This carne asada marinade leaves your beef juicy, tender, and packed with savory flavors great for piling into tacos, tossing into salads, or enjoying as-is.
Why this recipe works
Good carne asada begins with the perfect blend of citrus, vinegar, spices, herbs, and a touch of jalapeno to create a mouth-watering marinade. We aren’t skimping on the ingredients today because this carne asada marinade infuses every last fibre of beef for a truly flavorful experience.
While carne asada translates to grilled (or roasted) beef, the flavors in this marinade would also work great with chicken or pork. There are no hard-set rules around here, we go where the flavor goes! Though traditionally carne asada is wrapped into either corn or flour tortillas and enjoyed as tacos, you can even slice it up to toss into burrito bowls or pair with veggies to make steak fajitas.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
STEAK – We use flank steak, but this marinade will also work well on skirt, short rib, or sirloin steaks.
CITRUS – You’ll need both orange and lime juice, and the fresher the better. About 3-4 oranges will yield 1 cup of freshly squeezed juice. Depending on their size, 2 limes should yield 1/4 cup of juice. I always like to grab an extra one just in case. I don’t recommend using pre-bottled orange juice as there are added sugars.
JALAPENO – The jalapeno adds a nice dose of spice. Leave the ribs and seeds intact before chopping for more of a kick.
How to Make Carne Asada
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- Combine all marinade ingredients in an immersion blender. Blend until combined well and a few chunks remain.
- Pour marinade over steak in a glass dish or a zip-top plastic gallon size bag. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do not reuse marinade that has come into contact with raw meat as the bacteria can be very harmful. If you happen to have leftover marinade after adding it to the meat, you can use what’s left in the jar or container. There are ways such as boiling the marinade after removing it from the meat to rid of bacteria but it can alter the flavor. It’s best to use fresh marinade and to discard any remaining liquid once it’s been used.
Store the marinade in an air-tight container, such as a jar, kept in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
We suggest marinating for 1 hour or up to 4 hours for this carne asada recipe. The longer it has to sit, the more the flavor will shine through.
Serving Suggestions
Grill or sear the steak in a cast iron skillet, then slice and serve. We like to serve these tacos “street style” on corn tortillas with cilantro and onion as a topping and a squeeze of lime. However, you can also enjoy them with sour cream, salsa, cheese, and lettuce if desired. Pair them with Mexican corn and classic Spanish rice for a full meal.
You can also use the carne asada in burrito bowls, salads, nachos, and more!
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Carne Asada Marinade
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 ½ pounds flank steak
Marinade
- 1 cup orange juice freshly squeezed from 3-4 oranges
- ¼ cup lime juice freshly squeezed from 2-3 limes
- 3 Tablespoons white vinegar
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
- ⅓ cup chopped jalapeno pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ Tablespoon ground cumin
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- This marinade will also work well on skirt steak, short rib, or sirloin steaks. It’s also great for chicken and pork.
- About 3-4 oranges will yield 1 cup of freshly squeezed juice. Depending on their size, 2 limes should yield 1/4 cup of juice. I always like to grab an extra one just in case. I don’t recommend using pre-bottled orange juice as there are added sugars.
- The jalapeno adds a nice dose of spice. Leave the ribs and seeds intact before chopping for more of a kick.
- Do note that the nutrition facts listed are for the entire marinade, which you will not consume whole.
Instructions
- Combine all marinade ingredients in an immersion blender. Blend until combined well and a few chunks remain.
- Pour marinade over steak in a glass dish or a zip top plastic gallon size bag. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
Nutrition
This post originally appeared here on Oct 20, 2016 and has since been updated with new photos.
Chef Antoine Davis
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Vicki says
I’d like to try this recipe but we don’t like cilantro at all, what would you suggest as an alternative?
Amanda Formaro says
Yu can just leave it out, no need to substitute anything.
Diane Button says
My favorite tacos! Excellent marinade. Left for 12 hours & grilled outdoors! Tender & Yummy. LOVE