Carne Asada
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Carne asada isn’t just any steak dinner—it’s juicy, charred at the edges, and packed with bold, smoky flavor. Perfect for fajitas, tacos, or burritos, and always a crowd-pleaser.
Photo by Johnny Miller, Clarkson Potter 2021)
Carne asada means “grilled meat” in Spanish. It’s a staple of Latin American cuisine, usually referring to marinated, grilled beef that’s sliced and served with tortillas, Mexican rice, beans, salsa, guacamole, pickled onions—you name it—for a fun, hands-on meal.
While it’s traditionally made with skirt or flank steak, I like to use flat iron steak. It’s packed with flavor, but more importantly, it’s reliably tender and a bit more forgiving on the grill. That said, if you prefer skirt or flank, go right ahead—they’ll work just fine too.
In another small departure from tradition, I add soy sauce to the marinade. It’s not exactly authentic, but it does wonders for boosting that savory, umami flavor. I also add a bit of sugar, which helps the meat caramelize on the grill and gives you those irresistible charred edges—arguably the best part.
“A winneru002du002dI immediately bought more flat iron steak to stash in the freezer to make it again! The marinade and my charcoal grill brought out incredible flavor ! Served it with pico de gallo. Yum!”
What You’ll Need to Make Carne Asada
- Soy Sauce: Adds savory depth and helps tenderize the steak—kind of like a shortcut to flavor.
- Lime Juice: Brings bright, citrusy flavor.
- Vegetable Oil: The base of the marinade; also prevents the meat from sticking to the grill.
- Sugar: Balances the tang and salt in the marinade and helps the meat get that nice caramelized char on the grill.
- Cumin: Adds warm, earthy flavor that gives the carne asada its classic seasoning profile.
- Ancho Chile Powder: Lends a smoky note and a gentle kick—nothing too spicy, just enough to round things out.
- Garlic: Brings bold, aromatic flavor that soaks into the meat as it marinates.
- Flat Iron Steak: Skirt steak is the classic choice for carne asada, but unless it’s been commercially tenderized (like it is in restaurants), it can be tough and tricky to work with. Flat iron has the same bold flavor but is naturally tender, so you get great results without any extra fuss.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Tenderize the steak. Using a fork, poke holes about an inch apart all over one side of the steak. This helps break up the fibers and lets the marinade soak in more deeply for maximum flavor.
Step 2: Make the marinade. In a large dish, whisk together the soy sauce, lime juice, vegetable oil, sugar, cumin, chili powder, and garlic. Make sure to whisk thoroughly as this will help dissolve the sugar.
Step 3: Marinate the steak. Add the steak to the marinade and turn to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (and up to 8). Flip the steak at least once during the process. (Flipping the steak ensures both sides absorb the marinade evenly, especially if it’s only partially submerged.)
Step 4: Grill the steak. Lightly oil the grill grates and preheat the grill to high. Once it’s fully heated, grill the steak for about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Covering the grill helps cook the steak more evenly while still getting a great crust on the outside. The high heat also plays a part in achieving a nice char and smoky flavor.
If grilling outdoors is not an option, use a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over high heat. You’ll still get a good sear and some of that classic charred flavor. Just make sure your kitchen is well-ventilated, because it can get smoky!
Step 5: Rest and slice. Let the steak rest on a cutting board, loosely tented with foil, for about 5 minutes. Resting the steak allows the juices to redistribute, so they don’t run out when you slice. Slice the steak thinly against the grain. (To find the grain, look for the lines running across the meat and slice perpendicular to them for the most tender bites.)
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Carne Asada
Ingredients
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons lime juice, from 2 limes
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1½ teaspoons ancho chile powder
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 2 pounds flat iron steak (see note)
Instructions
- In a dish large enough to hold the steak, whisk together the soy sauce, lime juice, vegetable oil, sugar, cumin, chili powder, and garlic.
- Using a fork, poke holes about an inch apart all over the steak on one side only. Place the steak in the marinade and turn to coat evenly (it doesn't matter which side is up). Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours, turning the steak at least once.
- Lightly oil the grill grates and preheat the grill to high. Grill the steak, covered, for 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. Let the meat rest on a cutting board, tented with aluminum foil, for about 5 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain and serve.
Notes
Pair with
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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This was off the charts delicious! You have ruined me for the typical cuts of meat used for carne asada! This was easy enough to make it into my regular rotation. I am going to have to explore your other recipes! Thank you!
I love your site and have tried many recipes. The Carne Asada is one of my family’s favorites!! My husband raves every time I make it. Ironically, I don’t like Mexican food, but two of my “signature dishes” are your restaurant-style salsa and your Carne Asada! I have had success marinating the meat for just a few hours as well as marinating it overnight.
Holy Guacamole! (pun intended) This was AMAZEBALLS! I’ve been burned before with carne asada recipes, even the pre-packaged Asada tastes processed and overly salted but yours is simply superb! Three kids under 5 and adults alike gobbled it up! My 5-year-old son even said, “I love it!” A sign of the apocalypse, I’m sure, but I’ll happily go down while devouring this meal! Thank you Jenn!
We loved the carne asada and it turned out perfectly. Is there anything I could use to substitute for the soy sauce as we have a friend that does not eat glutin and would like to serve this at a BBQ we are having in a couple of weeks?
Hi Terri, You can use gluten-free soy sauce or Tamari, which is almost identical to soy sauce but without the wheat.
Can you use filet mignon? Would marinating it hurt the texture of the steak?
I think this would work with filet mignon but instead of including lime juice in the marinade, I’d replace it with a teaspoon of lime zest. (Then you can top the finished dish with some fresh-squeezed lime juice.) Please LMK how it turns out if you try it with fillet!
Thank you for another excellent recipe. The steak was delicious and tender. My family helped themselves to seconds and thirds.
Hi. Do you need to wipe the marinade off the steak before grilling or can you take it directly from the dish it was in?
Thanks,
Julie
Nope – it can go right from the dish to the grill. 🙂
Hi Jenn-
We made these flatiron steaks yesterday for Cinco de Mayo and they were a huge hit! The marinade was simple. (The soy sauce would’ve normally thrown us off for Mexican cooking, but there’s always a method to your magic and that subtle umami flavor does wonders.) Thank you for another incredible recipe!
This was absolutely delicious. I can’t find ancho chili powder so I used regular chili powder. I can find chipotle chili powder though — would this work here Jenn?
Yes it will work, Sandi, but I’d cut it with regular powder (half/half) as it can be very spicy. Glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Jenn, I can’t wait to try your Carne Asada recipe. Could I substitute a 2 lbs of flank steak for the flat iron? If so, would I marinate and tenderize same way as the flat iron directions? Also, I do not have a working outside grill at this time. Would you suggest to broil in oven or to use a grill pan? Thanks so much for the recipe and for your response,
Anne
Hi Anne, You could definitely use a flank steak here (no changes to the recipe). I’d probably go with the grill pan for a really nice sear on the steak. Please come back and let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Would flank steak work in this recipe, using your same method?
Yes, definitely, Kim – although it won’t be quite as tender.
Is it ok to marinate this overnight?
Sure, Hala, that should be fine. Enjoy!