Quick & Easy Steak Taco Recipe

Get ready for some amazing steak tacos with this recipe... it's got just the right amount of kick and sweetness in the incredible marinade. Do you have any recipes that you crave regularly?

What Kind of Steak is Good for Tacos?

You really could make tacos with any type of steak that you prefer, though different types will cook and taste very different. When I make steak tacos, I like to use skirt steak, flank steak, or chuck steak. These types are budget-friendly, and when cooked in the right way, they are tender and hold amazing flavor. Especially when paired with my marinade!

What Kind of Beef is Used for Tacos?

If you wanted to switch out steak for a more traditional American beef taco, using lean ground beef makes for a tasty taco filling. It's also easy to mix ground beef with vegetables or other ingredients to make an all-in-one taco filling.

Are Steak Tacos Healthy?

Steak tacos that you buy from a restaurant may have a lot of hidden calories, but when you make steak tacos at home it's easy to be in control of the recipe and create a healthy meal. A non-fried corn or flour tortilla are among the healthier options. You could even substitute the tortilla for a lettuce leaf or similar. Then, the lean steak and vegetables that make up this recipe are all nutritious and healthy ingredients. Like in these lettuce cups.

What is Asada?

The word asada itself translates to roasted/grilled. It is a method of cooking meat that imparts fantastic flavor. The classic taco filling, carne asada, is sliced skirt or flank steak marinated in a mixture of citrus juices (orange, lemon, lime) salt, pepper, cilantro, garlic and other add in ingredients that vary by recipe. Marinades, whatever type, usually have acidic ingredients as the base. The marinated steak is then grilled until tender and juicy.

Tips And Tricks For Making The Best Steak Tacos

For maximum flavor, marinate your meat overnight if you can, If not, try to marinate for at least 2 hours minimum. When you remove the steak from the marinade to cook it, reserve the leftover marinade. It makes a delicious sauce to drizzle over your finished tacos!

My favorite ways to cook the steak are under the broiler and on the grill because you get slightly charred edges that taste incredible with the marinade. However, all 3 ways of cooking that I have described below taste delicious (grill, broil, pan).

Whichever way you choose to cook the steak, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. cook until the thermometer reads 135F in the thickest part of the meat for medium-rare.

Is Flank Steak Kosher?

No. Flank steak comes from the rear of the cow, so it is not kosher. If you find flank steak in a kosher market, it is likely a cut of chuck that they trimmed to look like flank steak. So if you're looking for kosher steak tacos, grab the skirt steak or chuck steak at your local kosher market.

Feeling like Tacos but not Steak?

To fill that taco craving, try my two favorite fish tacos: swordfish tacos with tomatillo salsa, or grilled baja fish tacos. They're both make for a perfect healthy crowd pleasers!

How To Make The Best Steak Tacos

Before you even get to the tacos, take some time to prepare the delicious Pico de Gallo salsa! Mix the salsa ingredients in a bowl, and set aside. This can be made a day in advance.

You will need these ingredients for the steak part of your steak tacos:

The key step to great tasting steak taco is the marinade. Marinate your skirt steak in the refrigerator overnight in the mixture of orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, agave, minced garlic, oregano, chili powder, and salt (photo 1). Mix up the ingredients with a whisk (or your hand, see photo 2) and then add the steak (photo 3).

NOTE: Try to take the steak out twenty to thirty minutes before you intend to cook it. This gets the steak to room temperature so it can cook more evenly.

There are a few different methods you can use: grilling, broiling, or stovetop cooking in a pan.

• BROIL: Turn your broiler on high. Let it heat for one minute after the flame comes on. Next, put your skirt steak in the oven and cook it for five minutes. Then, remove steak from the oven. Leave the oven on, and the oven door open. Flip the steak over. Put back into the oven. Cook the steak until the internal temperature reads ~135 for medium-rare. This should take another four or five minutes.
• GRILL: Grill for 3-5 minutes per side. Cook the steak until the internal temperature reads ~135 for medium-rare. This should take another four or five minutes.
• PAN: Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes per side. Cook the steak until the internal temperature reads ~135 for medium-rare. This should take another four or five minutes. (See photo 1 below.) I use a cast-iron pan.

Whichever cooking method you choose, set the steak aside and let it rest for five to ten minutes.

In the meantime, pour the juices from the marinade into a saucepan. Bring the sauce to a boil, then lower to a simmer. This process will reduce the amount of marinade by half. It should take ten to fifteen minutes. See photo 2 below.

Once the sauce is ready, slice the steak into even pieces, slicing against the grain (the long muscle fibers in the meat). See photo 3 above.

Assemble your tacos for serving with the cabbage on the bottom, then the steak, then top with the salsa. You can also add avocado, cilantro, cheese, and whatever topics you like.

For the final touch, add a squeeze of lime and drizzle the reduced sauce on top.

If you love this recipe, check out these other kosher meat-eater recipes here.

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This post was originally published in July of 2018, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, tips, and multiple cooking methods in April 2020.