Carne Asada Marinade - I am sharing the best carne asada marinade recipe that delivers a fresh, vibrant, and zesty flavor to the meat. It’s one of my favorite marinades because most of what I need is usually already in my kitchen!
We take flat iron steak and marinate it in a zesty, citrusy, and spicy marinade made with fresh herbs, garlic, jalapeño, red wine vinegar, and plenty of seasoning for a few hours. Then we throw it on a piping hot grill and let it sizzle for a beautifully charred outside and juicy, tender inside.
You can enjoy it on its own with rice and grilled veggies, but my favorite way to eat them is wrapped in a warm tortilla with grilled peppers and onion and some guacamole with jalapeno, easy marinated mushrooms or salsa with fresh tomatoes. So good!
If you’re craving a quick and refreshing dessert, try this 3-ingredient double chocolate mint sundae — it’s so easy and perfect for summer!
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What is Carne Asada?
Carne asada translates to grilled meat. It’s a traditional Mexican way of marinating the beef in a citrusy spicy and herbaceous marinade then grilling it, slicing it, and using it on its own or in things like easy chicken fajitas, beef pot roast tacos, cheesy ground beef quesadillas, quick breakfast burritos, etc.
Carne means meat, so as soon as it’s grilled it becomes carne asada.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Mouthwatering, delicious, and packed with bold, steak goodness!
- Marinating the flat iron steaks helps to break down the fibers, delivering the most tender beef.
- Grilling carne asada is super easy!
- It’s great for game days, Cinco de Mayo, taco night, and all through grilling season.
Cooking Tips
- Do not skip letting your meat rest. Allowing the juices to settle and redistribute across the entire steak will help prevent them from escaping once cut into. This helps keep it nice and juicy.
- Slicing against the grain cuts the fibers and tendons shorter, which means that every bite will be tender and easier to chew.
- If you are cooking indoors, use a cast iron skillet for the best results.
- The spice really adds to the flavor of the marinade, but feel free to remove the jalapenos and/or the red pepper flakes from the list of ingredients.
Ingredients Needed
- Steak: I like to use flat iron steak, but skirt steak and flank steak also work well in this recipe.
- Olive oil: Using olive oil as a base for the marinade helps to distribute the ingredients evenly to coat the meat and helps to keep it moist.
- Soy sauce, citrus juices, red wine vinegar: Freshly squeezed lime juice and orange juice are always recommended over the bottled stuff, but use what you have. The acid from both juices and the red wine vinegar not only provides a vibrant flavor but also helps to break down the fibers for tender results.
- Diced onion and chopped garlic: Provide even more flavor.
- Fresh cilantro: You’ll love the addition of fresh herbs!
- Diced jalapeño: For a spicy kick.
- Seasoning: Sea salt, chili powder, paprika powder, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes.
How to Marinade Carne Asada
Step 1: Add all of the marinade ingredients into a large glass dish. Whisk to combine and season to taste (before adding the meat!).
Step 2: Add your flat iron steaks to the dish and be sure to flip them over so both sides are coated.
Step 3: Cover the dish and allow it to sit in the fridge and marinate for at least 4 hours. If you are preparing ahead of time, it’s even better if you let it sit overnight in the fridge.
How to Make Carne Asada
Step 1: Once you are ready to cook the meat, bring it back to room temperature for about 20-30 minutes. You never want to add cold meat to a hot grill.
Step 2: Heat the grill to high heat, and when it is hot, place the steaks on top and listen for that sizzle! Discard the marinade.
Step 3: Cook the flat iron steak for 5 minutes, undisturbed, then flip it over and cook the other side for another 5 minutes to medium-rare or medium, depending on how you like it.
Step 4: When the beef is finished cooking, remove it from the grill and let it rest for a few minutes. Then, using a sharp steak knife, cut into slices against the grain and serve it with warm tortillas topped with guacamole, lime wedges, cilantro, and grilled bell peppers and onion. Enjoy with Mexican Chicken and Rice Casserole, Simple Guacamole with Jalapeno, Grilled Mexican Street Corn and Mango Dragonfruit Refresher.
Recipe FAQs
You have options! Since carne asada means grilled meat, you can really use any type of beef that does well on the grill. Skirt steak, flank steak, hanger steak, flat iron steak, and even short ribs are great.
You want a steak with enough marbling and fat for a buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture and tons of flavor like in our Instant Pot birria tacos. Even though the marinade will help to tenderize the meat, you still want to avoid the tougher cuts.
It's best to marinate the meat for at least 4 hours, but overnight will enhance the flavors even more.
Carne asada should be cooked to medium-rare or rare. Resist the temptation to overcook the meat, and don’t forget the internal temperature will continue to rise as it rests off the grill.
Over high heat, you want to cook it for about 7-10 minutes for medium rare and about 10-12 minutes for medium.
Use a meat thermometer to test. It should be 130-135F degrees once it reaches medium rare or 140 degrees F for medium.
Yes, letting it rest for a few minutes helps retain the juices, leading to a more flavorful bite.
Yes, you can use a hot skillet or cast iron pan, cooking it similarly to grilling but ensuring good heat for a nice sear.
More Tasty Marinade Recipes
- Best Chicken Thigh Marinade
- 5-Ingredient Pork Marinade
- Chicken Marinade with Honey and Soy Sauce
- Grilled Ribeye with Chimichurri Sauce
- The Best Coffee Rubbed Steak Recipe (Smoky & Bold Flavor)
- Instant Pot Birria Tacos – Crispy Quesabirria with Rich Consomé
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📖 Recipe
Best Carne Asada Marinade
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 lb flat iron steak
Marinade Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 large lime juiced
- ¼ cup orange juice freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 medium onion diced
- ½ cup cilantro finely chopped, about one brunch
- 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 medium jalapeno pepper finely chopped
- 2-3 teaspoons sea salt or to taste
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a big glass dish, start by whisking together all the marinade ingredients. Give it a taste and feel free to add a little more salt if you think it needs it!
- Next, add your flat iron steaks to the dish and make sure each side is nicely coated in the marinade. Cover it up and let those flavors soak in for at least 4 hours, or better yet, overnight in the fridge.
- When you’re ready to fire up the grill, let the steaks sit out at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes. Then, grill them over high heat until they’re beautifully charred on the outside and cooked to a juicy medium-rare (130-135°F) or medium (140-145°F)—about 5 minutes on each side should do the trick. Just be careful not to overcook them!
- Once they’re done, take the steaks off the grill and let them rest for a few minutes. When you’re ready to serve, slice the steaks against the grain and enjoy them with warm tortillas or rice, some delicious guacamole with jalapeno (or sliced avocados), salsa with fresh tomatoes, fresh lime wedges, cilantro, and grilled bell peppers with red onion. Enjoy with Mango Dragonfruit Refresher!
Notes
- Marinate for maximum flavor: Allow your meat to marinate for at least 4 hours or ideally overnight. The longer it marinates, the better the flavors will develop.
- Bring meat to room temperature: Before grilling, let the marinated steaks sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes. This helps ensure even cooking.
- Preheat the grill: Make sure your grill is preheated to high heat. This will create a nice sear on the outside while keeping the inside juicy.
Nutrition
Happy Cooking!
Nadezhda Sheremet
Delicious!!!
Love Keil
Thank you so much, so happy you like it!
Munchkin Time
My family loves this recipe!