Grilled Carne Asada

5 from 6 votes
17 Comments

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This Grilled Carne Asada is one of my favorite Mexican dishes! I love it in burritos, tacos, breakfast burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and simply over our Mexican Rice. The possibilities are endless!

A tray of grilled carne asada with toppings and tortillas on the side
Featured with this recipe
  1. Carne Asada Marinade
  2. Ingredients in Grilled Carne Asada
  3. Frequently Asked Questions
  4. Something on the Side
  5. How To Make Grilled Carne Asada
  6. Grilled Carne Asada Recipe

Carne Asada is so versatile! You can’t go wrong with the right recipe. A special thanks to my friend Karla for giving me the idea for this recipe. You are amazing!

There is a little taco truck close to where we live that has THE BEST carne asada burritos. The taco truck serves shredded cabbage instead of shredded lettuce on their Carne Asada burritos. It makes all the difference. I had to add cabbage to this recipe! Yum!

Overhead view of Carne Asada Burrito with a side of salsa


Carne Asada Marinade

One of the secrets to this delicious recipe is the marinade. Made with jalapeños, garlic, cilantro, soy sauce, vinegar, and more, there is so much flavor in this marinade! The process of soaking meat enhances the flavor of the meat. Generally marinades use an acid — like vinegar or citrus juice — to change the surface texture. You can marinade all kinds of meats, but in the case of this Mexican dish, having the marinade on beef turns it from a regular meat into an over-the-top flavorful meal.

Ingredients in Grilled Carne Asada

  • Carne asada – or skirt steak or flank steak sliced very thin

For the Marinade:

  • Onion
  • Galic
  • Cilantro – stemmed and chopped
  • Sliced chilis
  • Adobo sauce
  • Vinegar
  • Soy sauce
  • Beef broth
  • Diced jalapeño
  • Lime juice
  • Oregano
  • Green Tabasco sauce

For Carne Asada Burritos:

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should you marinate carne asada before grilling?

At least 8 hours, but overnight is best. Because the marinade is highly acidic, you don’t want to marinade longer than 12 hours because the acids in the marinade will start to break down the muscle fibers in the meat and your carne asada will become mushy.

Where does carne asada meat come from?

Carne asada meat is just skirt steak. The skirt steak comes from below the rib. Skirt steak is known to be very flavorful, although not highly tender.

Can carne asada be pink?

Cooking carne asada to medium-rare means leaving a little pink in the center, and this is fine. This can make for a meat that is not dry, a little more tender. If you want to be sure that you have cooked your grilled meat through properly while leaving a little pink in the center, insert a meat thermometer, it should read 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Enjoy!

Read More:75+ Best Mexican Recipes

Something on the Side

We’ve got things started for you with this delicious meat. But if you want to turn this meat into a meal with any of the following side dishes.

  • Sweet Corn Cakes (Tamalitos) are a sweet, yet savory side to any Mexican feast. Bursting with flavor and creamy, plus they’re so easy to make!
  • Cheater Restaurant Style Refried Beans are amazing served with any Mexican dish. Creamy consistency and delicious flavor.
  • Mexican Rice rivals anything you can get in a restaurant. It has the perfect consistency and just the right amount of seasoning.
  • Easy Chicken Flautas are a great dinner if you don’t have a lot of time, but still want a family-pleasing meal.

How To Make Grilled Carne Asada

Grilled Carne Asada on a plate with avocado, cheese, and salsa on the side.

Grilled Carne Asada

5 from 6 votes
This Grilled Carne Asada is one of my favorite Mexican dishes! I love it in burritos, tacos, breakfast burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, and simply over rice.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Marinating 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 15 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican/Spanish
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds carne asada or skirt steak sliced very thin

Marinade

  • 1 onion finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 bunch bunch cilantro stemmed and chopped
  • 1/2 cup diced chilis
  • 1/4 cup adobo sauce (see recipe notes)
  • 1/4 cup vinegar
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup beef broth
  • 2 tablespoons diced jalapeno
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce green

For Carne Asada Burritos

Optional Toppings

Instructions

  • Combine marinade ingredients.
  • Add the beef to the marinade separating slices of beef so they get evenly covered.
  • Place meat and marinade in a sealable container or zip-top bag (with the air squeezed out and seal it tightly).
  • Allow to marinate overnight, or at least 8 hours.
  • Heat grill to medium high and place meat on grill for about 1-2 minutes on each side. The beef is thin and will cook quickly.

For Carne Asada Burritos

  • Layer carne asada on tortilla shells and add any or all of the garnishes. Roll up into a burrito and enjoy!

Notes

*Not adobo paste, if you can’t find adobo sauce, buy canned chilis in adobo sauce, drain, and use the sauce.
Nutrition facts are for Grilled Carne Asada only and do not include burrito toppings.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 218kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 26gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 2101mgPotassium: 420mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 130IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 43mgIron: 3mg

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About the author

Erica Walker

Erica lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, Jared, an attorney, and her three beautiful girls. Beyond the world of recipes, she loves adventuring with everything from kayaking, to cruising, to snowboarding and taking the family along for the thrill ride.

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Growing up, my mom made a lot of Mexican food, but she never mastered carne asada. Your recipe makes delicious carne asada & it isn’t hard at all!

  2. 5 stars
    Yum, yum!! I love when I find a good carne asada recipe. This recipe is delicious! The meat is tender & flavorful. We use it in so many things!

  3. 5 stars
    Thanks a lot for sharing this carne asada burritos recipe! It’s really easy to make and amazingly flavorful! Will surely make this again and I really highly recommend this recipe!

  4. 5 stars
    This is a family favorite! So tender and juicy. I love making a salad or burrito with the carne asada!

  5. I don’t see the recipe for the carne asada. Anyway you can email it to me. I would love to surprise my daughter with this meal. THANKS

    1. Hi Stacie, I’ve just updated the recipe to include the recipe for the carne asada. You can see it here:
      /carne-asada-and-carne-asada-burritos/

  6. Hey! I don’t see the recipe for the marinade? I’ve made it before and loved it. Did you take it off the site?

  7. Is chipotle peppers with adobo sauce the right kind? Do they make peppers in adobo that aren’t chipotle?

  8. Jesse always orders this at Mexican Restaurants. I'm so glad you posted this one! I've never tried to make it at home. Where is this "local" truck that sells the burritos? I'd love to take Jesse and get one sometime.