Grilled Steak Street Tacos

4.83 from 17 votes
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These tasty Grilled Steak Street Tacos are perfect for Taco Tuesday, or any other night of the week. This easy recipe combines tender steak with simple ingredients and wraps them in corn or flour tortillas.

Platter of Steak Street Tacos with sliced lime wedges.
Featured with this recipe
  1. Ingredients in Street Tacos
  2. Steps to Perfect Steak Street Tacos
  3. Street Taco Toppings
  4. The Tortillas
  5. Make Your Own Flour Tortillas
  6. Make Your Own Taco Seasoning
  7. How to Make Carne Asada Street Tacos
  8. Frequently Asked Questions about Steak Street Tacos
  9. More Tasty Taco Recipes
  10. Make it a Meal
  11. Grilled Steak Street Tacos Recipe

Steak Street Tacos are easy to make and fun to serve. Taco Tuesdays, game days, any day! The tender carne asada comes together with just a few ingredients, and you can add any toppings you like. Serve with chips and guacamole, queso fresco and some lime wedges for garnish. These small size tacos are always a crowd pleaser!

Ingredients in Street Tacos

  • Meat: Typically, steak street tacos are made with flank steak or skirt steak. You can also use top sirloin. In addition to tender grilled steak, you could switch out the meat to just about anything! boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, pulled pork, leftover roast beef, tilapia, even ground beef!
  • Cheese: In this street taco recipe we call for Cotija cheese, which is basically a Mexican Feta cheese. If you can’t find Cotija, you can use feta, shredded cheddar or whatever you have on hand.
  • Toppings: The possibilities are endless when it comes to toppings. See the list below for a list of our favorites!
  • Sauce: What I love most about street tacos is their simplicity. More often than not, they are made with only a few simple ingredients and maybe a simple sauce. Most of the street tacos don’t have a sauce or salsa on them. For this recipe, there is so much flavor, extra toppings or sauces just aren’t needed. Of course you can add them if you really want to (just please don’t put ketchup on them… talking to you, Dad).
Steak, red onion and cilantro on a Sweet Taco tortilla.


Steps to Perfect Steak Street Tacos

  1. Remove the steak from the fridge and bring to room temperature.
  2. Stir together the salt and other seasonings in a bowl. Then, rub the steak on both sides with the spice mixture.
  3. Grill over medium high heat on a grill pan, skillet or an outdoor grill, only flipping once. For steak cooked medium, cook until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees. Remove from the grill and let sit 5 minutes for internal temperature to reach 160 degrees.
  4. Slice the steak into small bite sized pieces and place on tortilla shells. Top with desired toppings.
  5. Enjoy your new favorite taco recipe!

Street Taco Toppings

There can be thousands of combinations of toppings for street tacos. Especially if you start getting into “fusion” tacos. Here are some toppings we recommend for more “traditional-style” tacos:

  • shredded lettuce or cabbage
  • fresh lime juice
  • chopped onion
  • shredded or crumbled cheese
  • pico de gallo
  • diced tomatoes
  • fresh cilantro
  • grilled corn or the corn from our Mexican “street corn” cups
  • sautéed peppers
  • sliced jalapeno pepper
  • sour cream
  • hot sauce
  • diced avocados
  • thinly sliced red onion
  • guacamole
  • lime juice
Close up of Street Tacos with limes, cilantro and red onions.

The Tortillas

The toughest thing to find at the store for street tacos is the tortillas. I have seen Mission brand street taco-size flour tortilla shells at my grocery store. They are so cute and tiny! If you aren’t able to find actual street-taco tortillas, that is totally okay. Just get the smallest tortilla shells you can find. If you are really wanting to get the SMALL size but can’t find them at your grocery store you can get large tortillas and cut them into smaller tortillas using a large cookie cutter.

Technically there is no actual size requirement when it comes to street tacos, you just have to be able to eat them easily with one hand. Now for the TYPE of tortillas…corn or flour? It’s up to you. Personally, I prefer corn tortillas to flour, but either kind works. Give these little guys a try. You will not be disappointed!

Make Your Own Flour Tortillas

Flour tortillas are the starting point of so many popular Mexican-inspired meals – enchiladas, burritos, tacos, quesadillas and more. Up your taco night game by swapping your regular store-bought flour tortillas for these delicious homemade ones. Sure it takes a little more time, but the resulting taste is well worth it!

When you’re making tortillas, remember to only make what you plan to use. This is not the kind of recipe that you can make it bulk and use for weeks. Most of the time, tortillas tend to get a little stale after a few days.

While the most authentic Mexican tortillas are often made with lard, this recipe uses shortening, which can sometimes be easier to find. However, if you are averse to the idea of using shortening or lard, you can swap butter for shortening in most recipes. One reader suggested trying coconut oil if you’re looking for a healthier alternative. If you try any of these substitutions, let us know in the comments how your tortillas turned out.

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5 from 10 votes
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Make Your Own Taco Seasoning

We love to make our own taco seasoning. Not only is making your own mix less expensive than buying the pre-made mixes at the grocery store, it tastes better too. Plus, since you are the one making it, you know exactly what the ingredients are. Our recipe for homemade taco seasoning is super simple, and you probably already have most of the ingredients in your pantry already. You’ll need dried minced onion (or onion powder), salt, paprika, cumin, oregano, black pepper, and crushed red pepper (sometimes I throw in some garlic and cayenne pepper for a little more spice). Our recipe makes ½ cup of seasoning, and you only need 1-2 tablespoon per pound of meat. It will last up to a year on the shelf if stored in an airtight container.

Taco seasoning in a jar with chilies and other ingredients on the table around it
Homemade Taco Seasoning
4.88 from 8 votes
The blend of spices in this Homemade Taco Seasoning makes a flavorful taco meat. Kick it up a notch by adding some crushed red pepper if you like it hot.
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How to Make Carne Asada Street Tacos

If you want to take this recipe up a notch, try using our Grilled Carne Asada for street tacos. One of the secrets to this delicious carne asada 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 a over-the-top flavorful meal. Letting the beef marinate means planning ahead a little for your meal, but I promise it is worth it!

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.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Steak Street Tacos

What kind of steak is best for tacos?

Flank steak is a perfect for tacos because it’s thin and cooks up quickly. It works well for slicing and is also a very affordable selection of meat. You can also use sirloin or New York strip steaks.

What makes a street taco a street taco?

The main difference between street tacos and regular tacos is the SIZE. You are supposed to be able to easily hold one in your hand and eat it on the go, thus the name “street tacos”.

What cheese to put on street tacos?

We really like using cotija cheese, or Mexican feta cheese. If you can’t find cotija, you can use feta, shredded cheddar or Colby Jack cheese.

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If you love Mexican food, try out these other amazing recipes! These Restaurant Style Mexican Rice, Cilantro Lime Rice, Cheater Restaurant Style Refried Beans and The BEST Guacamole will not disappoint!

Street tacos on a plate with limes, cilantro and red onions.

Grilled Steak Street Tacos

4.83 from 17 votes
Grilled Steak Street Tacos are bursting with flavor. Tender steak combined with simple ingredients wrapped in corn or flour tortillas. Taco Tuesday can’t come soon enough!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Resting time 5 minutes
Total Time 24 minutes
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Grill/BBQ, Mexican/Spanish
Servings 8 street tacos

Video

Equipment

  • Outdoor Barbecue Grill

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Remove steak from refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Rub with salt and seasonings and set aside.
    Seasoning steak on a plate for Street Tacos.
  • Heat grill to a medium high heat. Grill steak, only flipping once, until internal temperature reaches 155-degrees (about 8-10 minutes per side). Remove from grill immediately and set aside for about 5 minutes. Internal temperature will keep rising to about 160-degrees (this is MEDIUM doneness).
    Grilling a seasoned steak on the barbecue for Street Tacos.
  • Cut steak into thin strips or small, bite size pieces.
    Slicing steak on a cutting board for Street Tacos.
  • Place steak strips on tortillas. Top with onions, cilantro, and cotija cheese.
    Steak, red onion and cilantro on a Sweet Taco tortilla.
  • Serve immediately.
    Street tacos on a plate with limes, cilantro and red onions.

Notes

Ideas for additional toppings:
    • shredded lettuce or cabbage
    • fresh lime juice
    • chopped onion
    • shredded or crumbled cheese
    • pico de gallo
    • diced tomatoes
    • fresh cilantro
    • sautéed peppers
    • sliced jalapeno pepper
    • sour cream
    • hot sauce
    • diced avocados
    • thinly sliced red onion
    • guacamole
    • lime juice

Nutrition Information

Calories: 182kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 13gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 42mgPotassium: 220mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 55IUVitamin C: 1.2mgCalcium: 33mgIron: 1.5mg

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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
    So delicious – thank you for this great recipe! It was a huge hit for the whole family and everyone commented that they were the best steak tacos I have ever served up!

  2. 5 stars
    I love going out for street tacos, but there’s nothing better than a date night in & turning on the grill. These are delicious & not hard to make at all!

  3. 5 stars
    Steak street tacos are mine & my hubby’s favorite! They are small enough that you can eat as many as you want! They are a weekend fav!

    1. The nutrition information is just for the taco filling. There are so many different kinds of tortillas, we couldn’t confidently add them to the nutrition facts.

  4. 5 stars
    Made the recipe as is, and the meat came out tender and delicious! Love how versatile the recipe is as well. Thanks so much for sharing!

  5. 5 stars
    Yum! I made these for lunch, they were so quick and easy! Will be saving again to make for my next taco tuesday 😉

  6. 5 stars
    So easy & so good!! I never get sick of eating street tacos, because there are so many ways to change them up & this is one of my top favs!

  7. No for steak tacos you are supposed to use skirt steak if you can’t find fresh skirt then use flank steak

    1. So glad you liked these street tacos! We will have to try this recipe for salsa verde, it sounds delicious!

  8. 5 stars
    My mom always just dipped them in extremely hot oil for a few seconds..longer to make totada shells..but taco shellsbwas so greasy.. I love corn much more than the flour.. Can you offer any cooking hints?? Thank you. : )

    1. You don’t need to dip them in oil– you can just heat them on an un-oiled pan to soften them. Do it on medium-high heat until it get soft and pliable (maybe like 6-10 seconds on each side). Hope this helps!

    2. Nothing wrong with heating them briefly in some oil. A little crispyness to the tortilla is next level.

    1. You can just heat them in an un-greased pan for about 10 seconds on each side until it is soft and pliable. 🙂