Carne Asada
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Cilantro, olive oil, soy sauce, orange + lime juice, garlic, jalapeno and cumin make for the easiest and most flavorful marinade. SO SO GOOD.

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reasons to make carne asada
- Easy, simple, flavorful marinade
- Juiciest, most tender flank steak
- Great make-ahead recipe, marinating ahead of time
- Has so many uses, perfect as an entree with rice and salsa or stuffing tacos and burritos
what is carne asada
Carne asada, translated to “grilled meat”, is typically made with skirt steak, flap steak or flank steak, marinated in lime juice and then grilled or seared for that charred flavor. Carne asada can be served as a main dish with rice and beans, and can also be served as a filling for burritos, tacos and quesadillas.
tips and tricks for success
- Use a hot cast iron grill pan. When opting to cook indoors, a heavy bottom pan, such as a cast iron grill pan or large cast iron skillet, retains heat much better than a nonstick skillet, allowing for even cooking, a better sear and smoky, caramelized flavors.
- Use reduced sodium soy sauce. Reduced sodium has less sodium and less salt without compromising flavor. The soy sauce will also add flavor, saltiness and umami.
- Use freshly squeezed lime juice. While bottled lime juice can work in a pinch, freshly squeezed is ideal here for its vibrant, stronger flavors.
- Let your meat rest. Let your meat rest for at least 5 minutes prior to serving, allowing the juices to redistribute – this will allow for maximum flavor and juiciness.
- Slice against the grain. This will shorten muscle fibers, leaving you with more tender (less chewy) pieces of meat.
- Double the sauce. Need extra sauce for tacos or burrito bowls? The sauce portion can easily be doubled or tripled for those saucy folks!
freezing and storage
Storage
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Reheating
Reheat in the oven at 250°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.
Freeze before cooking
Transfer the marinated meat to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date and freeze up to 3 months. To cook, thaw overnight in the fridge and cook as directed, adding a few more minutes of cook time as needed.
Freeze after cooking
Let cool completely. Transfer the meat to an airtight, resealable freezer bag. Label, date and freeze up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw overnight in the fridge, reheating in the oven at 250°F, covered in aluminum foil until warmed through.

what to serve with carne asada
Tools For This Recipe
Cast iron grill pan or large cast iron skillet
Carne Asada: Frequently Asked Questions
Skirt steak, flat iron steak and hanger steak are all great options here.
Patting the steak dry will allow for a better sear and crust. If there is too much moisture (marinade), the meat will steam instead.
No grill, no problem. A cast iron grill pan or a large cast iron skillet will work beautifully here, especially during those winter months when it’s too cold to grill out!
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Carne Asada
Ingredients
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- ⅓ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ pounds flank steak
Equipment
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine cilantro, olive oil, soy sauce, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, jalapeno, cumin and 1 teaspoon pepper; set aside 1/2 cup of the mixture in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine steak and remaining cilantro mixture; marinate for at least 4 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the steak from the marinade.
- Add steak to grill, and cook, flipping once, until desired doneness, about 6 minutes per side for medium rare. Let rest 5 minutes.
- Thinly slice steak against the grain and serve with reserved 1/2 cup cilantro mixture.
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Can this be done in a slow cooker so it’s more tender?
Not the author but I’ve made this MANY times. The marinade really tenderizes the meat well. It’s not tough or chewy at all, especially if you leave it marinating over night. I suppose you could cook it in the crock pot but you’d lose that great grilled flavor that makes it Carne asada and the texture would likely be different. But no harm in trying. Would love to know how it turns out.
Perfect recipe
Delicious! My son and husband loved the flank steak using this marinade!
Thanks for the recipe. I did it for the first time and everything turned out thanks to you. I love tse
This recipe is li9fe changing! I use it for Steak all the time. Recently my daughter marinated prawns in it, very good! thank you
My go to recipe for flank. This one is the best!
AMAZING! FULL of flavor. My whole family was impressed by the very first bite! We’re putting in our “make for company” file ASAP. And so easy too!!
I had no idea I could be such a good cook! xD Seriously – this was unbelievably amazing!
One modification: partner and I don’t like cilantro so we substituted with fresh parsley and it was extremely excellent. You won’t be disappointed in the slightest!
This sounds wonderful and I can’t wait to try it but my shopper chose top sirloin instead of flank steak. :-/ Can I use this on top sirloin or hold out for the next grocery trip to get flank or skirt?
I’m making it this weekend and using top sirloin because it’s on sale. It will be a lot more tender than flank steak! Sounds like a great recipe!
I made this tonight with a flank steak that was probably older than it should have been (a year in the freezer??). I marinated for 24 hours and then sous vided for 10 hours at 135 degrees, finally finishing on the grill. It was amazing. The marinate is fantastic and the steak was fall apart tender and extremely delicious. Thank you for the recipe and we bought your book!
I will be making this really soon. I do however want to know where did you get the pan in the photo? It looks like one my grandmother had and I am search for one just like it!
I have one of those, myself. It came from my grandmother and I remember her cooking many a meal in it, especially Sunday dinners. I’m sure it’s no longer available in store, just in our memories. Hope you find what you’re looking for.
If you look on Ebay, vintage aluminum roasting pan, you will find many choices with some looking just like this one. I believe it is a Wearever brand.
amazing recipe.. just hsd some reposdao tequila as a preamble and we desfrutallo..mucha gracias por todos
I put in marinade on lunch hour and grilled for dinner about 6 hours later. Definitely will make again, perfect Thank you for sharing
Made it. Ate it. Loved it.
I had to omit the jalapeños for the sake of pleasing all my family members (*ahem* looking at you, 5-years-olds), but overall this recipe was spiced just right. Just the right saltiness, brightness and earthiness. Also, it was super easy and came together quickly. Will make again and again.
Tip: save the rind of your lime before juicing it! It’s great for adding to your accompanying drink or dessert.
Can this be made on the stove top or in oven?
so yummy 😀
Family favourite…melt in your mouth deliciousness!
I’ve never written a review on a recipe but DAYYYUUUMMMMMM, the most delicious and authentic tasting recipe ever. Wow wow wow yummy!!!!
This recipe is incredible! For the first time, I made flank steak that wasn’t tough and chewy!! I subbed the soy sauce for coconut aminos and let the meat marinate for 48 hours. Put in sous vide at 130 for 1.5 hours then seared on cast iron. Incredible flavor and the whole family enjoyed it! 🙂
I want to note… you probably should not marinade for over 8 hours… the acid from the citris will start cooking the meat (think ceviche). Other professional chefs elsewhere have noted that.
But glad everyone is enjoying, awesome recipe!
This marinade was fire!!! Made recipe exactly as written and used like fajitas with oven roasted fresh bell peppers and all the fixings! Will definitely make again!
I have been making this recipe for so long…it’s always well received by my family and friends! They all love it! Thank you for sharing it!