Perfectly charred and juicy, this simple carne asada recipe with salsa verde is the grilled Mexican dinner your meal rotation was missing. Smokey, tangy, and addictively spicy, it’s everything you could want in a single bite!
One of our favorite ways to serve this is over Cilantro Lime Rice with Mexican Black Beans and of course Guacamole or a little Mango Salsa.
Tender Salsa Verde Carne Asada
Served with spicy salsa verde, this easy carne asada recipe will be your new favorite steak dinner this summer. It’s juicy, smokey, and has little bits of charred goodness throughout that make every bite perfect.
Marinated with the same sauce it’s served with, the steak becomes more tender while absorbing an extra dose of Mexican personality. It has hints of garlic, onion, and lots of tang from the tomatillos. Once it hits the grill, this flavor fiesta becomes a thousand times better as it caramelizes on the meat.
With some roasted veggies or pommes frites on the side, it’s a yummy twist on classic grilled steak that everyone will love for cookouts or simple dinners at home. Just slice it, set it on the table, and watch it disappear within minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Carne Asada Recipe
Easy, juicy, and perfect for cookouts, this carne asada recipe will become your new favorite dinner this summer.
- Prep-friendly. Make the sauce and marinate the meat in advance so all you have to do is fire up the grill when it’s time for dinner.
- Great for cookouts. This recipe is an easy way to switch things up when it comes to grilled steak. The salsa verde marinade and topping is absolutely exquisite!
- Easy. All you need to do is char, blend, marinade, and grill. It’s only 4 easy and quick steps to set this dinner on the table.
- Juicy. Cooked over high heat, the meat remains nice and juicy on the inside. You’ll love every bite!
What You’ll Need
It’s the tomatillo salsa that really makes this dish shine. Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact amounts.
For the Salsa Verde
- Tomatillos
- Onion – White or yellow is okay.
- Jalapeño
- Garlic – Please don’t use garlic powder for this.
- Olive oil – Feel free to use vegetable, corn, or canola oil.
- Ground cumin
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime juice
- Salt and pepper
For the Steak
- Skirt steak
How to Make Salsa Verde Carne Asada
Carne asada meat is just like making grilled steak, except the marinade is a Mexican salsa. Check the recipe card at the bottom of the post for more detailed instructions on how to make it.
- Char the veggies. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the tomatillos, onion, jalapeño, and garlic inside. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place in the preheated oven until slightly charred.
- Blend the sauce. Place the charred veggies in the blender. Add the leftover salsa ingredients. Process until smooth. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. Set it aside.
- Marinate it. Place the steak in a Ziplock bag and add half of the blended salsa. Shake gently to combine. Refrigerate it and let it marinate for 30 minutes.
- Grill the steak: Spray cooking spray on the grill grates. Cook the steak for 4-5 minutes on each side.
- Serve: Remove the steak from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice and top with the remaining sauce. Enjoy!
Tips for Success
Even if you’re not a grill master, carne asada is extra easy to make when you know what corners to cut.
- Skip the cilantro. Fresh cilantro tends to make sauces bitter after a couple of days. If you’d like to make your sauce last longer 7-8 days, skip it or don’t add it until right before serving.
- Prep ahead. Making the sauce in advance will let you just throw the steak on the grill when it’s time to get cooking.
- Marinate it longer. While 30-minutes is a decent amount of time, letting the meat sit in the marinade longer allows it to absorb lots of extra flavor.
- Use store-bought. If you’re pressed for time but still want to make this recipe, you can substitute the homemade sauce for a store-bought organic salsa verde.
- Let it preheat. Give your grill a couple of minutes to preheat. Grills that aren’t super hot will only dry out your meat because you’ll need to increase the cooking time and will lose many juices along the way.
- Take it indoors. If you’re not planning on firing up the grill any time soon, cook it on a griddle or cast-iron skillet over high heat.
Ways to Serve Carne Asada
This carne asada recipe is great with anything you’d serve steak with. In addition to pommes frites (linked above) you could also serve this easy steak recipe with Roasted Potatoes, or Corn on the Cob. Other tasty options include Green Beans, Green Goddess Salad, or Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes. For an extra Mexican meal, you can serve some Mexican Street Corn Dip on the side too.
Common Questions
If you’re still wondering what is carne asada, the following FAQs will hopefully solve all your doubts. If not, feel free to leave a comment below!
It’s a Mexican grilled steak dish that can be marinated or kept as simple as possible in terms of seasoning. It’s cooked over high heat so that the meat remains juicy. Once ready, it’s sliced and served on its own with salsa, chiles toreados, or even in tacos.
Flank or skirt steak is best for this carne asada recipe. However, other cuts like ribeye and sirloin are great for grilling and work too. Just don’t forget the marinade!
Salsa verde is a blended Mexican salsa made with mostly green ingredients like tomatillos and jalapeño (or serrano.) The ingredients can be charred or simply boiled and blended. It’s the base for many dishes like chilaquiles, enchiladas, and even pozole verde.
It’s no impossibly spicy, but there is a certain level of heat to it since it’s made with fresh jalapeños. However, you can tone it down by reducing the number of chiles in the recipe.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
Once fully cooled, refrigerate leftover carne asada meat in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Keep it away from heat and sunlight when on the counter for reheating or serving. If possible, store the sauce separately. It will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge as well.
To reheat it, sprinkle the steak with 1 teaspoon of water and microwave it for up to a minute. You can also heat it in a pan over medium heat for 5-6 minutes.
Can I Freeze Extras?
Sure! Pop the sauce and steak into separate freezer-friendly bags or containers. Make sure to freeze them in serving-size portions so it’s easier to thaw and can reduce any possible waste. Throw them in the fridge the night before and then reheat as usual.
More Steak Recipes to Try
- Epic Pan Seared Ribeye Recipe with Herb Butter
- The Ultimate Steak Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
- Cast Iron Filet Mignon with Mustard Cream Sauce & Mushrooms
- California Steak Salad With Chimichurri
Salsa Verde Carne Asada
- Prep Time: 40
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 1x
- Category: Grilling, Beef, Gluten Free, Paleo,
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: Mexican
Description
This easy carne asada recipe with salsa verde will be your new favorite Mexican dinner. Easy to make and super juicy, it’s the perfect dish!
Ingredients
Salsa Verde:
- 6–7 tomatillos, husks removed and halved
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 1 jalapeno, halved (seeds removed if you don’t like spicy)
- 3 garlic cloves, skins removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- juice of 1 lime
- salt and pepper
Carne Asada:
- 2 lbs. skirt steak
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place tomatillos, onion, jalapeno and garlic cloves on baking sheet.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes until tomatillos are slightly browned.
- Remove from oven and place all the vegetables in a food processor or blender. Then add cumin, cilantro, lime juice and salt (to taste) to the blender. Blend until the contents are smooth and looks like salsa.
- Add skirt steaks to a large ziplock bag. Pour half the salsa verde in the ziplock with the steak. Close the ziplock and move the salsa around to completely cover the steak. Marinade for 30 minutes.
- Preheat grill to medium high heat, approximately 375-400 degrees F.
- Spray grill grates with cooking spray or rub down with an olive oil soaked rag.
- Place skirt steak on the grill and grill each side for 4-5 minutes or until the internal temperature is 145 degrees F.
- Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice the steak against the grain and top with remaining salsa verde.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 oz + sauce
- Calories: 294
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 124 mg
- Fat: 17 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 68 mg
