next fiesta!

• Carnitas: for the juiciest, most tender shredded pork!
• Barbacoa: enjoy fall-apart tender beef that’s perfectly spicy.
• Chicken Fajitas: the easiest one-pan skillet recipe loaded with flavor.
• Shrimp Fajitas: mix up your fajitas with sizzling seafood.

I can’t wait to see all your carne asada creations! I’d love to hear your thoughts on this recipe in the comment box below.

Recipe originally posted April 2018, but recently updated to include new photos and information.