This Carne Asada recipe is smoky, citrusy, a little spicy, and makes your steak taste like it came from your favorite Mexican restaurant!
Gather This
There’s something about the combination of bright citrus and smoky heat that makes this carne asada marinade so irresistible. It’s quick to whip up, and the ingredients are easy to find. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce – These add smoky spiciness. You’ll usually find them in the Latin section of the grocery store.
- Flank or Skirt Steak – Both cuts are super flavorful and soak up the marinade perfectly.
- Orange juice
- Lime juice
- Lemon juice
- Avocado oil
- Coarse sea salt
- Low sodium soy sauce
- Light brown sugar
- Fresh garlic
- White onion
- Fresh cilantro
- Dried oregano
- Ground cumin
- Ground black pepper
Make it A Meal
This carne asada makes for an incredible taco filling, but it also works well in rice bowls, on nachos made with homemade tortilla chips, in salads, or even stuffed into quesadillas. Add a side of elote (Mexican street corn), caramelized onions, or a side of queso and chips.
A tangy slaw, refried black beans, or grilled corn and tomato salad also pair perfectly.
5S Philosophy 👩🏻🍳
- Salt – Salt draws flavor into the steak while helping everything else really sing. The soy sauce and sea salt work together to season without making it too salty. I like to use low sodium soy sauce to keep things a little balanced though.
- Seasoning – Between the cumin, oregano, and pepper, this marinade is loaded with warm, earthy seasoning. These spices help build the signature carne asada flavor.
- Sauces – The chipotles in adobo are the secret sauce here. They bring smoky heat to the marinade. Plus, the adobo itself is packed with spice and tangy goodness.
- Swaps – If you don’t have chipotle peppers in adobo, try using smoked paprika and a dash of hot sauce. You can also swap out the avocado oil for any neutral oil like canola or olive oil. Want it less spicy? Use fewer chipotles or skip the adobo sauce.
- Senses – Juicy and tender, carne asada sizzles with smoky char, bursts with citrusy spice, and fills the air with a mouthwatering grilled aroma.
Carne Asada Marinade Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 cup avocado oil or other neutral oil
- 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 3 cloves fresh garlic
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 2 tablespoons white onion
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
- 2-2.5 pound flank or skirt steak
Instructions
- In a blender or large food processor, combine the 3/4 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup lime juice, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup avocado oil or other neutral oil, 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, coarsely chopped 33 cloves fresh garlic, 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 2 tablespoons white onion, 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon ground cumin ,1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper and 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt. Blend well.
- Remove about 1/3 of the marinade, reserving for dipping later. Place the rest of the marinade into an airtight plastic bag or shallow dish along with the 2-2.5 pound flank or skirt steak. Cover and chill for 2-24 hours.
- Remove the meat from the marinade and discard. Grill or sear as desired to your desired level of doneness.
- Heat the reserved marinade and spoon over hot beef.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Nutrition
Storage and Freezing
You can keep cooked carne asada in a sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Freeze the raw steak in the marinade in a zip-top bag. Just thaw overnight in the fridge, and it’s ready to grill. Cooked carne asada also freezes well for up to 2 months.
More Juicy Marinades
If you know me, you know how much I love a good homemade sauce or marinade. Here are some of my favorites.
