By Becky Hardin
Updated Sep 9, 2025
This authentic Carne Asada Steak recipe is quick, easy, and packed full of flavor. I find this Mexican dish is a real crowd pleaser and perfect for an easy weeknight meal.
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5-Star Review
“This was awesome, everyone went for seconds!” – Tanya
Easy Carne Asada Steak Recipe
I absolutely love this Mexican carne asada steak recipe! The taste is heavenly, and the meat is so tender, it really is a must for any beef lover. Whether you fire up your grill or cook it on the stovetop, it’s a breeze to prepare, so perfect for enjoying year-round.
Carne Asada is a Mexican dish of grilled and sliced beef. The beef is marinated to be super tasty and tender, and then it’s grilled for an amazing charred flavor. I sometimes serve it as a main or use it as an ingredient in other dishes. Anyway you serve, I’m sure you’ll agree it’s one tasty dish.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ▢ ½ cup fresh lime juice 5-7 limes
- ▢ juice from 1 large orange
- ▢ ½ cup canola oil
- ▢ 3 tbsp packed dark brown sugar
- ▢ 2 medium cloves garlic minced
- ▢ 1 tsp ground cumin
- ▢ 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ▢ kosher salt to taste
- ▢ 2 lbs. trimmed skirt steak cut with the grain into 5" pieces, flank or hanger are other options
For serving:
- ▢ lime slices/wedges, avocados, red or yellow onion, queso fresco, crumbled, salsa, fresh cilantro, tortillas
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice, canola oil, brown sugar, minced garlic, cumin and black pepper. Season to taste with salt. ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce, ½ cup fresh lime juice, juice from 1 large orange, ½ cup canola oil, 3 tbsp packed dark brown sugar, 2 medium cloves garlic, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, kosher salt
- Transfer the steaks to a gallon-sized zip top bag and pour the marinade over the steak. Squeeze out excess air from the bag and seal it. Massage the marinade over the meat until all the meat is fully coated. Set the meat in a bag large enough for it to lay flat and place it in the fridge. Refrigerate 2-10 hours, flipping the bag over often. 2 lbs. trimmed skirt steak
- When ready to cook, remove the meat from the fridge 15-30 minutes before using. Before cooking the meat, wipe off the excess marinade with paper towels.
- Use a 10-12" well-seasoned cast iron skillet. If you have a cast iron grill pan, that’s great, if not, a regular cast iron skillet will work.
- Brush 1 tsp canola oil over the skillet and heat it over medium-high heat until the pan is sizzling hot. Carefully place the steak in the pan and cook a total of 6-8 minutes or until you get a gorgeous char on both sides. Flip the meat over after 3 minutes or when the beef releases from the pan, and cook the other side about 3 minutes. The internal temperature should read 128-130°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let them rest 5 minutes (this will allow the juices to redistribute). Slice the meat against the grain.
- Drizzle with lime juice. Serve with salsa, sliced avocado, sliced onion, chopped cilantro, crumbled queso fresco, and tortillas. Enjoy! lime slices/wedges, avocados, red or yellow onion, queso fresco, crumbled, salsa, fresh cilantro, tortillas
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Carne Asada Steak Recipe Step by Step
Prepare the marinade : Whisk together ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce, ½ cup fresh lime juice, juice from 1 large orange, ½ cup canola oil, 3 tbsp packed dark brown sugar, 2 medium cloves garlic, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and kosher salt to taste.
Prepare the steaks: Place 2 lbs of steak in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and pour the marinade in. Remove any excess air from the bag and seal it. Using your hands, massage the marinade over the meat until it appears fully coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for 2-10 hours, flipping the bag over to ensure the steak marinates well on all sides.
Take the meat out of the fridge about 15-30 minutes before you begin cooking and wipe off the excess marinade with paper towels.
Prepare a 10-12″ well-seasoned cast iron skillet. If you have a cast iron grill pan, that’s great. If not, you can use a regular cast iron skillet.
Heat your skillet with 1 tsp of canola oil and wait for it to sizzle. Once hot, place the steaks in the pan and cook for 6-8 minutes, flipping after 3 minutes, or until you get beautiful char marks on both sides. The internal temperature should read 128-130°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Let the steaks rest on a cutting board for 5 minutes so the juices redistribute and then slice against the grain.
Garnish and serve : Drizzle the steaks with lime juice and serve with salsa, sliced avocado, sliced onion, chopped cilantro, crumbled queso fresco cheese, and tortillas. Enjoy!
Alternate Cooking Methods
Charcoal Grill
- Open the bottom vent completely, fill one grill chimney with charcoal, and light it. When top coals are mostly covered with gray ash, pour the coals over one side of the charcoal grate. Close the grill and let it preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grill after it preheats.
- Place the meat directly over the hot half of the grill and leave the lid open.
- Cook the meat, flipping it often, until it is beautifully charred on both sides, about 6-8 minutes total cooking time.
Gas Grill
- Turn half the burners to the highest heat, cover and preheat for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, clean and oil the grate.
- Place the meat on the hot side of the grill, cover and cook, turning occasionally, until steak has a beautiful char on both sides, about 6-8 minutes total time.
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat over the stove or in the microwave.
Freeze uneaten steak for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
Once you have sliced the cooked beef, drizzle it with lime juice and bring it to the table. I like to serve it with various sides like salsa , avocado, onion, cilantro, queso fresco, and tortillas so people can build their own fajitas.
You can also serve the carne asada as part of a salad or with Mexican rice . Or, use it to make carne asada fries !
try these other mexican recipes
Mexican Fiesta Dip
Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas
Grilled Chicken Nachos (BBQ Chicken Nachos & Mexican Nachos)
Frozen Margarita Recipe
Best Carne Asada Steak Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ½ cup fresh lime juice 5-7 limes
- juice from 1 large orange
- ½ cup canola oil
- 3 tbsp packed dark brown sugar
- 2 medium cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- kosher salt to taste
- 2 lbs. trimmed skirt steak cut with the grain into 5" pieces, flank or hanger are other options
For serving:
- lime slices/wedges, avocados, red or yellow onion, queso fresco, crumbled, salsa, fresh cilantro, tortillas
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, lime juice, orange juice, canola oil, brown sugar, minced garlic, cumin and black pepper. Season to taste with salt. ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce, ½ cup fresh lime juice, juice from 1 large orange, ½ cup canola oil, 3 tbsp packed dark brown sugar, 2 medium cloves garlic, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, kosher salt
- Transfer the steaks to a gallon-sized zip top bag and pour the marinade over the steak. Squeeze out excess air from the bag and seal it. Massage the marinade over the meat until all the meat is fully coated. Set the meat in a bag large enough for it to lay flat and place it in the fridge. Refrigerate 2-10 hours, flipping the bag over often. 2 lbs. trimmed skirt steak
- When ready to cook, remove the meat from the fridge 15-30 minutes before using. Before cooking the meat, wipe off the excess marinade with paper towels.
- Use a 10-12" well-seasoned cast iron skillet. If you have a cast iron grill pan, that’s great, if not, a regular cast iron skillet will work.
- Brush 1 tsp canola oil over the skillet and heat it over medium-high heat until the pan is sizzling hot. Carefully place the steak in the pan and cook a total of 6-8 minutes or until you get a gorgeous char on both sides. Flip the meat over after 3 minutes or when the beef releases from the pan, and cook the other side about 3 minutes. The internal temperature should read 128-130°F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let them rest 5 minutes (this will allow the juices to redistribute). Slice the meat against the grain.
- Drizzle with lime juice. Serve with salsa, sliced avocado, sliced onion, chopped cilantro, crumbled queso fresco, and tortillas. Enjoy! lime slices/wedges, avocados, red or yellow onion, queso fresco, crumbled, salsa, fresh cilantro, tortillas
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
