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Juicy carne asada, fresh toppings, and warm tortillas – I’ve got the perfect recipe to make the ultimate food truck-style carne asada burrito at home! I can’t wait for you to try it!
Table of Contents
- Ingredients You’ll Need for Carne Asada Burritos
- What Cut of Meat is Best?
- Additional Toppings and Variations
- Wrapping the Burrito
- What to Serve with Carne Asada Burritos
- Tips for the Best Carne Asada Burrito
- Carne Asada Burrito Recipe
- Storing and Reheating Burritos
- Frequently Asked Questions About Carne Asada Burritos
- More Carne Asada Recipes
- More Burrito and Wrap Recipes
Nothing beats a warm, stuffed burrito with juicy carne asada, flavorful rice, and all the best toppings! When I lived in Spokane, I had a favorite food truck called “Jalapeño Jeaven” that made the best carne asada burritos, we’d get them once a week. This recipe is every bit as good as the original! It’s a restaurant-quality recipe that you can make at home any time you want.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Carne Asada Burritos
- Carne Asada: Tender, flavorful beef seasoned to perfection.
- Carne Asada Seasoning: Adds smoky, bold Mexican flavors. You can also marinate your meat using the marinade recipe in the Grilled Carne Asada recipe.
- Tortillas: Burrito-sized for the perfect wrap. I found giant tortillas at a restaurant supply grocery store in my area but I have also just bought big flour tortillas straight from Chipotle or Costa Vida.
- Beans: Black beans for protein and texture.
- Rice: Use Cilantro lime rice or Mexican rice for the best flavor. I prefer the limey flavor of the cilantro lime rice, but I also love the savory elements of the Mexican rice, you can’t go wrong here. It just depends on your mood.
- Cheese: A shredded Mexican blend for melty goodness, you can also use shredded Monterey Jack, cheddar, or any other shredded cheese. For a more authentic flavor try it with cotija cheese or queso fresco!
- Toppings: Pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, and cilantro.
- Fresh Lime Wedges: Adds a bright, zesty finish.
What Cut of Meat is Best?
There are plenty of options when it comes to choosing meat for carne asada. You can often find pre-seasoned, pre-cut carne asada at the store, but I prefer to season and cut it myself for the best flavor and texture. Flank steak and skirt steak are the most traditional choices, however, you can also use sirloin steak, ribeye, New York strip, or even chuck steak—just be sure to slice it thinly for quick, even cooking. If using a thicker cut, like ribeye or New York strip, grilling it whole and then slicing it against the grain works best. No matter which cut you choose, a good marinade and high-heat cooking will give you that classic carne asada flavor!
Additional Toppings and Variations
Fajita Style – Sauté up some sliced onions and peppers for a fajita-style carne asada burrito. Throw in some jalapenos to the mix for a spicy addition.
Mexican Street Corn Style – Add some grilled or sautéed corn with some sautéed diced onion, cotija cheese, extra cilantro, and a little tajin seasoning for a fun “elote” twist.
Add some queso – A little queso never hurt anyone. If you are a queso lover like I am , add a couple healthy scoops over the toppings for a cheesy addition you won’t regret.
Shredded cabbage – I LOVE shredded cabbage in my carne asada burritos. Just a sprinkling gives such a nice crunch. I do not like lettuce at all because it wilts too fast and just doesn’t taste right.
Make it breakfast style – Swap out the rice and beans for some fresh scrambled eggs and cooked diced hash-brown style potatoes and you’ve got yourself the best breakfast burrito you will ever eat. Trust me.
Sauce it up – Feel free to add your favorite hot sauces or any other sauces of your choosing. I love adding a drizzle of our cilantro lime vinaigrette or our cilantro ranch dressing over the top. No, it’s not authentic, but it is seriously so good. Adding the cilantro ranch is my husband’s #1 favorite.
Wrapping the Burrito
When I wrap a burrito, I start by laying out a warm tortilla and piling my fillings in the center, leaving a little space around the edges. First, I fold up the bottom to cover the filling, then I tuck in both sides nice and snug. From there, I just roll it up tightly, making sure everything stays in place. If I want to really seal the deal, I’ll place it seam-side down on a hot skillet for a few seconds. That way, it stays wrapped up perfectly—no mess, just deliciousness in every bite!
What to Serve with Carne Asada Burritos
Burritos are always a great meal all wrapped up into one easy hand held, but if you are looking for some additional sides, I’ve got you covered. The easiest sides are simply serving and leftovers from the burrito filling such a as rice, beans, guacamole, and pico de gallo. You can also do a side of Elote (street corn) on the cob or in cups. Refried beans and chips and queso are also some of our favorite sides to serve with this dish.
Tips for the Best Carne Asada Burrito
- Marinate the steak – doing this ahead of time gives a deeper flavor.
- Warm Tortillas Before Assembling – Cold tortillas are more likely to crack or tear. Warming them makes them pliable and easier to roll.
- Don’t Overcook the Meat – Carne asada should be cooked quickly over high heat to keep it juicy. Overcooking can make it tough and dry.
Carne Asada Burrito
Equipment
- 1 Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds carne asada (or thin sliced steak)
- 2 tablespoons carne asada seasoning (see options above)
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 4 burrito-size tortillas
- 2 (15 ounce) cans black beans (drained, rinsed, and heated)
- 2 cups cooked cilantro lime rice (or Mexican rice, see notes above)
- 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (or to taste)
- pico de gallo (to taste)
- guacamole (to taste)
- sour cream (optional)
- cilantro (for garnish)
- fresh lime wedges (for garnish)
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to cut carne asada into small bite-size dices. Season with carne asada seasoning toss together with seasoning until meat is covered in seasoning. Allow the meat to rest for about 10 minutes to come to room temperature and absorb the seasoning.
- Heat oil in a large skillet. When oil is hot, add diced meat and cook on high for 1-2 minutes or until meat is completely cooked through. Because the carne asada is already thin and diced up, it doesn't take very long to cook through. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Warm tortillas over a flat-top griddle or wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 20 seconds or until soft and pliable.
- Add about ½ cup each of rice, beans, and cheese to each burrito, making a line down the center leaving about 2" of space on the sides.
- Top with pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, and cilantro.
- To wrap the burrito, fold the bottom edge up over the filling, then fold in both sides tightly to enclose the ingredients. Keeping the sides tucked in, roll the burrito forward, pressing gently but firmly to create a secure, even wrap. For extra hold, place the seam-side down on a warm skillet for a few seconds to seal it.
- Enjoy immediately or wrap in foil for easy handling. Serve with fresh lime wedges for garnish.
Nutrition Information
Storing and Reheating Burritos
You can either keep the ingredients separate and assemble your fresh burrito when you are ready to eat, or you can have a burrito already prepared. The tortilla might get a little wet from all the juices in the burrito, but if you add the burrito to a skillet to warm it up, it will crisp it up.
To heat, wrap in foil and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or heat in a skillet for a crispy finish.
Frequently Asked Questions About Carne Asada Burritos
Yes! Flank steak or skirt steak works best, but thin-cut sirloin or ribeye also make great alternatives. The most important things are cutting the steak nice and thin, and seasoning/marinading it properly. This is where the flavor will come from.
Make sure to not overfill your burrito, tuck in the sides tightly, and roll it firmly. Sealing it in a hot pan for a few seconds will also help keep it together.
Yes! Grilling adds a delicious smoky flavor. Cook the whole steak over high heat for 3-4 minutes per side, then let it rest before dicing.
More Carne Asada Recipes
More Burrito and Wrap Recipes
The Best Breakfast Burrito
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Burrito Copycat
Crisp Bean Burritos
Sweet Pork Baked Burrito
Chicken Chimichanga
Chicken Caesar Wrap
Ham and Pineapple Wraps
Italian Sandwich Wraps
8 servings but only 4 tortillas? This does not fill me with confidence.
The tortilla shells I got were the giant ones, like actual burrito tortillas from a restaurant supply store. A serving is half a burrito because they are so large. You can use 8 smaller ones if you would like if you would like to have one serving equal one burrito.